does it matter?
If so, why? The earth might change but that's a problem for humans who are egocentric enough to believe they must stick around. It bugs me when people talk about saving the planet when what they mean is saving their asses from extinction.

(Insomnia makes you nihilistic.)
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 8:48, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

^This
and if coastal areas are flooded and kill 20% of the world's population, is that a bad thing for humankind?

Apart from the individual suffering of course.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 8:54, Reply)

From an evolutionary point of view, No
Evidence sugests that any species put under pressure will change to suit a new environment. Unless it cannot adapt, in which case we are all doomed.

Perhaps we are part of the natural cycle, like all predators and prey. When sufficient humans are dead, their impact will reduce sufficiently for the planet to recover, thus allowing more humans and the cycle can continue.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 9:10, Reply)

Well, yes.
Humanity will be extinguished one day. That's nothing to worry about, and a matter of complete indifference. Nevertheless, the welfare of identifiable humans is not a matter of indifference.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 11:01, Reply)

to you, maybe.
And if it impacts on my own self-interest.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 13:31, Reply)

certainly not
overcrowding is a far worse problem than climate change.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 9:12, Reply)

No it isn't.
There's buckets of space for far more humans, and if we manage to convert to renewables and embrace GM, we could sustain many more humans.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 11:02, Reply)

it is on my street
can never get a fucking parking space right outside the house.

thinking on it, I didn't mean overcrowding, I meant having too many people for the amount of resources, and as you say, renewables and GM are available solutions for those.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 11:50, Reply)

Generally, it doesn't matter much
except for the fact the AGW is likely to cause further suffering to those who're already the worst off, so there's at the very least a humanitarian reason to worry.

Moreover, it matters that idiots get to shout down evidence, just because I'm old-fashioned enough to think that truth is worth having.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 10:52, Reply)