alt Hacker NewsAC is a bandaid that only makes the systemic problem worse.
I don't know how it's become such a culture war gotcha.
Yes, I have AC myself and yes, it makes things more bearable.
But it won't refill our rivers, it won't make the outside livable, it won't regrow our crops, it won't refreeze the glaciers and poles, it won't unburn the forests. In short, it won't be able to provide the conditions required for human survival.
To do that, we can't avoid fixing the root cause. Every time we have a conversation about the effects of climate change, somebody derails it with "but AC!"...
Its not constructive or helpful.
Replies
> AC is a bandaid
Realistically, what else can be done to deal with the impact of climate change right now? Addressing the root cause would be great, but it's not going to move the needle for people suffering today.
That derailing is indicative of the mindset of the people who do it. All they see or understand is the immediate consequence of deaths of people, so they look for solutions to that problem without any consideration for broader systemic factors, second and third order effects, etc.
And lest anyone mistakes this concern for saving lives for humanitarian concern, this same kind of reasoning makes their answer to a refugee crisis "build a wall". It's all just knee-jerk reaction to first-order effects.
Characterizing technology whose presence or absence will affect the survival of a lot of people as a “bandaid” is not going to advance the dialog in the way you seem to want.