Originally posted by: auraloffalwaffle
Ignorance and political manoeuvring are taking the place of coordinated planning based on the best evidence available. No matter whether you think human involvement in global warming is proven or not, this is worrying.

Very true. Though, I suppose if I were to slightly defend politicians on this point, I think they truly are dumb enough to actually believe they're doing good. They could care less about the wisdom of their actions, all they want to know is that they are doing something. If those actions generate far more problems than we started with, that doesn't matter since our intentions were good. That is actually the most sinister part of it all; forget the vitriol spewed between different political parties.

Perhaps the saddest fact of politics, is the way people will favor government that is primarily designed to make them feel good. To hell with logic, science, and measurable results, these people want to immediately believe they are "helping" others since that is the quickest path to their emotional gratification. Therefore, no matter what side of an issue you look at, the real solutions, which often take a long time or aren't easy to implement, are tossed aside. This is truly sick since these supposedly caring people are usually hurting those they pretend to care for in the first place. Oh, and don't ever suggest to these emotional leeches that they might actually be wrong, because then you'll be labeled as the uncaring bastard who wants infants to starve and the world to explode. Hehe, these people are so sure of their own ideas that they'll go to the furthest extremes to condemn their opponents while ignoring rational arguments; thus is the origin of most political discourse.

While I may disagree with Al Gore and other supporters of the man-made global warming theory, I can still respect a strong logical approach to the world that isn't afraid to offend people's feelings and isn't afraid to have it's ideas tested by controversy. On the other hand, if we aren't allowed to fight for strong opinions, because that might make certain individuals feel bad or stupid, then we are doomed to never progress beyond our weak-minded foolishness. The trick is to value the world around us and be content that not every problem can be solved perfectly by our actions (especially if we blindly rush to action). If we trample truth and the science of ethics in an effort to inflate our own egos, then we merely compound the misery of this world (when all is said and done).

Heh, though I know, deep down, that these supposedly caring people are aware of their own willful ignorance and I suppose that very knowledge of their own hypocrisy is what ultimately makes them such sour and unfulfilled individuals. Hell, I'd be ultimately unhappy too, if my life were devoted to taking pathetic shortcuts at every turn. In terms of politics, I suppose I'd always be craving the next emotional fix of self-righteousness.

(Edit: removed one of two uses of the word "bastard" that proved redundant and confusing in two adjacent sentences.)