Look, our ability to harness solar rays on earths surface and turn them into electricity, and also to store electricity for future usage in batteries, are amazing technologies that we need to be thankful for. They have a billion+1 practical applications. The intense energy needs of a complete modern society is just one of those rare few that doesn’t work. We use too much energy, and energy use is directly correlated to advancement of civilization and quality of life. The people who spout this nonsense simply don’t understand the technological limitations of batteries, or just how little energy hits the average meter squared of earths surface in a day.

Isn't the reverse equally true? We've had marches of people chanting "my body, my choice" when it comes to abortions, then when asked if the same applies to vaccines, they'll tell you to fuck off.

Sure, but that is true of anything everywhere all the time in a functional democracy. Or do you believe everyone should agree with each other? Having stark disagreement openly is what allows advancement.

That’s a horrible outlook on life and a sign of your own failings - to wish suffering on others and take enjoyment from it. What’s the term? schadenfreude!

Re: the refrigerator story..I’ve been in such a spot before, and it’s very relatable, so you shouldn’t judge. What’s the point of having a refrigerator if you don’t have a few dollars in your pocket to fill it with any food? I wasn’t addicted to any drugs but that’s where most minds will go, but to a compassionate person that should highlight an even worse situation; when people will sacrifice their well being for a short term fix because they can’t say no.

You are damned if you do, and damned if you don’t hear - people are selfish and greedy and none of our models fully account for that. Capitalism is simply the route that is the least worst of them all.

Translation: private equity simply means private ownership. Compare this to the regulatory model of lawyers - I can go out and hire a bunch of doctors, and as long as I (not being a doctor) do not provide actual medical services or advice, is fine. The same is not true for lawyers. This is why you know perhaps ZERO legal brands and big firms, and why that industry is littered with small partnerships smith, smith and smith LLP. Now, would you argue because private equity is taken out of the legal field, they are the bastion of good ethics and not-fleecing-people-for-all-they-are-worth? Not a chance. There needs to be balance.

Agreed. But do you understand how your own comment only contributes to the argument, and in some way prevents any positive change? It takes two to tango.

I don’t read twitter, and have given up on internet politics, but your comment seems designed to simply further the argument. Most of all however, anyone who uses the phrase “hate speech” to me has lost all trust, until you start taking rationally. Right now I see two USA based groups just spewing shit at each other.

Such overt and clearly smart judgement from someone who had surely done better in life, right?!? I am no Musk fan, but to call him an absolute loser - what have you ever done?

Mention the word “nuclear” and those without solid physics education become driven by fear. It’s fun to watch in an otherwise intelligent or educated person, because they start making ridiculous arguments against nuclear power or safe activities like this. I hope nobody ever tells them about bananas, or worse, flying in an airplane.

Honestly, I hate to judge in such a fashion, but the anti-nuclear crowd is becoming a real roadblock in the advancement of our society and lowering of our carbon emissions.

Haha, how naive - have you ever just “been asked” to do something by a government, police force, or regulatory agency? Of course it comes as just “an ask”. But it is always more than just an ask - don’t follow it to your own peril. One of those “asks” has never come without attached consequences for disregarding ever in our history.

Ah, the most glorious of Bertrand Russel quotes speak exactly to this. My fave: “Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.”. It takes a truly sharp mind to see how this is true. I see a group think and lack of perspective from the educated generation today that is shocking. We were supposed to question everything.

I say this as a lifetime big-mile driver, and for many recent years, moving to (and testing) a number of electric scooters. Having driven on main roads with each, there is a severe problem with the cyclist community: they are literally the only ones who do not pay any attention to any rules of the road. I know many of you probably see this where you live - I thought it was just a “non vehicle” thing, but no, as I’ve become an electric scooter driver, i along with the others still obey traffic signs (for example). I almost never see a cyclist slow down for full stop signs even. This behaviour seems to be encouraged, and it applies to all ages from small kids to seniors. Fix the safety culture of cyclists, and the injuries/deaths resulting from it will go down drastically.

Not surprising - go look up the stories of body builders and their health problems on YouTube. Oddly enough one guy on Tosh.0 described it really well: weight is weight when it comes to your heart and circulatory system (ie, one of the most critical and life-ending systems in our body). Your body doesn’t know whether it’s 100lbs of muscle or 100lbs of pure fat it needs to pump blood through and provide nutrients too. I do believe being in shape (lean, muscle over fat) is healthier in many ways, but it’s also just plain science to understand that the smaller your body, the easier time your critical systems have with managing it. On a personal anecdote, I have to say from being a stick thin person to about your size (my username is my cat), the worst downside of being super thing is the inability to regulate temperature as well as a heavier person. I would get freezing cold or overly hot very easy when thin.

Had to reply to this unfortunately uneducated post, and a story I’ve told to many over the years: I went to university many years ago and had dual majors in mathematics and computer science, but the one class that both sticks out and changed the “person” of me the most, was a second-year elective on Ethics (arts program). It teaches you actual systems to think through the ethics of problems, and I realized most my ethical positions, right or wrong, were simply borne of my own gut emotions. I changed my position on many issues outright - the first was capital punishment (I stopped believing it to be right). I firmly believe if you do not have that education, you’re just running blind with your ethical positions.