Once again you make a strong argument. And we have a precedent for this in the alliance between the USSR and the West to overcome Naziism and its allies. A precedent for dropping our differences and focusing.
On the other hand, we’re at risk of a post-capitalist techno-feudalism. And if this emerges triumphant we can say goodbye to a society that even values human life if that life doesn’t have power and influence over technology. In other words: life to the deserving eg Elon Musk and everyone who can serve him - and death to everyone else, who will be considered a waste of resources by their existence.
I see this as the direction of travel. It’s part of my existential angst.
Ironically, people who feel differently from me about what might play out are ALSO experiencing other varieties of existential angst.
And all of this fear is, as you point out, also a distraction from the urgent problem, and in effect divides us socially - whereas peace and cohesion are needed for us to collaborate on the most compelling existential threat to ALL of us! - billionaires and the impoverished included.
The solutions to climate change, especially renewable energy generation, will be part of the move to postcapitalism, but postcapitalism does not necessarily need to be techno-fascist or techno-feudalism. We need to tend to those social, economic, and political changes, but as I said, none of them will matter if we dont; solve cliamte change first. The coming transfomraiton fo our society will require a lot of attention, we just don't want to make the solutions dependent on solving everythign else.
Tony-- okay, I’m in your fan club... and, well thought out, well argued, well written. Thank you.
I love having fans! And I just picked up several more climate books I'll be reviewing soon.
Once again you make a strong argument. And we have a precedent for this in the alliance between the USSR and the West to overcome Naziism and its allies. A precedent for dropping our differences and focusing.
On the other hand, we’re at risk of a post-capitalist techno-feudalism. And if this emerges triumphant we can say goodbye to a society that even values human life if that life doesn’t have power and influence over technology. In other words: life to the deserving eg Elon Musk and everyone who can serve him - and death to everyone else, who will be considered a waste of resources by their existence.
I see this as the direction of travel. It’s part of my existential angst.
Ironically, people who feel differently from me about what might play out are ALSO experiencing other varieties of existential angst.
And all of this fear is, as you point out, also a distraction from the urgent problem, and in effect divides us socially - whereas peace and cohesion are needed for us to collaborate on the most compelling existential threat to ALL of us! - billionaires and the impoverished included.
The solutions to climate change, especially renewable energy generation, will be part of the move to postcapitalism, but postcapitalism does not necessarily need to be techno-fascist or techno-feudalism. We need to tend to those social, economic, and political changes, but as I said, none of them will matter if we dont; solve cliamte change first. The coming transfomraiton fo our society will require a lot of attention, we just don't want to make the solutions dependent on solving everythign else.