Tuesday 16 July 2019

Fun with Extinction Rebellion

From the BBC:

But those involved with Extinction Rebellion say the future of the planet depends on it.

"We have left it so late that we have to step up in a semi-miraculous way to deal with this situation," said co-founder Gail Bradbrook.

However, the group doesn't say what the solutions to tackle climate change should be.

Instead, it wants the government to create a "citizens' assembly", made up of randomly selected people representing a cross-section of society. Its members would decide how to solve the climate crisis, with advice from experts.


But who's going to choose the 'experts'?

12 comments:

Mark said...

made up of randomly selected people representing a cross-section of society.

While this sounds easy, it is in fact extremely loaded. Who determines "cross-section"?

Do we do it by age, race, income, education, country of origin or political inclinations? In order to get a decent balance you would need a very large assembly, so that the one spot for elderly Caribbean origin of middle class could be selected.

Large assemblies only work if they have parties. That's, in fact, why we have parties -- because government without them is a disaster. It's only party discipline that prevents everyone from wanting to have a say all the time. Otherwise you get the national assembly in the French Revolution -- which divided into parties (and then set about killing each other).

Small assemblies risk being unrepresentative. One powerful person can rule them.

They're just re-inventing the wheel. We have an assembly. It is called Parliament. There are parties in it, because parties work.

Mark Wadsworth said...

M, good summary. But that wasn't the question :-)

Rich Tee said...

As the old saying goes, representative democracy is the worst political system, apart from all the others.

dustybloke said...

We merely have to find an expert at picking experts.

dustybloke said...

even more fun

https://www.vigiliae.org/dr-gail-marie-bradbrook-compassionate-revolutionary-for-hire-by-un-extinction/

https://nowhere.news/index.php/2019/04/01/astroturfing-the-way-for-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/

Mark Wadsworth said...

RT, agreed.

DB, first comment, agreed.

Second comment, second link, these stories keep popping up, there is probably done truth in them.

Tim Almond said...

Oxford is doing this

https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/1071/oxford_city_council_to_establish_independent_advisory_group_for_citizens_assembly_on_climate_change

Oxford are filthy hippies, so it's going to be totally rigged towards yet more beating down of cars and industry. Which might be hopeful, as I'd really like the Mini plant to move to Swindon.

Mark Wadsworth said...

TS, the experts will choose themselves, that's my interpretation.

Penseivat said...

"........the future of the planet depends on it." No it doesn't. Whatever we do, the planet will survive. Humankind may wipe itself out through stupidity, but the planet will survive. We may, or may not, make it unbelievable for us, but the planet will survive, just like it has done formillenia. In the meantime, Extinction Rebellion 'save the planet' by blocking roads, causing vehicles to stop whilst still belching out various fumes in a comparatively small space. How is this protecting the planet? I understand that wilful obstruction of the highway is still detestable. Once arrested and charged, their names be reported in the national press so they can be sued by people who have lost earnings, missed urgent medical appointments or similar.
They chain themselves to fronts of buildings. Put superglue in the locks so they can't be unlocked, and leave them there.
These people really are obnoxious, tunnel visioned, twonks.

Mark Wadsworth said...

PS, agreed. Maybe the human race is doomed. So what, as you say.

Bayard said...

"made up of randomly selected people representing a cross-section of society"

Ah, true democracy: "It is accepted as democratic when public offices are allocated by lot; and as oligarchic when they are filled by election." Aristotle, Politics.

"Representative democracy" is actually nothing of the kind, it is an oligarchy.

Shiney said...

"But who's going to choose the 'experts'?"

Presumably the people who fund these idiots....

Trevor Neilson
Rory Kennedy
Aileen Getty

So three wealthy American 'philanthropists'.... and do you recognise the name of the last one? I mean, you couldn't make it up.