NCMaureen: It's clear that "capitalism as we know it" has failed in a number of respects. Without adequate regulation, capitalism inevitably falls into brutal boom and bust cycles that exacerbate the unequal distribution of personal income resulting in the rich getting richer while the middle class stagnates or slips into poverty.
NCMaureen: It's clear that "capitalism as we know it" has failed in a number of respects. Without adequate regulation, capitalism inevitably falls into brutal boom and bust cycles that exacerbate the unequal distribution of personal income resulting in the rich getting richer while the middle class stagnates or slips into poverty.
Any economic system will ensure prosperity and well-being only if it's compatible with the resources available to it from planet earth. Inadequately regulated capitalism is depleting our resources and natural systems faster than they can be replenished.
We're on the road to environmental implosion. The only acceptable kind of growth is sustainable growth. Our politics are still driven by the Bill Clinton mantra: "It's the economy, stupid!" We on the road to self destruction until and unless we accept that "It's the ECOLOGY, stupid!" and adjust our lifestyles to that imperative. Hillsdale College serves the interests of the billionaires that fund its extensive ties to far-right interests.
Kstils, you cited only part of my statement, leaving out the important qualifier, "in a number of respects." I stand by the statement and everything that follows about the need for adequate regulation to preclude the otherwise inevitable boom and bust cycles of capitalism and its relentless need for "growth" on a finite planet that has led us down a path leading to environmental implosion. That's hardly a "sane" option.
One of the Hillsdales lectures that you won’t listen describes the environmental costs of the green movement. Guess how much earth has to be mined to get enough rare earth minerals to build one Tesla battery?
NCMaureen: I'm well aware of the limited supplies of lithium, cobalt, rare earths, and other essential components of our hi-tech world. I've read an entire book on the subject, Michael Klare's The Race for What's Left. But I'm also aware that scientists at MIT have developed battery technology based on three abundant and inexpensive materials -- aluminum, sulphur, and salt.
But we already know that we cannot go on pouring greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, so alternative energy sources must be found if we hope to sustain a lifestyle as energy dependent as ours.
And I know enough about the Hillsdale lectures to view them with skepticism. The fossil fuel companies take their cues from the tobacco industry. When the surgeon general tied tobacco use to cancer, Big Tobacco initiated a propaganda war to counter the science. They established "research" centers at universities and bought off scientists who sold their integrity by claiming to have experimental evidence that tobacco is safe. Now, after countless needless deaths, we know it was all a scam. Big Oil is doing the same thing today, using outlets like Hilldale sow doubt and confusion about climate science and alternative energy.
As for the allegation about environmental costs of producing lithium-ion batteries, they are dubious at best.
Transport and Environment, an NGO that studies the environmental impact of transportation systems compared the impacts of gas-powered and electric vehicles. They found:
Electric vehicles require far less in the way of mined metals.
It is anticipated that the amount of lithium, cobalt, and nickel to produce a car battery will drop significantly over the next decade, and by 2035 it is expected that over a fifth of the lithium and 65% of the cobalt and nickel will come from recycling. The full study can be found at:
So, instead of technology we know to be harmful (internal combustion engines powered by gas) let us hope that the technology to produce electric vehicles powered by clean energy can be perfected. Otherwise, we're in deep doo-doo.
NCMaureen: It's clear that "capitalism as we know it" has failed in a number of respects. Without adequate regulation, capitalism inevitably falls into brutal boom and bust cycles that exacerbate the unequal distribution of personal income resulting in the rich getting richer while the middle class stagnates or slips into poverty.
Any economic system will ensure prosperity and well-being only if it's compatible with the resources available to it from planet earth. Inadequately regulated capitalism is depleting our resources and natural systems faster than they can be replenished.
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/were-gobbling-earths-resources-unsustainable-rate
We're on the road to environmental implosion. The only acceptable kind of growth is sustainable growth. Our politics are still driven by the Bill Clinton mantra: "It's the economy, stupid!" We on the road to self destruction until and unless we accept that "It's the ECOLOGY, stupid!" and adjust our lifestyles to that imperative. Hillsdale College serves the interests of the billionaires that fund its extensive ties to far-right interests.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/05/12/hillsdale-college-trump-pence-218362/
It is certainly not true that 'capitalism as we know it' has failed.
Compare it to any other economic model and you'll find it's really the only sane option.
Kstils, you cited only part of my statement, leaving out the important qualifier, "in a number of respects." I stand by the statement and everything that follows about the need for adequate regulation to preclude the otherwise inevitable boom and bust cycles of capitalism and its relentless need for "growth" on a finite planet that has led us down a path leading to environmental implosion. That's hardly a "sane" option.
One of the Hillsdales lectures that you won’t listen describes the environmental costs of the green movement. Guess how much earth has to be mined to get enough rare earth minerals to build one Tesla battery?
NCMaureen: I'm well aware of the limited supplies of lithium, cobalt, rare earths, and other essential components of our hi-tech world. I've read an entire book on the subject, Michael Klare's The Race for What's Left. But I'm also aware that scientists at MIT have developed battery technology based on three abundant and inexpensive materials -- aluminum, sulphur, and salt.
https://news.mit.edu/2022/aluminum-sulfur-battery-0824
But we already know that we cannot go on pouring greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, so alternative energy sources must be found if we hope to sustain a lifestyle as energy dependent as ours.
And I know enough about the Hillsdale lectures to view them with skepticism. The fossil fuel companies take their cues from the tobacco industry. When the surgeon general tied tobacco use to cancer, Big Tobacco initiated a propaganda war to counter the science. They established "research" centers at universities and bought off scientists who sold their integrity by claiming to have experimental evidence that tobacco is safe. Now, after countless needless deaths, we know it was all a scam. Big Oil is doing the same thing today, using outlets like Hilldale sow doubt and confusion about climate science and alternative energy.
As for the allegation about environmental costs of producing lithium-ion batteries, they are dubious at best.
https://www.verifythis.com/article/news/verify/environment-verify/electric-vehicles-carbon-footprint/536-92531ae7-c68f-4eaa-a24d-6c04c4b9ff95
Transport and Environment, an NGO that studies the environmental impact of transportation systems compared the impacts of gas-powered and electric vehicles. They found:
Electric vehicles require far less in the way of mined metals.
It is anticipated that the amount of lithium, cobalt, and nickel to produce a car battery will drop significantly over the next decade, and by 2035 it is expected that over a fifth of the lithium and 65% of the cobalt and nickel will come from recycling. The full study can be found at:
https://electrek.co/2021/03/01/mining-electric-car-batteries-hundreds-of-times-better-than-petrol-car-emission-cycles/
So, instead of technology we know to be harmful (internal combustion engines powered by gas) let us hope that the technology to produce electric vehicles powered by clean energy can be perfected. Otherwise, we're in deep doo-doo.