Let's discuss Wouter's attitude, but not in a Maugan Kneejerkin' way.
Which post does not fit with the others?
1.
I take a slightly relaxed view to this
1/3rd of the Netherlands is already living between 0 and 5 mtr under sea level. I don't think an additional 1 or 2 feet will matter much in this scheme of things. Same approach as we have been doing for centuries, just 3 feet higher then before. Besides we are a wealthy nation and we can pay the additional costs associated to this.
2.
As a systems engineer I believe humans are powerful enough these days to "trip the system", however I also believe that humans are too dumb or stupid to do anything about it.
Wouter
3.
I'm of the Kyoto generation. There is always some powerful nitwit who thinks his short term gains are more important then long term global benefits. And presto Kyoto was dead as a treaty. Currently the same things is being done with the non-proliferation treaty for exactly the same reasons, because some powerful nitwit feels he can score some short term personal gains.
That is why humanity as a whole will always dependent on the harbour wall to turn the ship around. And that is stupid in my book. Or at least that is how I see it.
Wouter
4.
It is all about power ... and fear.
Currently the dumb people control the (state) power in some very important places. The good ones are too scared to stick their heads out because we are all to individualistic to stand up for each other and because we are too afraid to be called socialist, anti-semitic, anti-American, bleeding heart liberal or simply naive. This means that power can "neutralize" each one of us; ... one by one. And they do.
That and the uncureable (self defeating) knee-jerk reaction of ordinary people.
If Wouter's posts in this thread were includes on a standardized aptitude test, then I would say that post #1 is the post that does not fit. It expresses a confident optimism and strength of a group of people holding back the North Sea for centuries. No small feat. In fact, judging by documentaries that I've seen, I would be inclined to call their dike system an engineering Wonder of the World.
The latter three posts express a fatalistic submission to powerful, short-sighted, self-interested idiots. I recognize the implied shot in #4, but doesn't the Dutch population include their share of dumb, powerful nitwits looking out for self-gain, or does living behind a wall like they do purge that attitude of self-interest over society's gain? Can't it be argued that the rise of Reason and Self-governance is an expression of an unwillingness to submit to powerful, short-sighted, self-interested (let's add inbred and disingenuous, too) idiots? Why be pessimistic and give up now only a thousand years into the process? Personally, I would love to see Ayn Rand's
Atlas Shrugged come to pass. Let the rich, self-interested "leaders" shrug, take their toys and go home. John Galt has inflicted enough laissez-faire misery and there will always be someone to fill his shoes. Perhaps someone that has observed his mistakes.
Sorry, I'm getting loopy.
