"Belief in the necessity of growth! The sanctity of growth in the economy and in population is the real American religion." This is the most intractable issue and by no means is it specifically American. Almost every nation on earth promotes growth that raises its standard of living. Are we to tell the Indians and the Chinese and the Africans that they should stop improving the lives of their citizens? Substantial increases in energy efficiency could make some difference. Expanding alternative energy production will help, but there's a very low probability that it will replace the bulk of fossil fuel use over the next several decades. By that time we may have reached a tipping point.
This is a deeply pessimistic analysis. I know of no way to resolve the conflict between growth and emissions, but I hope that those who are younger, smarter and better educated than I am will take this dilemma serious and attempt to address it. In addition to science, technology, politics and economics it will require profound cultural and ethical changes around the world.
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I would bet long odds that government surveillance goes deeper and wider than we know today.
"Belief in the necessity of growth! The sanctity of growth in the economy and in population is the real American religion." This is the most intractable issue and by no means is it specifically American. Almost every nation on earth promotes growth that raises its standard of living. Are we to tell the Indians and the Chinese and the Africans that they should stop improving the lives of their citizens? Substantial increases in energy efficiency could make some difference. Expanding alternative energy production will help, but there's a very low probability that it will replace the bulk of fossil fuel use over the next several decades. By that time we may have reached a tipping point.
This is a deeply pessimistic analysis. I know of no way to resolve the conflict between growth and emissions, but I hope that those who are younger, smarter and better educated than I am will take this dilemma serious and attempt to address it. In addition to science, technology, politics and economics it will require profound cultural and ethical changes around the world.
Why are most of your translations of Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat about drinking and getting drunk? Didn't he write about many other topics?