Climate Change/Mass Extinction Megathread

[Tamas]

I have a hard time seeing climate change as a civilization killer.

I guess it depends. I don't think it will get worse than the fall of Rome. Was that a killer of civilisation, or just the same civilisation changing?

[The Brain]

I have a hard time seeing climate change as a civilization killer.

I guess it depends. I don't think it will get worse than the fall of Rome. Was that a killer of civilisation, or just the same civilisation changing?

Today's civilization is global which I think makes direct comparisons difficult.

[crazy canuck]

Sure, Marx was not popular because you say so... though the First International based on his wrks had 8 million members by 1872, but that is "not popular" because... reasons.

I guess they really don't teach this stuff in US schools.  The First International was not 8 million Marxists.  Far from it.  That organization was not "based on his works".  By 1872 he was gaining prominence and the Communist Manifesto was beginning to gain favour and a following.  Prior to that Marx had been pretty much a failure and kept financially viable by his good friend Engels.  There was a great deal of opposition within the left to Marx.

[Valmy]

Sure, Marx was not popular because you say so... though the First International based on his wrks had 8 million members by 1872, but that is "not popular" because... reasons.

I guess they really don't teach this stuff in US schools.  The First International was not 8 million Marxists.  Far from it.  That organization was not "based on his works".  By 1872 he was gaining prominence and the Communist Manifesto was beginning to gain favour and a following.  Prior to that Marx had been pretty much a failure and kept financially viable by his good friend Engels.  There was a great deal of opposition within the left to Marx.

Man why do you always have to attack the US?

Anyway here is my careful analysis of the First International:

[crazy canuck]

Sure, Marx was not popular because you say so... though the First International based on his wrks had 8 million members by 1872, but that is "not popular" because... reasons.

I guess they really don't teach this stuff in US schools.  The First International was not 8 million Marxists.  Far from it.  That organization was not "based on his works".  By 1872 he was gaining prominence and the Communist Manifesto was beginning to gain favour and a following.  Prior to that Marx had been pretty much a failure and kept financially viable by his good friend Engels.  There was a great deal of opposition within the left to Marx.

Man why do you always have to attack the US?

Because the US population is notoriously ill informed about matters involving geography and history beyond their borders.  Plus we have a US teacher employed by a prestigious US private high school who thought the First International was based on the writings of Marx.  Seems a good illustration of the stereotypical American.

The cartoon was great 

[garbon]

@V - Because he is a dick. He may be our dick but that doesn't make him less of a dick. Actually probably more so.

[The Minsky Moment]

I don't think Karl Marx is our dick, in any sense.

[viper37]

Because the US population is notoriously ill informed about matters involving geography and history beyond their borders.

I'm not convinced Canadians are that superior.  We are fewer online though, that is a fact.

[Tonitrus]

I have a hard time seeing climate change as a civilization killer.

How about God?

He is already dead. 

[crazy canuck]

Because the US population is notoriously ill informed about matters involving geography and history beyond their borders.

I'm not convinced Canadians are that superior.  We are fewer online though, that is a fact.

No claim Canadians are superior.  But an inference that it is not taught in US schools because I was talking to a US school teacher.

[viper37]

Because the US population is notoriously ill informed about matters involving geography and history beyond their borders.

I'm not convinced Canadians are that superior.  We are fewer online though, that is a fact.

No claim Canadians are superior.  But an inference that it is not taught in US schools because I was talking to a US school teacher.

phrasing it "Because the US population is notoriously ill informed" infers Americans are inferior to ROTW, therefore Canadians are superior to Americans.

Not too sure about this.

[Admiral Yi]

The Canucks I've talked to on the subject knew a shitload of American geography.

[Maladict]

Because the US population is notoriously ill informed about matters involving geography and history beyond their borders.

I'm not convinced Canadians are that superior.  We are fewer online though, that is a fact.

No claim Canadians are superior.  But an inference that it is not taught in US schools because I was talking to a US school teacher.

phrasing it "Because the US population is notoriously ill informed" infers Americans are inferior to ROTW, therefore Canadians are superior to Americans.

Not too sure about this.

I don't think he meant every single American is more ill informed than ROTW, but on average. Canadians could still be inferior to inferior Americans.

[viper37]

Qatar has a novel idea

[grumbler]

Because the US population is notoriously ill informed about matters involving geography and history beyond their borders.

I'm not convinced Canadians are that superior.  We are fewer online though, that is a fact.

No claim Canadians are superior.  But an inference that it is not taught in US schools because I was talking to a US school teacher.

The inference you miss completely is that of the fin de siècle:

1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of the close of the 19th century and especially its literary and artistic climate of sophistication, world-weariness, and fashionable despair

(my bold).  https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fin%20de%20si%C3%A8cle

Your arguments were that it was not true that "The Victorians thought the end was imminent" and that "Marx was not popular during that time period."  I presented evidence to the contrary, and you went the ad hom route.  I'm not going to say that the difference between my presentation of evidence and your presentation of ad homs are due to nationality, of course.  Those kinds of generalizations are moronic.