Rand's premises are based on Aristotle. One of the prime factors is A is A. That eliminates subjective reality, and subjective "truths." A thing is what it is, not what someone imagines it is, or thinks what it may be. It is the difference between theory and actuality. Therefore, someone's reality may actually be reality, or it may not be. Someone's truth may be true, or it may not be. If we keep that in mind, then we can examine whether their pronouncements are valid or not.
The problem between us, M.A. , is that in the tree of knowledge, you are dealing in the leaves, before examining the roots and trunk. However, that does not mean you are incorrect. It means what I'm pointing out is a bit of a quibble now, but once understood will stand you in good stead.

Truth - and Reality - are not subject to one's viewpoint. One may have a distorted (or just flat wrong) perception of the truth/reality, but that does not impact truth/reality itself. To discuss in terms of "our truth" and "their truth" implies that the truth is subjective and therefore only a matter of opinion. If I say red popsicles are better than blue popsicles, that is a matter of opinion. If I say the earth is round, (ok, spherical) and state that as reality, I should be expected to support that with observable evidence (photographs from space, for instance).

johnpe 1,

you are correct about their desire for money.
Limbaugh is correct about these people being wrong, they are the ones who need to be incarcerated in a looney binn.

I saw the article this morning and just shook my head.

The Malthusian theory is simply wrong. Everyone went nuts over Paul Ehrlich's the population bomb in the 70's written as one of the key pieces of the 'green' movement, it predicted mass starvation in the 70's and 80's as the population rose.

We have more people now than he said that the earth could support, but starvation has decreased rather than increased. Like most 'greens' he failed to take into consideration the improvements in technology that allow us to feed more with less.

And like most 'greens' when proven wrong, he simply repeats his claim. We have increased population as he predicted but without catastrophe -- so he simply delays the prediction.

But population will not grow without limits. Even as early as Rome we have evidence that a well-off, educated population has a lower birth rate.

All advanced nations have lower than replacement birth rates now, some of them rather drastically. Singapore is down to 1.29 births per woman, South Korea 1.30, Japan 1.41. Birth rates this low can cut a population in half in less than two generations. This has serious impact on retirements.

Many countries are actively trying to increase birth rates -- with little success. Immigration keeps the U.S. expanding but as the third world becomes better educated and more affluent -- and that's happening -- birth rates will fall there as well.

The total population will continue to rise, due to longer lives until around 2050 when we will see a peak population. Some predict as high as 10 billion but I think that it will be less, perhaps 9.5 billion.

We can feed 9.5 billion. If we keep increasing CO2, that will be even easier since we are seeing increased plant growth as a result of the more favorable conditions. And warmer is generally better than colder.

If we could just get the 'greens' to get out of the way we can expand nuclear energy and provide a decent standard of living for the world.

The apocalypse has been canceled.

Don't worry, folks. When it is time for us all to go to hell in a hand basket, that will be the signal for the mothership to return (referencing The History Channel's "Ancient Aliens") with a good book all of their own--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIufLRpJ...

Sorry, I just couldn't resist going through with this post after it germinated in my old dino imagination.
Mr. Chambers must have looked most especially tasty.
Would you believe I viewed the original broadcast when my folks had four whole channels to watch? It's one of my favorite TZ episodes.

There is no such thing as "Whose truth." There are versions of the truth, but there is only one truth and that is anything that pertains to reality. Anything else is other than the truth.

Hi, Mamaemma
Humans are better off because of science and the example set by the former USA. It is unfortunate that the very thing that creates mankind's prosperity is the very thing they abandon once they assume power.

I saw that normal, everyday people are smarter than one gives them credit for. I compare all this talk about climate change with my own limited experience. I conclude that whatever is happening is doing so slowly and will give us all enough time to adapt. Secondly, there have been a lot of documented heatings and coolings of the world over the ages that have nothing to do with human activity. Thirdly, the earth is BIG and heavy and is heated from its center a LOT. Its just hard for me to figure that buring fossil fuels like we do even comes close to the amount of heat thats generated from the earth's core or the sun. And Fourthly, a few degrees might mean some people in India need to move or be underwater, but its not going to result in apocalyptic changes in the world. Call me stupid, but I see this climate thing as an excuse for political hidden agendas.

Ayn Rand made it clear that evil is impotent...it cannot create values. When individuals focus on negatives they make evil potent as it, not productivity, begins to drive their lives. I see this in the distorted view of Ragnar as an agent of vengeance not a philosopher returning values stolen from producers. AR showed the power of ideas in a collapsing world by her life and her work. WHy are so many unable to harness her vision and create values in a time when they are in increasing demand? If you see the world as moochers and looters then you don see it as people desperately searching for a way out, a way shown by Ayn Rand and only needing a few good people to make the difference. Don't retreat, charge!

Over the millennia man has exhibited brief flashes of lucidity and rational thinking but for the most part he is driven by emotion. This fact is not lost on the pragmatic tyrant who knows how to use this "character flaw" to gain and preserve power. The tyrant knows that for the bulk of humanity belief trumps understanding. The reason for this is straightforward, belief is easy while understanding is hard and most of us chose the easy path over the one more difficult. Rational thinking requires the suspension of belief and that is a very difficult thing to do.

Can Ttruth exist without Principle?

"According to the report, “Humans will probably be extinct within 100 years, because of overpopulation, environmental destruction and climate change.”

The above doesn't quite cover the spectrum, as it omits Wars and other nasty things which are always accomplished by Force,,, Force being the the exclusive province of GOVERNments while decreed "illegal" to the masses.

If I were to "pray" it would be for the Global Great Collapse, which will have the happy effect of putting the Rulerships out of business, hopefully forever. Otherwise the next century will be our last!

It's either that, or the extinction of life on Planet Earth. Mankind can then, use it's "intelligence" to create a society of harmony and true Liberty. Will it?

You can blame William Randolph Hearst for taking what was a fringe element of discussion, mostly by dedicated religionists, and turning it into mainstream thinking. He was famous for his statement about the news, "If it bleeds, it leads," meaning stories of horror and tragedy were more prone to catch the reader's attention. He set the trajectory of news media in this country, after almost singlehandedly starting the Spanish-American war by blaming the Spanish for the sinking of the USS Maine, by innuendo, not evidence. We have become attuned to look for the negative instead of the positive, as fear is a primal driver of human nature, which Hearst recognized and was a master at exploiting.

We could all be dead tomorrow if the volcano under Yellowstone decides to pop! We could be in another deep Ice Age in very short order also and the Queen could be King if only she had balls!

what's the RE in REMF? -- j
.