Life as an Experiment
My colleague Scott Swanson responds to my post in which I express horror at the election of Trump: Craig, I see the world as one giant experiment, where unknown variables come into play, manipulating anticipated outcomes, and shattering expectations, thereby altering circumstances entirely.
What I do not do is complain. Or allow things which are out of my control to affect my emotional state. I have far too much to accomplish, and little time to waste.
Wow, this shows a great deal of sanity and personal strength; that’s impressive. I KNEW I liked you from our phone calls. 🙂
It’s cool that you see the world as one giant experiment. So do I; I see the 200K-year history of Homo sapiens as an experiment that will ultimately show us the true make-up of humankind. In particular, will our big brains and capacity for kindness ultimately win out over our greed and tendency towards violence? I don’t know. But I do know this: the election of Trump is a giant step backwards for our civilization.
Now yes, this makes me something of a complainer. But once I get finished complaining I shake off my sense of despair and spring into action. You’ll see.
Craig. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.
We are at a tipping point where green energy is becoming economically viable. The need for incentives to do the right thing is not needed. Those who don’t like emerging world of sustainable, low environmental impact energy generation will have to get out of the way or be run over. It should be a relief to see this shift from dirty fuels to clean fuels without a need for further intervention. I think this will reduce the corrupt influence of tax dollars diverted to individuals lobbying for ventures that will not attract private capital.
So, sit back and enjoy the fruit of your labor that helped to get us this far down the road.
Wow, Larry. Thanks so much for the kind words and the great advice.
Ah, but you channel your “complainer nature” into a blog giving others the opportunity to express their natures. Which overall is probably a positive exercise.
It was with great amusement that we learned the “Latin” phrase in high school: illegitimi non carborundum https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/noli_illegitimi_carborundum Sometimes life’s lessons are best encapsulated in a bit of humor.
We might be considered part of a great experiment. Unfortunately, we know other experiments were also run and most including all the previous “homo-” ones resulted in the experiment being stopped. Why are we the only one’s remaining? But we may also be the first species that can see that this is our likely fate. Some see promise in this.
I am just curious. I speculate what kind of evolutionary pressures we are placing upon ourselves. Are we now creating the environment that will select a few individuals to go forward? If so selection will not necessarily be on the basis of who is most helpful or most exploitive to nature but who can survive.
Is survivability limited to something in our genes or is there something in attitude or consciousness that also contributes? Perhaps there are many paths to survivability? Wise choices would seem to help but what is the basis for such things?
We can experiment and learn from the results but we can not experiment on the whole planet, by then it will be too late.
Game theory and computer models can explain self centered politicians and the results. We better find a model that works and then follow it. Like Germany?
Craig Mcmanus,
Germany is not a good example ! The much touted “Energiewende”is increasingly revealed as an economic fiasco, kept in existence by a lot of subterfuge and chicanery.
Game theory and computer models, usually prove more reliable in revealing the philosophies and politics of the modelers than the subjects.
Energiewende is creating jobs and new technologies that Germany can use, make and sells to the world. This the opportunity the USA has missed due to lack of energy efficiency and renewables policies. Alabama has 3 solar jobs and GA has 4,000 for the same reason.
Game theory and computer models are math and like science are true no matter what Trump says. None of this conversation matters. Only what Trump and the politicians do matters. That is why the Kochs and foreign governments give so much money to candidates who could never get elected otherwise.
Craig,
I sometimes wonder whether overly enthusiastic supporters of clean tech, do more harm to its reputation than opponents.
I don’t have any idea what Donald Trump thinks of Game Theory and Computer models, (I doubt whether he would be interested).
Since Game Theory is defined as the process of modeling strategic interactions between two or more players in a situation containing set rules and outcomes, it’s hardly likely to produce an infallibly prophetic fountain of “truth” for obvious reasons.
When flaws became obvious, one of the original authors ( Oskar Morgenstern) defended against criticism with a further qualification ;-” the study of mathematical models of conflict and cooperation between intelligent rational decision-makers.”
The qualification doesn’t really overcome with the problem that as all modelling begins with a series of subjective assumptions. (in this case ‘intelligent rational decision-makers’)
You also seem to overlook the fact that Donald Trump’s campaign had very little funding or support from large donors and institutions. His opponents, particularly HC, enjoyed massive financial support from some of America’s richest individuals and institutions. The Trump campaign was the least funded since Eisenhower.
All booms, especially those created by government funding, create employment. That doesn’t mean the boom, or employment, is always beneficial, or sustainable. (corn or palm oil ethanol is a good example).
Both Solar and Wind technologies have valuable roles to play in providing alternate sources of power, but they are not ‘miracles’ and have limitations.
Simply cheering loudly, as you would for a favourite football team, or really, really ‘believing’, will not improve the basic limits of the technology.