The Reality Party
Recorded July 16 2024
Description
Following the attempted assassination of former United States President Donald J. Trump, Nate reflects on the dysfunctional social dynamics which have brought many of us to high levels of tribalism and mistrust toward others and divorced from the deeper challenges facing us in coming decades. As humans, we all - for the most part - share the same enjoyments in life - beautiful nature, autonomy, music, healthy, tasty food, clean water, friends, and family (whatever species they might come in). Values are rarely - if ever - right or wrong, but they can become a polarizing force if they are blindly pursued without the broader context of the carbon pulse and what brought us here. Is it even possible to have a political platform underpinned by a shared understanding that we live as part of the web of life, recognizing the centrality of energy and ecosystems, and seeing the limits of technology? Could we align our political choices with these realities and be more effective, open to others, and act in a bi-partisan manner as citizens of the world?
Show Notes
00:10 - Assassination attempt on Donald Trump
04:20 - Polarization on core values
04:59 - The Carbon Pulse
05:17 - Reality 101
06:22 - People have very little savings, healthcare is unaffordable, mental health crisis
06:26 - Pessimistic views of the future
06:46 - The stock market is not reflective of success for the average person, the bottom 50% owns 1% of stocks
07:18 - Energy is fundamental to everything
07:37 - AI energy demands
07:48 - Money and technology is supported by energy
08:04 - We are dependent on finite resources
08:19 - There’s nothing left after shale oil
08:38 - Ever rising debt is unsustainable
08:53 - Renewable energy is actually just rebuildable
09:12 - Multi-polar world
10:04 - Humans are animals
11:04 - US beliefs on climate change
11:17 - Planetary boundaries
11:29 - Microplastics in breastmilk, in the bloodstream, Endocrine disrupting chemicals causing 1-2% drop in human male sperm count every year
11:39 - Insect populations declining 1-2% per year
11:41 - Disrupted nitrogen cycle
11:42 - Slowing AMOC
12:36 - Technology is not a solution