OK...todays debate. Pragmatist vs. Optimist.
Hypothesis for discussion:
We are in a water crisis. We have exactly enough water that everyone can meet 100% of their needs if the used water is then purified (for sake of argument with 0% loss) and re-used.
Optimist:
Each individual would see the situation, agree with the consensus and respond accordingly by using only their portion of water knowing that, by doing so, they have enough water for all their needs for the rest of their lives.
Pragmatist:
Each individual would see the situation, agree publicly with the consensus and respond accordingly with every intention of using only their portion of water.
However, a significant portion of the population will...out of totally understandable human nature...say, Well, if I store 5 gallons extra, just in case of equipment failure or something, it wont really matter...and then Ill be OK while theyre fixing it.
Unless the water supply is controlled externally, just enough of the population will do this, with no intention of doing harm, and ultimately cause a water shortage as a large enough percentage of the water will be in storage under peoples sinks.
Thoughts, questions, comments, arguments, vulgarities, threats of personal harm...?
Maybe I should go back to seal poetry :-)
Hypothesis for discussion:
We are in a water crisis. We have exactly enough water that everyone can meet 100% of their needs if the used water is then purified (for sake of argument with 0% loss) and re-used.
Optimist:
Each individual would see the situation, agree with the consensus and respond accordingly by using only their portion of water knowing that, by doing so, they have enough water for all their needs for the rest of their lives.
Pragmatist:
Each individual would see the situation, agree publicly with the consensus and respond accordingly with every intention of using only their portion of water.
However, a significant portion of the population will...out of totally understandable human nature...say, Well, if I store 5 gallons extra, just in case of equipment failure or something, it wont really matter...and then Ill be OK while theyre fixing it.
Unless the water supply is controlled externally, just enough of the population will do this, with no intention of doing harm, and ultimately cause a water shortage as a large enough percentage of the water will be in storage under peoples sinks.
Thoughts, questions, comments, arguments, vulgarities, threats of personal harm...?
Maybe I should go back to seal poetry :-)
VIEW 8 of 8 COMMENTS
subrosa:
I know. Kinda wacky, huh?
leola:
Interesting points...... though I always thought that Marxism didn't work (partly, at least) because Marx gave the secret away. For someone who believed in such a non-ideas materialistic view of social change, he really couldn't keep a lid on it, could he? Which, of course, meant that the opposition were ready and middle class idealists like Lenin ran before little old Russia could walk. 