Friday, 21 June 2019

Real Life

I am rereading Poul Anderson and Dornford Yates but, pulling back from the page, real life reveals:

today, the fifth school strike about the climate;

tomorrow, the Pride march through Lancaster;

on Sunday, some of the Lancaster Canal Bicentenary celebration events, including a photo competition that Aileen and Yossi will enter.

In haste.

10 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I hope your daughter and grand daughter's photographs are winners!

Sean

S.M. Stirling said...

I think "strike" should only be used with regard to withdrawal of labor.

Students aren't in school to produce anything, but to improve their own skills and knowledge -- therefore, looked at objectively, they're hurting nobody but themselves. Ditto hunger-"strikes", too.

My favored response to that sort of thing has always been: "Fine, if you want to do self-harm or starve, that's your business and your problem and words cannot express our indifference to your suffering. Sayonara."

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Mr Stirling,
Maybe but the government and local councils are making some sort of response to the protests including the (not really) "strikes."
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And I agree more with Mr. Stirling than with you. What GOOD do these self injurious "strikes" do, either for the students or the climate? Do these "students" have any workable and realistic ideas about the climate? Are they advocating nuclear power and a REAL space program that would include among its goals the building of orbiting solar power satellites for beaming down energy? If not, I dismiss these "strikes" with contempt!

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

2 questions:
(i) What are the right measures to take against climate change?
(ii) Are "strikes" an appropriate way to draw attention to the need for such measures?
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

As for question 1, you know my view: nuclear power and space based solar power satellites.

As for question 2, the answer is no. "Strikes" are more likely to stir up OPPOSITION if the only "solutions" the "students" can offer would make everyone poor and miserable. WINDMILLS, for example, cannot possibly provide the energy a high tech society needs.

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
Yes. I just wanted to differentiate the two questions. You'r mixing them up again!
The solution is in 2 stages: discussing what needs to be done; doing it. But I understand that the issue is urgent.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And I don't believe "strikes" will do any good! They are more likely to stir up opposition or lead to bad, counterproductive, futile policies.

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
Stir up opposition? But the people being stirred up to opposition need to ask whether the issue is legitimate even if they dislike the means used to draw attention to it. Something is very wrong if people cannot ask that question.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I was unclear, it seems. What irked me about "strikes" like these was how coercive, even bullying they looked to me. How is that likely to persuade people to ask if the issues being struck about are legitimate? Surely more friendly, conciliatory means could be used!

Sean