veganpizza69

(mostly about the US)

The rhetoric of “hopium” is failing as ecological overshoot deepens. “Hopium”, a colloquial term that is a blend of the words “hope” and “opium” (as though it were a drug), represents a faith in technological and market-based solutions to address our multiple reinforcing crises, despite evidence to the contrary.

The rhetoric of “hopium” is failing as ecological overshoot deepens. “Hopium”, a colloquial term that is a blend of the words “hope” and “opium” (as though it were a drug), represents a faith in technological and market-based solutions to address our multiple reinforcing crises, despite evidence to the contrary. We're living in the long defeat and we must own and confront it with courage.

What is the Californian ideology?

The Californian Ideology

The Broligarchs Are Trying to Have Their Way - The Atlantic

To paraphrase a famous old book character,

Those who live by hierarchy, die by the hierarchy.

What few people seem to observe and critique is the role of optimism in this culture of generating dystopias. Optimism bias:

Optimism bias or optimistic bias is a cognitive bias that causes someone to believe that they themselves are less likely to experience a negative event. It is also known as unrealistic optimism or comparative optimism. It is common and transcends gender, ethnicity, nationality, and age.[1] Autistic people are less susceptible to this kind of bias.[2] It has also been reported in other animals, such as rats and birds.[3]

Video description:

America feels broken—but how did we get here? In this video, we break down three of the biggest flaws driving modern conservative ideology and how they’ve contributed to the country’s ongoing decline. From anti-intellectualism and distrust in public institutions to the abandonment of the working class, we explore how media literacy, neoliberalism, and identity politics intersect in shaping today’s political chaos.

We take a closer look at the contradictions within conservative thinking: how calls for “Make America Great Again” ignore the reality that the golden era many long for was built on progressive policies, strong unions, and high taxes on the wealthy. We also examine how the influence of right-wing media—from Fox News to figures like Joe Rogan—fuels fear, misinformation, and reactionary politics, despite many conservatives having real, lived experiences that contradict what they’re being told.

If you’re frustrated by the current state of American politics, confused by the hypocrisy of MAGA populism, or just want a deeper understanding of how we ended up with such stark political divides, this video unpacks the economic and cultural forces at play.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you want more videos on American politics, conservative contradictions, and the battle over the future of the country.

TIME STAMPS:

00:00 Introduction

00:55 Psychological Basis for Conservatism

05:21 Symptoms Not the Cause

12:34 Anti-Intellectualism

16:29 No Empathy

19:12 MAGA?

22:01 Don't Be a Bootlicker

In this powerhouse episode, Mark Lynas is joined by long-time friend and environmental journalist George Monbiot for a brutally honest conversation on where we are — and how we fight back. Together they challenge the idea that environmental progress is automatic or guaranteed, and instead delve into the deep political, economic, and social forces that shape our chances for a better future. Monbiot argues that unless we confront power, capitalism, and the failure of incrementalism, we’re simply sleepwalking into authoritarianism and ecological collapse. From colonialism to neoliberalism, from fascism to the failures of the left, this is a sweeping conversation on what went wrong — and how we can make things right, through a positive politics of belonging. This one pulls no punches.

🧠 Topics Discussed:

🏛️ Why environmentalism fails without confronting power

🛑 The myth of inevitable progress — and how it can be reversed

⚡ Technology is not enough: the limits of "techno-fix" thinking

💰 A crash course in the real origins of capitalism

📉 Why incremental change is a losing strategy

📢 What neoliberalism really is — and how it disempowers citizens

🧱 Private sufficiency, public luxury: a new vision for the future

🧠 Why the left keeps losing — and what must change

🎯 Popper’s paradox, politics of belonging, and how to counter fascism

📲 How social media is supercharging authoritarianism

😤 Can we still win? Yes — but only if we act boldly

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists:

On April 17, 2025, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists held a discussion exploring the risks of climate change and how to understand what planetary shifts are inevitable – and which are solvable – in this current era of scientific skepticism.

Each year, new data strengthens our understanding of the planet's rising temperatures and growing environmental instability. With the increase in uncontrollable wildfires, stronger storms, and rising ocean levels, the question remains of whether we are too late to reverse – or significantly slow – our changing climate.

There have been a few bright spots towards reaching targets set in the Paris Agreement, such as increases in sustainable energy generation and climate finance. Still, these advances have not yet slowed consistent record-breaking heat and a continued year-over-year rise of atmospheric carbon– leaving us to question whether there is a ‘tipping point’ – a threshold beyond which climate change is irreversible.

Speakers include:

Moderator: Alexandra Bell, president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

Inez Fung, Professor Emerita of Atmospheric Science in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science and the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also a member of the Bulletin's Science and Security Board.

Robert Kopp, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences at Rutgers University.

Femke Nijsse, Senior Lecturer in Innovation, Energy and Climate at the University of Exeter.