“It feels good, it resonates with people, it doesn’t make any sense.”

@kobaltapollodorus8922

3 жыл бұрын

Populism in a nutshell

@SkittyBlackfire

3 жыл бұрын

Except it does make sense if you actually understand what's been meant by it. It doesn't mean: don't do personal action; it means; we're doing our personal action, so now it's time the government and companies are going to do their part too.

@emilymartin5418

3 жыл бұрын

@@SkittyBlackfire whether it has one implication or the other depends on the person making or sharing the statement, because linguistically it can mean either.

@CFTim

3 жыл бұрын

@@SkittyBlackfire It seems you're taking about the second statement in the video. The quote was about the first ("it doesn't matter what individuals do, because...").

@1995pieter

3 жыл бұрын

@@SkittyBlackfire exactly. ironic he himself immediately used rhetoric and makes a huge strawman.

To quote CGPGrey "There are no solutions, there are only tradeoffs"

@jokerES2

3 жыл бұрын

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Everything has a cost, whether you want to admit it or not.

@jelle7224

3 жыл бұрын

This video (almost) has the same title as the first episode of Hello Internet, right?

@adamscholze

3 жыл бұрын

@@jelle7224 Correct, the first episode is "Being wrong on the internet."

@SourSourSour

3 жыл бұрын

Dang, CGP Grey got some good quotes, recently been jiving with "If you want to always be right, you must always be willing to change your mind" Which I just tried to confirm was his, but haven't found any evidence, so I'm probably wrong. Good quote tho ;o;

@adamscholze

3 жыл бұрын

@@SourSourSour he said that during one of his Q&As, I can't remember which one but he did

Unrelated but today in biology class my teacher showed us your crash course video on the endocrine system and before starting it she said this guy talks too fast so I'll keep pausing it and I was like ma'am.. that's Hank Green..that's the way he is! Dftba!

@GarceusLegend

3 жыл бұрын

Not the first time I’ve experienced someone saying Hank talks too fast (think it was a scishow video I suggested a class watch way back when)

@artycraftyalchemy

3 жыл бұрын

Tell her she can reduce the speed 😂

@jtbwilliams

3 жыл бұрын

Hank still sounds normal at 0.75 speed...

@AuroraSilverFox

3 жыл бұрын

Omg 😂 I have ADHD and one of the reasons I adore Hank is because he talks fast. 💕

@FaerieDust

3 жыл бұрын

@@AuroraSilverFox Same 😂 he's one of few I don't have to always speed up to 2x speed 😂😂

I’ve noticed this about myself, the more people around me started living more responsibly and opting for more ethical options when it comes to climate changes the more I was aware of the less ethical things I was doing and the more motivated I was to change. Just living your life responsibly around other people can sometimes be the push they need to think more about their actions and choices!!

@rinnhart

3 жыл бұрын

my tomatoes and rhododendrons all exploding into flame has been enough, yes

@inklingofadream

3 жыл бұрын

And it makes those options more available! An example not related to sustainability, but I have multiple family members w/ Celiac disease, and when they were diagnosed your options were maybe a half a dozen premade products available in specialty stores for a significant markup over their glutinous counterparts and learning to make your own gluten-free bread/pancakes/cookies/etc with alternative flours. After it became a fad diet, gluten-free options became available in regular grocery stores and restaurants, and they're much cheaper than they were when I was a kid (and they taste better, bc companies can hire food scientists and stuff, which gives you a much better end product than a dozen housewives on blogspot going through endless rounds of trial and error).

@lonestarr1490

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly. And it's even more effective than trying to persuade them to do so. The truth of what you talk is what you do. Thus, you may as well spare them the talking.

@cascade9584

3 жыл бұрын

i have the same experiences!

@cardiganweather

3 жыл бұрын

This is an important factor in the Theory of Planned Behavior, a theory in public health meant to try to understand/predict health behaviors. If you believe those around you would think positively of you for engaging in a certain behavior, or if they themselves are doing it, you will be more likely to engage in that behavior. Something that seems very obvious but people tend to forget with big issues like these.

Thanks for being openly critical about your own instinctive beliefs, it's a good reminder to keep fact-checking what can be checked. Something that "feels" right isn't necessarily true, but it's hard to keep acting on that every day.

@vlogbrothers

3 жыл бұрын

It's so easy to do it to others, very hard to do to yourself.

@lonestarr1490

3 жыл бұрын

@@vlogbrothers So you should let others do it to you. Then you only have to accept it, which can be hard as well.

@kindlin

3 жыл бұрын

@@vlogbrothers I've wanted to make videos before just to be picked apart. You can't learn without failing, you can't fail without trying.

🎵 welcome to the internet 🎵

@miacoss9809

3 жыл бұрын

🎵 Take a look around 🎵

@suchitrasridhar5313

3 жыл бұрын

🎵Anything that brain of yours can think of can be found🎵

@lucas56sdd

3 жыл бұрын

🎵We've got mountains of content, some better, some worse.🎵

@CheyanneStorm

3 жыл бұрын

🎵if none of it’s of interest to you, you’d be the first🎵

@SoVidushi

2 жыл бұрын

🎵 welcome to the internet 🎵

Gonna gonna go rethink literally every argument I’ve ever made now

@leamonty2992

3 жыл бұрын

Me too. Woohoo

@lonestarr1490

3 жыл бұрын

Just do it on the fly the next time you're about to bring it up. More time efficient that way.

I really resonate with this. I first started looking at how I could live more sustainably but then started to realize we need system change ans got involved with poltical groups like Fridays for the Future and Sierra Club. Also individual action will change corporations, if people stop buying coke because of their plastic pollution they will stop polluting as to not lose out on that market

@reydecangrejos7087

3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant point with the Coke example

@frostyskeletons8950

3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely! Corporations are legally obligated to act in the interest of share holders. If consumers are only willing to buy ethically, corporations have to adapt to be profitable in a market like that. Companies do not exist in a vacuum

@SolitaryReaper666

3 жыл бұрын

when are you going vegan?

@trent6319

3 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure plastic bottles are a real issue. Certainly it's not harmless to pump hydrocarbons out of the ground, polymerize them, ship it the bury it back in the ground but it isn't extremely harmful. I'm not an expert on the subject but the polymirzation of PET releases no CO2 in the reaction. Transportation and heating the reaction, crack, work the distillation column certainly does if done by burning hydrocarbons but less than storing in Al(I realize Al is readily recyclable but so is PET and HDPE and making Al metal is extremely energy intense this can be done greenly but often isnt). Now I realize we could make soda at soda fountains so the water is pumped locally, and he CO2 and syrup is sold in bulk. This is almost certainly more efficient but requires a soda fountain so isn't practical for people's homes. Again though I'm not an expert and a real analysis could show I'm wrong

@avacurtis2729

3 жыл бұрын

@@trent6319 I totally agree. People somtimes forget that glass can be worse do to the extra fuel in shipping. Although other impacts besides CO2 like impacts on wildlife and degration of soil are also factors in this. It was just an example. But I appreciate the nuance you added. The environmentalist community often focuses on plastics are bad and glass is good with out as much nuance as is really needed for this conversation

I'm glad to hear these talking points because I wrote an entire book about what small businesses can do about climate change, only to hear A LOT of influencers talking about the impact of the biggest companies and feeling so frustrated that they're completely missing the part where these big businesses contract out to smaller businesses??? Anyway, thanks for validating my feelings/thoughts.

@emilysha418

3 жыл бұрын

What's the book?

@damplamp

3 жыл бұрын

@@emilysha418 I googled her name and I think it's "Ethical Profit: A Guide to Increasing Profit Using Sustainable Business Practices"

@SamanthaRichardsonWP

3 жыл бұрын

@@emilysha418 my book is "Ethical Profit" :)

@SamanthaRichardsonWP

3 жыл бұрын

@@damplamp thanks for looking it up, I'm amazed the right one came up!

@sohailsamad9715

3 жыл бұрын

Hey Samantha, I would love to connect with you through any social media you feel comfortable with just to exchange ideas and thoughts, I am also intrested in your book. Thank you ...

what i've observed based on my experiences (both online and in real-life communities that are focused on environmentalism) is that lots of people seem to think that every measure one can take to protect the environment is doable for everyone, and both policy and groupthink are dictated by this idea. a great example is the plastic straw issue. i think it's safe to say that it can't hurt to skip single-use plastics if possible, but somehow, using plastic straws became a morality issue. this really sucked for disabled people who rely on plastic straws to be able to drink, because they were flamed online- plus there was the possibility that one of their assistive devices would be banned by the government. (@Jessica Kellgren-Fozard has a video about why straws are a disability rights issue that you can watch if you want to learn more!) so yes, everyone should do their part to combat climate change, but we all need to remember that "doing your part" looks different for everyone. some people rely on straws to drink, or need chopped produce in plastic containers if they want to eat fresh produce at all. some people are priced out of more eco-friendly alternatives to the products they normally buy. these people are not "ruining the planet" by existing, but people will try to tell them that they are. that's my issue with personal responsibility rhetoric.

@teresaribeiro8489

3 жыл бұрын

this is such a good point and something I've been having so many arguments about. Specially when people don't understand that sometimes it comes to the fact that it is a privilege, it's a privilege if you can buy some types of foods (have time to choose what to eat and cook), if you are able to shop expensive but environmentally friendly clothing (even thrift shops are a privilege if you live in a city that has none!//portrait them as vintage and are more expensive for that). And sometimes, health conditions as you said, even mental health.

@albertlassiter8608

3 жыл бұрын

Well said. I have seen Jessica's videos and straws and was thinking about that as well. As you said, even people who have the same goals (e.g. combating global warming) do not necessarily have the same means or opportunities to work toward those goals. By acknowledging that, rather than shaming those who vary from your path, a diverse and powerful community can be built, and progress can (hopefully) be made.

This is totally random but I just came here from rewatching “Hank Plays The Stanley Parable”. That series is weirdly comforting to me 😅

"If we are not actually acting like there's a problem, our brains have a hard time remembering there is a problem." Just this morning I was thinking about how many Americans don't even realize we're at war right now and have been for 20 years. It's amazing how easily we as humans ignore what's not right in front of our faces.

@toddgreener

3 жыл бұрын

Forever war is part of the recipe for total authoritarianism in 1984!

@ampthebassplayer

3 жыл бұрын

We've always been at war with Eastasia.

@freelunchfreedemocracy2407

3 жыл бұрын

it is increadibly ironic and telling that you people use vacuous twitter and reddit lines to discuss a very complex issue on a video talking about how we shouldn't just repeat twitter lines like absolute mongs.

@garbagetrash2938

3 жыл бұрын

@@toddgreener it's also a recipe to generate wealth for the military industrial complex.

@98Zai

3 жыл бұрын

@@garbagetrash2938 That's basically all it is. For both sides.

This is ABSOLUTELY the content and discourse we should be having right now. I was starting to believe that individual

@FernandoLopez-mp6bs

3 жыл бұрын

The argument now becomes what can we as individuals do, in our communities and governments etc, to get the coorporations to stop the crisis. We still have a social responsibility, it's just not the one we originally thought!

@anniemayfield4589

3 жыл бұрын

You know what’s frustrating, is that about 30% of the population has a bachelor’s degree, which means that about 70% of the population does not know what peer reviewed articles are, or the importance of them. I wonder if that’s one of the reasons why misinformation is spread so easily.

@thecraftlizard

3 жыл бұрын

@@FernandoLopez-mp6bs + one fight, many angles

@thecraftlizard

3 жыл бұрын

@@anniemayfield4589 yes, that must be correlated at least. I live in an educated bubble where 75% of my city has masters degrees and up, so I'm probably not one to comment... though I will say that in this town, nobody checks their egos at the door, which also makes getting anything done impossible. Like everything, all about balance, listening, and respect.

@SkittyBlackfire

3 жыл бұрын

It's not debunked. Hank just makes the argument that individual actions are not meaningless. We can do personal action AND demand that the companies change with us. There's no time for a "this OR that" it's time for "this AND that".

There's also a game theory/economic argument to this idea on how individual actions/strategy translate to more global phenomena. Simply put, it says that enough "good-faith" players in a large-scale game can/will overcome and overwhelm "bad-faith" actors even if "bad-faithism" is the more locally optimal strategy.

@travisking332

3 жыл бұрын

+

@CharlieQuartz

3 жыл бұрын

Would you mind providing a link or keywords so I could find out more about this theory?

@sudipto1585

3 жыл бұрын

Oh, yeah, I remember painting the climate crisis and individual action in the frame of a prisoner's dilemma in 9th grade.

sad to see this room does not yet resemble the tree stump of a erudite gnome with very little self respect and too many small statues

@ToriKo_

3 жыл бұрын

???????

@OrigamiMarie

3 жыл бұрын

@@ToriKo_ Hank is trying to get interior design help from Twitter, and it's going . . . interestingly. His first complaint / request for help brought out lots of eager people who are good at making minimalist, beautiful, focussed rooms. And this turns out not to be what Hank wants at all, thus his quandary. Then he said that his room should look as described above, and he needs help with that. Somebody suggested finding the person who laid out his favorite science museum shop and have them do the decorating, which I think might be just the thing: science museum gift shop ambience.

@FaithfulCharity

3 жыл бұрын

@@OrigamiMarie thanks for explaining the vlogbrothers canon outside of YT for us casual subscribers 🙏

@OrigamiMarie

3 жыл бұрын

@@FaithfulCharity you're welcome! I don't always know the backstory, but I do like to help mystified people when I can :-)

@ToriKo_

3 жыл бұрын

@@OrigamiMarie deleted twitter - thanks for ur explanation!

I'm a "do everything" kinda person; Making personal changes AND voting for people who don't deny it's a problem AND pressuring big companies in whatever ways I can think of. Good to have some info to bring up when talking to the "personal responsibility is a lie" people, so thank you.

@caitie226

3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely. This is not really an either/or issue.

OHHHH HECKIN YEAH NEW FLOGBUTTERS

This is one of the most important conversations to have. Not only does individual action ignite the attention of others, but it transforms intimidating systemic issues into something we can hold much closer to own eyes. It’s so important to change those countless datasets, and headlines, and economic injustices into something we- human people- can digest and address.

I used to believe that exact argument of "individual action is a distraction from the collective action that needs to be done" for so long. Good to know it isn't actually true.

@DreamFreeFPV

3 жыл бұрын

Well it's kind of true. Like, the policy is still the issue. BUT, we know the policy won't change unless we show that it's something we care about, and we show we care about it by taking personal action not just complaining that our governments are doing a bad job of regulating it. I think of it more like induced demand.

@tomaskrampera6485

3 жыл бұрын

@@DreamFreeFPV Yeah, I agree, I wrote it as an oversimplification.

@LynnHermione

3 жыл бұрын

It is.

@fossilfighters101

3 жыл бұрын

@@LynnHermione babe did you watch the video

@TacticusPrime

3 жыл бұрын

It's 100% true. This video is nonsense. All the "individual action" rhetoric has done is empower the culture war.

Wow! My wife and I have been having these discussions recently, and I was resistant to be more proactive in my personal actions because I felt like it was nothing compared to the systemic issues causing the climate crisis. This video was super helpful in helping to contextualize and see the bigger picture of personal actions. Also my wife was right haha.

Nice thoughts, and for the most part I agree. However, I have one caveat. Some of the "individual" vs "systemic" responsibility debate happens in ways that are unhelpful and franky manipulative. We need systemic change to solve the problem. Given society as a whole, especially in the US, even our poorest citizens have a larger carbon footprint than much of the world because the society we live in uses fossil fuels - the lights in the public library, the gas/diesel in the fire engines, etc. We can only make our carbon footprints so small, and there's no way for us to make them small enough, so we need policy/systemic changes. I believe in doing what I can to do my part - I eat less meat, I use light sources, I'm working on getting solar panels for my home, and if I succeed, my next car will be electric. Etc etc. But not all of us can afford to do this, and very few of us can afford to do it right now - we have to plan for it. But contrarians use this as a guilt trip - if you really believed AGW is a problem, you'd drive an EV and have solar panels - if you don't, you don't really believe it. And some who aren't contrarians do the same thing with the added virtue signaling that gets old quick. And none of these account for the complexities of our lives as individuals - they just make us feel guilty about not being able to do everything we're told we should do. And of course some of the things we're told we we should do aren't as effective as other things we're not told to do. Changing your light bulbs is good, but it's not as effective as reducing your beef/lamb intake, which is not as effective as driving an EV, which is not as effective as walking/riding a bike, which is not as effective as having one fewer kid. So I think it all boils down to the fact that the most significant thing we can do is to vote for those who will do the right thing. The second is to have good conversations with actual data and evidence. And the third, imho, is to do what we can as individuals to reduce our carbon footprints - no more and no less. And no guilt about not living up to someone else's standard. And personally, I think the carbon fee and dividend plan does the most to address both the system and the individual. The plan would educate us about what actions/products emit more CO2 and it rewards us for taking personal responsibility. Win win.

@jasmeenmalhotra2225

3 жыл бұрын

Well put!! Thoroughly agree with like literally everything you said here.

Living my life more sustainably (composting my food, bringing my own grocery bags, etc.) has slowly started to make those around me more sustainable over a long period of time. And as I live out my own values in my life, I find I feel a little less helpless day by day ❤️

@richards5110

3 жыл бұрын

This has been my experience. My actions are slowly leading to discussions with others that create actions with them, or at least shift perspectives.

This reminds me of the research they did. In short: they put people in a room with actors and then made alarms go off and smoke appear etc. All the actors ofcourse know there’s nothing wrong and they continue to do as if that’s the case. Most people just followed their example and stayed put.

@lilimarlene7813

3 жыл бұрын

This was a study done around 1970 by psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley on bystander apathy. They put different numbers of people in a room to ‘answer a survey’. Then they piped smoke under a door. The more people in the room, the longer it took for anyone to respond.

@caitie226

3 жыл бұрын

Hey, sorry to trouble you guys, but if you know the name of the study could you please cite it too? There's so much junk psychology around I think it's really useful for people to be able to look stuff up as easily as possible. Giving the authors is really useful too. Thanks!

@Wolfdette

3 жыл бұрын

@@caitie226 kzread.info/dash/bejne/fXlpu9mHZLG9ZdI.html And en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect First is a video of the study I mentioned (the woman stays and doesn’t say anything about the smoke for 20 minutes because other people ignore it too) and the second one a reaaaallly long Wikipedia page about multiple studies for this behaviour.

Humans just love a dichotomy - like so many things in life, "both" is an acceptable answer. No amount of me personally not flying or not driving or not eating meat etc etc is going to stop climate change because there are more systemic problems that require more systemic solutions. But also surely it's important for us to do those things anyway? Like for all the reasons you said but also because a) these are the only things I have any control over, b) these things add up and c) THESE ARE THE ONLY THINGS I HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER!

@PlatinumAltaria

3 жыл бұрын

When you're in a plane crash you get to decide whether you die standing up or sitting down. But you're gonna die anyway unless the people with the power to make a difference do what we need them to do. It isn't about you.

@goji5887

3 жыл бұрын

THANK YOU for saying it!

@caitie226

3 жыл бұрын

Individual actions promote systemic change and systemic change promotes individual action. When we're working against corruption and disinformation and greed on this scale we need to approach this problems from every angle we can.

@thebug4607

Жыл бұрын

@@caitie226 Thank you. The system is made up of individuals, so discounting individual action is foolish.

oh my god one of my favorite sentences to add onto phrases about online discourse is “You’re not allowed to be wrong on the internet!” I clicked this SO fast-

Look at a technology adoption curve. We need early adopters to pave the way and live very carbon conscious lifestyles. That will make more sustainable products cheaper and easier to get. Then as the masses adopt them, it becomes more normal and easier to adopt sustainable practices. So don't ever let anyone tell you you aren't changing anything.

@CharlieQuartz

3 жыл бұрын

I was with you until the last bit. Definitely be open to criticism about whether the new climate trend is actually efficient and helpful overall to the environment.

@chrisowens4550

3 жыл бұрын

This assumes there are no barriers to adoption, and in today's society there are plenty. It doesn't matter if you recycle if your local firm simply throws most of it away because there's no market for it.

@Jenny-tm3cm

3 жыл бұрын

@@CharlieQuartz I think they meant more along the lines of, don’t give up because people will berate you for trying to be more eco friendly. I get told constantly that it doesn’t make a difference. It does make a difference tho, a really really big difference. Very different than analyzing if your actions are having the desired effect. If you’ve never been legitimately screamed at that climate change isn’t real and it hasn’t started a huge fight, I’m guessing you live in an area that is less of a swing district. Most people don’t have to see all the dead animals floating in the water that were killed by climate change. Most people don’t care at all that their actions are the direct cause of horrible, unnecessary deaths of wildlife. Most people I encounter don’t even know

@Jenny-tm3cm

3 жыл бұрын

The thing is these early adopters need to be people with the means to do it and the 1% highest tax bracket emits literally double the carbon than the bottom 50% tax bracket of people. The main things I wanna be able to do are never go to a restaurant ever until they stop wasting so much food and plastic, use only renewable electricity, and to have a composting toilet. If all of us that want to live that lifestyle had the money, we would be in a much better place. I can barely afford a normal place with normal electricity and toilet. One restaurant I know of switched to paper straws which I know are better than plastic but we will see if paper straws actually are the solution. Then you have to worry about the methane produced from composting things. The ever complex hole we as humans dug ourselves into

@thebug4607

Жыл бұрын

@@chrisowens4550 So we keep doing it anyway. There were plenty of barriers for civil rights activists; if they'd just thrown their hands up and said, "oh well," we would likely still be segregated. We should all be doing everything that we CAN do. The people who can adopt, should adopt. If that's not you at the moment, don't worry about it until it is. I cannot afford solar or and EV, but I can eat a plant-based diet and walk or take public transportation whenever possible. If everyone put as much energy into making actual changes as they do excuses, we would not be in this situation.

Also, if enough individuals start taking action, bigger companies will see markets and they'll start taking action in order to capitalize on them

@vlogbrothers

3 жыл бұрын

It's hard to imagine markets solving these problems on their own just because people decided to sacrifice, but showing that sacrifice is possible makes market regulations much more palatable.

@doublej82

3 жыл бұрын

@@vlogbrothers Yeah, I don't think markets solve these problems on their own, consumers creating demand for eco-friendly products nudges companies in that direction.

@fugithegreat

3 жыл бұрын

So true! On a related note, if it weren't trendy right now to be LGTBQ friendly, coorporations would have never been selling Pride products about a topic that a few decades ago was totally taboo. The corporations are always looking for a big market, and if we have to buy our way into solving climate change, that seems the most likely way to get it done.

@FeatherMarauder

3 жыл бұрын

Yes! But it also opens up for greenwashing, which I see everywhere nowadays :(

@PlatinumAltaria

3 жыл бұрын

There is nothing that will convince a corporation to care about the environment, which is why we're not going to give them a choice.

I installed solar last year. Most of my power already comes from water or wind, but I could afford to do it, so I did. It is a small thing, but it moves the needle for me and is the right thing to do. Next up, electric vehicle. I will not buy another gas vehicle.

@fugithegreat

3 жыл бұрын

Same here, I can't really afford a new car or solar panels right now, but should the need arise for me to invest in a new one, I intend to make it electric if all possible.

@beatm6948

3 жыл бұрын

It's also cheaper and saves my family money lol

@PlatinumAltaria

3 жыл бұрын

You're going to feel so proud of yourself when your house floods due to climate change.

You’ve changed my mind… which is not something you hear everyday on the internet

Jokes on you. My brain ALWAYS thinks there is an emergency. That's why I'm a hot mess.

Compelling! Hank this is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm one of those who became complacent with thinking the system should change, it's bad system etc. Glad to know what the research shows!

Roosevelt used his authority to establish 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves, five national parks and 18 national monuments on over 230 million acres of public land. One man with power made a decision that, at the time, was frowned upon by many. But now - as people of the future - we have nothing but praise. We need more of that from our people in power. make the hard decisions now, and those in the future will look back at you fondly.

In which Hank correctly tells me what I believe, refutes it, and successfully changes my mind. I really needed this, thanks

This is so damn eye opening and missing from so much climate discourse I've seen

Really love what you said. Too often things are presented as an either-or; either we limit individual consumption or we raise awareness of corporations' outsized emissions. In an emergency, we need to take every approach possible. We have to be smart enough to walk and chew gum at the same time.

I have friends who vowed never to take a flight ever again in their life, i felt it was extreme at first, but as time passed it felt like the right thing to do, I am not there yet but I hope I'll get there soon💜

@SkittyBlackfire

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, and next to that, we need to push the governments and big companies to make it possible to not need those flights anymore. Build good electric train services, invest in reliable internet infrastructure so we can have good zoom-meetings, and also things like make vegan-options cheap enough that everyone can actually afford it, etc. etc.. So the point that Hank tried to debunk in this video, actually, isn't debunked, but needs to happen parallel to personal action. Or maybe we need to do personal action in the form of actively pushing the government and big companies.

It seems more and more like the most impactful misinformation on social media are posts saying in an authoritative tone that a complex issue is actually simple, and if you say otherwise you’re on the wrong side. Falling for it is so easy, and it feels so good to think the simple answer is right.

@frostyskeletons8950

3 жыл бұрын

I agree, it feels like this phenomenon has started to encourage people to ignore nuance all together, and if you want to explore the complexity of an issue, there is social judgement and pressure to accept the simple answer

I've seen this climate change sentiment on tiktok a lot, and I understand where these young people are coming from. You're a teenager. You grow up in the 2000s being told the world is dying and that **you** have to save it, except yknow, you're a teenager and you have no control. You get told the only way to save the planet is to upturn your whole life to center it around sustainable living, and if you don't want to do that you're a bad person and you obviously don't actually care about the planet. You try to live better and realise that it's kind of impossible because the world is **designed** for unsustainable living. You realise that actually, no matter what you do, you're never really doing enough. So yeah, of course all you can think about is how a small number of companies contribute the most to climate change. But first you were guilty all the time and now you feel helpless and nihilistic. I know the answer is compromise, but philosophically compromise doesn't make sense. You care deeply about climate change so shouldn't you be doing everything in your power to affect it, and if you aren't doing that then aren't you betraying your morals? But how do you be happy and live your life if you're behaving like there's an emergency all the time?

@maxvanhooren8606

3 жыл бұрын

+

It is just as the philosophers of old always said "Monkey see...Monkey do."

If everyone says “someone else will clean that up.” Then it never gets cleaned. I will never understand when people argue against the everyday person doing their part.

@veryirishdude

3 жыл бұрын

I think it's more akin to saying there's a garbage dump the size of a mountain, and that the corporations who created the garbage mountain are telling individuals if they just clean up a bit every day, then it will eventually be a beautiful meadow again. Individuals doing that of their own volition could clean for their entire lives and not make a dent in the mountain. And if the corporation is continuing to dump more trash on said mountain, then it may end up being a stalemate or worse. When I see people say that everyday individuals can't solve climate change, I think there's an unspoken component there that is "while we do nothing about corporate waste". You're right that doing something is better than nothing, but I think we need people cleaning up the mess while at the same time still even more people are drawing attention to, and seeking to punish, the countries, corporations, and other systems that are making things worse.

@PlatinumAltaria

3 жыл бұрын

By all means go out into the Gulf of Mexico with a bucket and "do your part" cleaning up a mess that you didn't create on behalf of a company that will do it again within a year.

@commentsandlikes9509

3 жыл бұрын

@@veryirishdude you are acting as if corporations and countries aren't made of humans. Individual action can contain a political element as well. Ultimately, *for the system to change, there must be enough individuals within the system who wants change* When enough individuals are on board with change, the system WILL change.

@veryirishdude

3 жыл бұрын

@@commentsandlikes9509 corporations aren't motivated by morality though, they are motivated by profit. If a CEO suddenly grew a conscience, they would be replaced by someone who would put profits first. It's an echo chamber, insulated from reality. Individuals have fought against Chevron and Shell oil, but these companies are still doubling down on obfuscation, delay tactics, and weaponizing our own legal system against us. I'm not saying it's impossible by any means, but it will be difficult, and it will take general strikes, protests, or more to bring about the change we need, not individuals recycling more or growing a backyard garden here or there.

@commentsandlikes9509

3 жыл бұрын

@@veryirishdude no one has ever said that individual action is restricted to only

I feel like this answers a question I've had for a long time, individual action is important because it leads to the push for systemic change which is what we need overall, ah what a relief

@SkittyBlackfire

3 жыл бұрын

But actually, that's what this always has been about, so Hank argues that it has been debunked, but it's exactly not. We need system change, that's why we need personal action.

Good morning nerdfighters, Too early to the video today. Guess I will listen to Hank attentively this time rather than scroll through the comments. You know what, I will come back for that later.

THANK YOU HANK! This clears a lot of things up for me. It's not a great feeling to realize that I am probably not doing enough to help solve the climate crisis, but it is a great feeling to know that what I do matters, and even though it may not directly solves the problem, it helps.

Never has such a short video so drastically changed my preconceived notions. Thank you

I've been saying for a while, that the most impactful individual action we can take on climate change is to talk about it with our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues.

@goji5887

3 жыл бұрын

...and then forgetting to actually take some concrete form of action, because hey, at least we chatted about being concerned.

Interesting, potentially correlation. It feels like the pandemic in the US, had a lot of individual actions called for but never got to a coherent govt policy. Similarly recycling has has us all washing and sorting our plastics while manufacturers just increase production while most of the recycling gets landfilled and burned.

Thank you for talking about this, Hank. And thank you for the link to that slate article, Infound it very helpful and motivational

Exactly this. People will too often absolve themselves of any personal responsibility when given the chance. If you want change in the world, be ready to change. It starts with you.

This was very thought provoking and a good way to reframe the issue. thanks for the food for thought.

Great video idea, Hank. You should write a book about it.

You have changed my mind, Hank! I was in the "my actions are futile, it's the government that needs to step up" camp and I am happy to know I am wrong! Thank you for sharing this. Also, side note, you always write well but I especially noticed this video was very very well written.

There are a lot of people who I wish didn't have a platform to spread their opinions. You are one person who I am so thankful has a platform. You're a beacon of positive change in a sea of misinformation and biases. I learn so much from you, thanks for everything you do Hank!

So it is the opposite of exiting a building calmly while it's on fire.

@vlogbrothers

3 жыл бұрын

Well...we can't exit the building soooo...

@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721

3 жыл бұрын

We're gonna need more fire extinguishers.

@dukeofburgerz5225

3 жыл бұрын

I think Whiltierna was referring to the mob mentality aspect. That seeing others remain calm means you dont have to do anything, while seeing others rush encourages you to rush. I dont think they were advocating for leaving the planet, Hank.

@WhiltiernaAria

3 жыл бұрын

@@dukeofburgerz5225 bingo! Sorry I oversimplified it, but you got it!

@PredatorH2O

3 жыл бұрын

@@vlogbrothers Exactly.

Hank giving me an existential crisis on day one of hot girl summer. Thanks ❤

I am constantly in awe of how much information and thought-provoking bits Hank can put into a video less than 4 minutes.

Thank you for this. This is a classic "Why not both?" meme situation. You can definitely do both. In terms of personal choice, you should note that it's not really about "is coke more environmentally friendly than pepsi" though. It's "maybe I should just drink some water in my reusable water bottle". The former can often be pretty difficult to find out, especially for every product you buy. The latter is much easier and sends a stronger message in general about the level of production and waste.

This is something that keeps me awake at nights. I don't feel like anything I think or believe is mine, it's all coming from other people, but nothing is actually my idea, or my opinion anymore...

@deanc9453

3 жыл бұрын

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This is why I made a P4A video this year for The Wildlife Trusts! And why they ended up winning some of the money! Because in nerdfighteria we believe in individuals making change!

That very popular thought also resonated with me. But I'm really happy to know that I'm wrong! Because far from absolving me of responsibility, the thought made me feel hopeless. And now I can know that my individual actions are NOT just a complete waste of time. Thank you for this video!

This youtube video makes me feel good so I'm going to agree with everything you said, keep up the good work! On a side note, I think people doing things individually makes them put more pressure on others (including groups like governments and companies) out of spite if nothing else: "hey if I'm making sacrifices they sure as hell better be too!", which is an incredibly petty but also useful thing in a funny way

The issue with this is the more i thought and read about climate change and acted as if it were a crisis, the worse my mental health got. I was living in a constant state of eco-dread. Now I still try to be eco-friendly but try not to think about it too much.

Did anybody else watch Bo Burnham’s “Inside” and get kind of devastated about climate change?

@lucas56sdd

3 жыл бұрын

You're not gonna slow it, heaven knows you tried.

@ZePopTart

3 жыл бұрын

@Zofia Graham the quiet comprehending of the ending of it all Yup those those are the main ones 😶‍🌫️

There's a wide ground between "individual action can solve the entire problem" (false) and "individual action can solve a small fraction of the problem, so it's meaningless" (also false). Individual action helps because every small bit adds and because it sets a norm of behavior. It creates the foundation for other steps like rethinking bigger parts of our ecological footprint and demanding accountability for businesses (esp. multinational ones) to do the same. I think it's important to forgive ourselves for what we need when no better options are available, but not to lapse entirely into carelessness. Throwing the plastic takeout container directly into the ocean skips the middle man, but also reduces the chances any one else can catch it and divert it to a more appropriate place. At the same time, I see where people feel great sense of futility about their own actions with information that's come out about recycling (improper disposal after collection), the clear and devastating crises caused by climate change, an ongoing economic crisis, the inaction of the businesses with the biggest climate/environmental impact, the inaction of our elected leaders, and a rather damning release of an interview with a fossil fuel lobbyist this week that explains the link between corporate and government inaction. Personally, I'm not about to give up trying until it's really over and we're all gone. But I was poisoned by a hope I don't see as many young people having the luxury to dream of. My hope is that we can start to imagine solutions that work with the world we're clearly going to get, rather than just hoping to recover the world that's burning before our eyes. That still requires us to act individually to bring about that new change, in whatever capacity is within our grasp.

@maxvanhooren8606

3 жыл бұрын

+

Thank you for having the courage and level headedness to articulate this on a public forum, many people struggle to do so. Just because something is popular amongst largely reasonable seeming peoples does not mean its accurate, and if these people are reasonable they would be able to change their opinions.

Is there something we as nerdfighters spread around the globe systematically make a change? Like every week we each put up one actually researched tweet?!

@hugofontes5708

3 жыл бұрын

So sort of like sleeping giants but with science? Sounds interesting but science is hard, we might need to plan that carefully

@nromerob

3 жыл бұрын

Call me crazy, but I don't think making a tweet is really making a positive change

@redlabel7833

3 жыл бұрын

The podcast How to Save A Planet has weekly action items that an individual can take to address the climate crisis! The action items are pretty unique and not too hard to carry out.

@redlabel7833

3 жыл бұрын

@Shambhavi Singh the podcast has a newsletter where they talk about the action items I think!

@rabbitwho

3 жыл бұрын

@@nromerob right. seeing a problem and deciding to tweet about it is worse than doing nothing, because when you are forced to do nothing because you acknowledge there is nothing you can currently do you have a sense that won't go away of needing to do something. That's a good sense.

Wow thanks for sharing that. I think though (and I've been a full time environmental activist for 3 years now) that if it is important to take action by ourselves, we should not feel bad for indulging in what makes us feel good even if it is not good for the planet. I will not stop taking baths, and I refuse to feel bad about this, because I don't want to be a monk. I have stopped buying food and only eat what I dumpsterdive. I mostly live in forest occupations that prevent old growth being cut down for the industry. I am doing active antifascist work because the neonazis are strong in my area. But I don't want to resent anyone not doing as much as me, because otherwise I will just end up hating everyone, and hating myself, because nobody can be perfect.

@SkittyBlackfire

3 жыл бұрын

WHAT YOU SAY IS SO IMPORTANT!! Hank, did you read this? The statement you try to argue that is being "debunked" was never about "don't do personal action" but about "don't try to save the world with your personal action alone". We don't want people to burn out on trying not to pollute at all, we want people to put their effort in changing the big polluters. Which is, maybe, just a different kind of personal action? Of course, we need to recycle and try not to take the car when we don't need to etc. etc., but in the end, the effort must go to make the government and big companies change, so we can have an easier way to live sustainable. And there are many ways to do that!

I feel like this was a really engaging introductory paragraph to a great essay and now I want the whole essay.

Yes! My actions themselves may have an insignificant impact on aiding climate change, but in doing them, I am thinking about other ways I can help to make more systemic change, including through discussions with others. Small individual actions inspire the climate movement!

Hey guys! This is a fact that really surprised me, learned it in class and I can put links below, but one of the most effective ways to limit emissions is to dispose of refrigerator fluids responsibly, which I thought was interesting

@lucas56sdd

3 жыл бұрын

Huh? Tell us more!

@mariebookish4625

3 жыл бұрын

@@lucas56sdd this is one link i found, not the one I originally learned from but I can find that one too www.drawdown.org/solutions/refrigerant-management

No one is saying "don't recycle" or whatever. What we are saying is that the huge emphasis on the individual's responsibility in creating climate change ( "your car pollutes too much, turn off your AC so the city has enough power, you don't recycle enough") is a smokescreen. Just like the plastic straws was. Yes, it's good to recycle. Yes it's good to drive a less polluting car. Yes, it's good to eat less meat. But the idea that it's your fault for not doing those things is literally corporate propaganda. They'll blame you for wasting water brushing your teeth while they operate water parks and golf courses. They'll blame your AC for using too much power while they have electronic billboards all over new York are lit up and each have their own dedicated AC units. It's a bad faith argument to say that all those emissions are caused by the trucks that deliver our food and the tractors that make it, and I'm disappointed in you for making it

@maxvanhooren8606

3 жыл бұрын

+

@plantland7205

3 жыл бұрын

I am not sure if you are adressing him in your comment or if your comment goes out to everyone. But i think you misunderstood what he is trying to say with this video.

@pedrogarcia8706

3 жыл бұрын

@@plantland7205 explain it to me then

@plantland7205

3 жыл бұрын

@@pedrogarcia8706 He didn't say that all the emissions are caused by the tractors and trucks that bring us food. In the segment he was saying that some things that could be bad for the enviroment are necessary. In the example he said that you can't just stop using gasoline to fuel tractors and trucks because without them alot of people would suffer and possibly die.

@pedrogarcia8706

3 жыл бұрын

@@plantland7205 yeah but he's responding to arguments no one is making. We can hold people responsible for the destruction of the environment without halting all food transportation. It's a such a ridiculous hyperbole that it's basically a non sequitur.

Thank you for another impactful video. That point DID resonate with me for many years, and I've been using it to basically absolve myself from personal responsibility.

im totally on your wavelength. seeing people move with the same precision and elegance of logic i aspire to is both encouraging and challenging

Dozens of people died from a heatwave in my state recently. I haven't seen my family since 2019, and I'm flying to see them this summer. I don't know if this is the right thing. Am I responsible for those deaths? I don't know. But I'm just not willing to never see my family again. Maybe I should be, but I'm not.

@sevfx

3 жыл бұрын

Isn't this a false dichotomy? If the drive isn't over seas, you could take the nighttrain for example? I'm definitely not shaming you, but maybe searching for alternatives will push those alternatives :)

@winstonchiang8666

3 жыл бұрын

also flying is unfortunately non-alternative. Things like going plant based, but also just consuming less, is more important

@revolutionaryforall

3 жыл бұрын

The face of the matter is the plane would have taken off with you on it or not. If you had not seen them you would use up electricity, which typically uses coal or oil as fuel, that would have powered up your technical devices. Your better off being with your family and discussing solutions that would keep you all safe and together.

@PredatorH2O

3 жыл бұрын

I'm pretty sure plane traveling is about the least harmful means of transportation so I think you're good.

@harmonicaveronica

3 жыл бұрын

@@sevfx the passenger rail infrastructure in the US is a joke, and services were cut even more due to covid. For instance, there is one train a day between where I live and where my family lives, and the train is often going very slowly (top speed of 70mph which is how fast a car on the freeway drives, but usually the train is going much slower) and it also requires a transfer overnight in a large and confusing train station that's honestly poorly signed. A train ticket costs as much as a plane ticket if not more and takes at least as long as driving. And I'm lucky to have access to a train at all, because I live in the most populous metro area in my state, and my family lives in the most populous metro area in theirs, and also we're in the same region so there's only one connecting train and not 2 plus a bus. It takes a full day of travel on either end! Soon I'll be getting an electric car which I should be able to drive home instead of flying, but that also isn't feasible for everyone because the charging station infrastructure is still being built up

Sounds like individual action is primarily a way to keep the crisis on your mind, not necessarily that those specific actions will actually solve the problem. Maybe the thing that will solve the problem really is affecting systemic (systematic?) change because that's what has the biggest impact. But maybe you can't get that if it isn't on everyone's mind. And the best way to get it on everyone's mind is if they're doing small things that amount to mostly gestures. Sounds like a weird magic trick.

@peergynt3008

3 жыл бұрын

Addendum: mind games

@thebug4607

Жыл бұрын

The system is made up of individuals. It's individuals who are the impetus for tipping points. It's individuals who vote, individuals who consume, individuals who form movements. So, yes, individual actions CAN solve the problem. The idea that the system could somehow change WITHOUT individuals is the absurd one. What are people hoping for exactly--a totalitarian regime to swoop in and outlaw our current way of life, saving the human race in the process? Because, make no mistake, individual lives will need to change in order to solve this problem, and no democratic government can do that without the will of the people. If the people are saying that they want change, but their lifestyles and consumption habits tell a different story, what is the government to do? Heck, what are corporations to do? If we keep consuming, they'll keep producing. That's not to say that governments and corporations are blameless. Clearly they're not, but, at the same time, it's individuals like you and me keeping them in business. But it's easier for most people to shift the blame and hope for a fantastical solution that involves no personal sacrifice.

@thebug4607

Жыл бұрын

All of that to say, systemic change is inextricably linked to individual action.

You put into words something I felt in the back of my mind, but couldn't express. Thank you!

This is one of the most important videos you've made in a long time!!

I mean, what you're saying seems to basically be recognizing how humans avoid cognitive dissonance - changing our thoughts to justify our actions rather than the other way around - and exploiting that in a practical way. I.e.: if we don't do things (and justify it), we push climate change to the back of our minds; if we are doing things, we justify it by making climate change important in our minds.

Yes! Let's start a revolution! That's the best way to get stuff done. No I'm not being ironic, I'm serious. Let's do a proper revolution for the environment.

@8lec_R

3 жыл бұрын

@@ohthreefiftyone no. I don't wanna hurt people. Why would i do that?

@8lec_R

3 жыл бұрын

@@ohthreefiftyone I'm talking about outcomes. How to get there I have no idea. Haven't given much thought to it. Still got a lot to learn.

Thank you for these words Hank, many of the things you brought up were things I appreciate the having such a reminder of, especially from you!

This was an awesome video! I think it strikes right at the heart of anyone who cares about making the world a better place with an eye towards social systems---the contention between the individual and "the system" itself. So many people talk about changing "the system" but forget that it's made up of people and their ideas. If everyone does *something* consistently, and puts their beliefs in action, so much can happen. There is no one perfect way to attack a problem, but we must attack it.

I feel like this analysis misses a piece of what I see the "we need systemic change over individual change" argument used for, which is not to imply that individual action is pointless, but to reassure people that, for example, them personally only being able to afford unethically, unsustainably produced clothing does not mean they have to make themselves sick with guilt, and it's more effective to focus that energy on systemic change. Particularly in relation to a culture and especially an education system that's spent the last couple decades emphasizing over and over again to people who are now hitting adulthood that saving the earth rests entirely on them, personally, and what they do every day. The prime example being a photo that goes around of a sign in a park that's communicating it's message of "don't litter" with wording along the lines of "wow, you're leaving your trash? how irresponsible and selfish"- sponsored by a coal/energy company that pumps tons of mining waste into lakes and rivers. Another being the emphasis on plastic straws- which have an important and currently irreplaceable function for sick and disabled people- being the scapegoats instead of all the plastic produced by the fishing industry. I think a big part of that argument/factoid's popularity isn't that people are using it to excuse not caring or acting to ameliorate climate change, it's people using it to remind themselves that the guilt for it doesn't rest solely on them as an individual, and that it's ok to not be perfectly sustainable 100% of the time, especially when the unsustainable option is the only one they have.

@bopete3204

3 жыл бұрын

But we can reassure people that not being able to afford ethical products is not their fault without also absolving all individual action. There's a big difference between people with disabilities that need plastic straws and should be able to continue using them and people driving SUVs or littering, which aren't necessary.

@PlatinumAltaria

3 жыл бұрын

@@bopete3204 Even if you spent your entire life burning the dirtiest coal you could find, you'd still have about as much impact on the planet as you do now. People driving SUVs are not the problem, the problem is that 40% of the US's energy comes from burning oil.

@flowerheit4512

3 жыл бұрын

+

This is really interesting and I've definitely been guilty of making that argument (systems over individuals) too uncritically. I guess my question is, what does/should individual action look like to be most effective in forcing systemic change/solving the problem? Is it more not flying or eating meat (definitely both good things) or is it more protesting/direct action/activism? (My guess is probably both, but then the q is which do we value more?)

@FeatherMarauder

3 жыл бұрын

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think: Protesting and such probably has a bigger impact, but you might feel a disconnect (cognitive dissonance) if you engage in that way without making personal changes. Most importantly though, I think you should get started. Personal changes can make a huge impact as well, by opening up the conversation with friends and family, which then might carry on even further. Shaming others for their choices is not the way to go however.

@thebug4607

Жыл бұрын

To use your example of not eating meat, the act of shunning meat is itself a form of protest. An activist protesting industrial animal agriculture who still consumes factory-farmed meat is simply a hypocrite, even if they would ultimately prefer a more sustainable system of raising livestock. Why should they stop making a product if we all continue to buy it? We all vote with our dollars as well as our ballots.

Last time I saw a vlogbrothers video was probably after school in ninth grade twelve years ago, and here you are still going strong

I'm not sure that's a helpful insight here hank. I drive less to lower my carbon footprint, but people don't see me drive less. That has an impact but its not something that others around see and go "i should drive less too" because you can't see someone not doing something unless they're constantly talking about it, but being condescending/smug about it doesn't help either. You notice people running to a fire with a bucket of water, you don't notice someone who isn't carrying fuel to the fire.

@wietse1113

3 жыл бұрын

Firstly: you can tell people what you do. That's visible. Secondly, you do notice it. It keeps the issue top of mind for you. You can't ignore it if the actions you take against it personally impact you. That alone is valuable

the problem is that some "individual actions" are weirdly nonsensical or even provably pointless on a physical level, so while I can understand the social messages being sent that the thing still matters, it's frustrating when people go all out on weird cul-de-sacs that won't go anywhere. Like I've read reports that the locovore movement is actually pushing for more energy-intensive farming methods to grow food in less agriculturally productive areas that cancels out the energy savings from shipping because it turns out a lot of freight is already really efficiently run. And there's also some "environmentalist" philosophy that sometimes goes retrograde, against good solutions for global warming, like some people are very against nuclear power despite how it could shift a lot of power infrastructure off of fossil fuels.

@030elena

3 жыл бұрын

I think he was more speaking in a general sense, that we need to start having those kinds of detailed discussions and hash out what practices/etc are most helpful and those that aren't. Btw I feel like both the examples you gave were mostly systemic solutions? I agree with you re: nuclear power, I desperately wish we used it more worldwide (w/ lots of regulations/safety/oversight obv)

I've been trying to convey this exact idea for so long!!! thank you Hank for being so eloquent

This is great! I also find the corporations narrative extremely compelling but it also very much makes sense to me (and is as you point out empirically shown) that individual action matters.

In this context, I think that what counts as "action" is the key factor here. Protesting, fundraising, and educating others about environmental issues are all beneficial individual actions a person can take. After all, a collective is made of individuals acting together. However, typically "individual action" often results in people blaming the world problems on people who may not have the capability to actually enact any change (see: veganism vs. poor people, or people with food allergies), or turning environmentalism into a form of consumption (see: every brand that markets itself as "green"). Individual action isn't completely meaningless but it's important to pay attention to what that action is.

@curiousKuro16

3 жыл бұрын

This is so true. Putting so much emphasis on how "YOU HAVE TO DO BETTER!!!" when a lot of people have stated that they can't do a specific thing or that the proposed solution doesn't really help the situation only makes people feel angry or exhausted. Vegans, for instance, seem willfully ignorant of the microplastics that acrylic wool put into the water every time they're washed. There is a lot of nuance that gets lost with the shame models.

@PlatinumAltaria

3 жыл бұрын

But if I can't yell at my neighbour for having a hamburger how will I feel a smug sense of superiority as the water rises?

@thebestofenergy

3 жыл бұрын

Really do not see the point you made about 'veganism vs. poor people'. Vegan basics are far more affordable than non-vegan products. Legumes, vegetables, grains, fruits, and nuts are the most affordable things on the planet. As a matter of fact, unless meat is incredibly subsidized like in the US (in which case you pay it through your taxes), poor people have a majorly vegan diet for a reason (if not completely vegan). People can do much more than they're currently doing, and it's important to not mistake excuses with valid reasons.

@PlatinumAltaria

3 жыл бұрын

@@thebestofenergy In the US the cheapest foods are corn and beef. Importing vegetables from the third world is (shockingly) neither cheaper nor more ethical. Poor people are not all vegans, in fact almost none of them are because of how comically expensive it is.

@curiousKuro16

3 жыл бұрын

@@thebestofenergy One must consider cooktime and experience as well. A burger is about the same price as a bag of beans, but it doesn't need to be soaked overnight or cooked for hours and you can eat it on the way to/from work. It's not just about monetary cost. Time cooking takes away from sleep or family or work.

I think the “50 companies” argument is more along the lines of “we’re gonna need fuel for trucks and food, but we don’t need a new model of iPhone every year and a new fashion trend every season”. That would make greenhouse gas emissions go down by A LOT, and not make people starve at the same time…

@celestea1501

3 жыл бұрын

And I think at least part of the responsibilities falls to consumers to not buy new iPhones and wardrobes every year. Partly, the companies spend a lot in advertising to encourage people to buy things they don't need, but ultimately the culture around consumption needs to change and that happens with each individual deciding to make different purchasing choices.

@marinavianna8754

3 жыл бұрын

@@celestea1501 also, if you make a phone that will only last for two years before you have to replace it (or at least some of its parts), that’s on the company… people need phones to do important stuff, and if your goal is to make a phone that will serve that purpose (lasting as long as possible), you’ll have to produce less, which means less pollution etc

@celestea1501

3 жыл бұрын

@@marinavianna8754 That's true, there are big flaws with a system that encourages profit above health of humans/the earth that are not the fault of the consumer. There's no option to buy a phone that lasts a decade or more, so there's no way for the consumer to make a more responsible choice. Consumers can't always make "responsible" choices but this does not mean we should give up and assume every choice we make as consumers is equal. Just because we don't have all the power doesn't mean we are completely powerless.

@marinavianna8754

3 жыл бұрын

@@celestea1501 yes, I agree. I’m just saying that structural change should be what we’re aiming for. Most people in the world don’t have the same consumption habits as people in Europe and the US - those few countries pollute more than all of the other combined -, and the majority of people on a global scale can’t afford to choose what is coming to their table, or whatever they’re wearing, unless they’re super privileged. At the same time, privileged countries don’t see their lifestyle as being full of luxuries. It’s not really a matter of “making a good decision” when most people can’t even decide… that’s why we should be advocating for industries to have EVERYONE’s best interest in mind.

@marinavianna8754

3 жыл бұрын

@@celestea1501 (this obviously doesn’t mean you guys in 1st world countries should say “f*** it” and drive diesel cars, and buy an iPhone every time a new one comes around… it just means that this is too little for what we need to be done right now.)

i wrote an essay on a very similar concept but more specifically within the realm of sustainability within the fashion industry that basically came to the same conclusion, individual change is not the end to a problems but it’s the start to a solution

THANK YOU. I now feel less discouraged about turning off the lights and putting scraps in the food bin and the other few things I know are in my power but that until now felt nearly pointless. I will continue to try to find more ways to take water to the fire, no matter how helpless I feel

Aren't we all

I've never been so early to a video...

My personal favorite way to live more sustainable is biking and biking and biking. Everywhere the store, work, to go roller blading. I know its not possible for everyone everywhere but i wish it were cause it makes me so happy

This is so... good to hear! I've spent a lot of time thinking about the individualization of responsibility when it comes to climate change, and while I still think it's a problematic narrative, this is blowing my mind a little bit. This isn't any of our fault! None of could've done this on our own! But that doesn't mean we can't change it! When I really think about it, I can't think of many people trying to live more sustainably that aren't pushing for better policies. Thank you for making this, I'm going to look at your sources and give this a lot of thought. :)

“Infinite solutions to infinite problems” - my 5th grade math teacher?

@lilypudd

3 жыл бұрын

I bet that teacher's a Star Trek fan.

Wow, i think this is the most on time i have been haha

This is something to had bouncing around in my head and felt off about, but couldn't verbalize and so thank you. To paraphrase John, these are all star thoughts my brain was yet to form into constellations.

You've managed to shift my perspective on individual action a bit. I know in the internet that can be a huge battle.

what kind of magic is behind being so early