tl;dr The 'Bottom-Up' Grift (BUG) is the spinning of a line - for profit and/attention - that the true path to utopia is via 'bottom up' activity. This post defines the BUG, explains how to spot it, where it comes from, what to do about it. The Grift Making a career out of saying "we... Continue Reading →
What went wrong? Why we didn’t act on climate when we still could have done owt meaningful?
Just tweeted the following microrant - It is extraordinary. Unlike ppl who organised in far harder conditions, where dissent (or just BEING) could easily get you killed, #climate activists in the "West", with freedom of speech, assembly, information, "the science" etc etc have been not just outspent, but outplayed 1/2outthought, outfought, outACTED. Emissions keep climbing.... Continue Reading →
Carbon Capture and Storage – what I think I think (today)
tl;dr - my views on Carbon Capture and Storage have evolved and will probably continue to do so. I have written something for the Conversation which many will see as another tired greenie attack on the suite of technologies that fly under that banner of "CCS". My actual views, I like to believe, are a... Continue Reading →
Hudson’s law of nugatory plenaries
Plenary, n. meeting or session attended by all participants at a conference or assembly. ("working parties would report back to the plenary with recommendations") Nugatory adj. of no value or importance. Let's say, for the sake of a making a seemingly robust argument (i.e. one with numbers and percentages) that the likelihood of you getting... Continue Reading →
“Soz, Virginia, there is no Sanity Clause” (given that it’s almost Atheistmas)
DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.Some of my little friends say there is no Sanity Clause,and therefore humans are going to destroy the conditions for their continued existence before they can stop themselves. And that I will die young.Papa says, ‘If you see someone say "WE ARE DUN" it’s so.’Please tell me the truth;... Continue Reading →
“Give it to me straight, doc”
As the cliche goes... "how long have I got?" And docs tend to be overly-optimistic about this, apparently. It's always a tough call, and when it comes to our "civilisation", well a) it's complicated (or, rather, complex) b) we are (too) in love with narratives of an abrupt end. There's a song by Midnight Oil... Continue Reading →
Of ritualised climate “activism” on a doomed planet, going through the (e)motions. Of Ridley Scott, Lennie Cohen etc…
There's a Ridley Scott film (I know I might lose some folks, but stick with it, it will be worth it, I promise (1).) It's called "White Squall" and it came out in 1996. It stars the ever-watchable Jeff Bridges as a sailor and general dude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T6WvayGd64 Anyway (and SPOILERS), there's a storm (a white... Continue Reading →
COP27 and the fantasies of salvation, colliding with reality
First thing to say is that it isn't the people on the sharp end of climate change who have been indulging in fantasy. They are not to blame for this. They did what they could, they did not "allow" this, they were simply outspent, outfought, outmanoeuvred. The small island states knew that rising sea levels... Continue Reading →
“What can we do, as individuals?” Unpopular answer to popular question
Quickly as ever, bringing two strands together. First, there was an excellent comment on a previous post about why get involved in social movement organisations/what happens if they try. "isn’t there an option about doing what you can, when you can, and doing your best to live coherently, talking to others when the conversation might... Continue Reading →
We need to wake up from “wake up” rhetoric
Quickly, because looong day (but good one) and my guilty pleasure Michael Connelly awaits. THIS SORT OF THING PISSES ME OFF. It implies that "world leaders" are asleep, not aware what is going on. a) that is horseshit b) if it were true, what would it say about the efficacy of 30+ years of academic,... Continue Reading →
marchudson.net 