Has the world improved overall, or got worse in your lifetime?

**Janszoon** · 04-15-2014, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

I'm not a climate denier or anything, but I missed the part where conclusive evidence was found, released and peer reviewed confirming that indeed, climate change is the result of human action.

Even with my limited knowledge of the subject matter, I know that climate change as a function is completely natural to our world and needs no human intervention. So if the statement is to be made that humans are outdoing nature to some catastrophic extent, I'd definitely be interested in any quantitative data to suggest that, absent any oft-politicized correlations.

This might be a good place to start.

Freebase Dali · 04-15-2014, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

This might be a good place to start.

Interesting. I've not seen that particular colored graph. But what does it actually mean, scientifically, aside from a correlation between higher amounts of CO2 and climate change in the recent past?
I'm aware of the greenhouse effect and how that works, but I'm still unaware the effect of higher CO2 in a long-term status.
We weren't recording surface, air and water temps from the beginning of time, but merely relatively recently in relation to the history of the earth, and most times all I hear is how temps have risen in a very short span of time.

I'm more interested in finding information about how the CO2 levels directly correlate with altering the natural flow of climate change long-term.
Basically something more able to be interpreted on a wider scale rather than, "Hey, look at this graph. Yep!"

Edit:
The above may have been confusing.
What I'm saying is, we've had ICE AGES with no human CO2 involvement. So what is CO2 actually doing? I'd like some data on how much it offsets the natural order.

(I'm not playing devil's advocate, I'm actually asking. And no, I don't think we shouldn't fix sh*t just in case. I'm just more interested in the actual data points and how they translate.)

**Janszoon** · 04-15-2014, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

Interesting. I've not seen that particular colored graph. But what does it actually mean, scientifically, aside from a correlation between higher amounts of CO2 and climate change?
I'm aware of the greenhouse effect and how that works, but I'm still unaware the effect of higher CO2 in a long-term status, comparative to history. We weren't recording surface, air and water temps from the beginning of time, but merely relatively recently in relation to the history of the earth, and most times all I hear is how temps have risen in a very short span of time, relative to any possible natural pattern.
I'm more interested in finding information about how the CO2 levels directly correlate with data we may have found pre-dating recorded historical data. Maybe a graph with data regarding temperature, sea level, etc along side the ice core samples showing CO2 levels, etc.

Basically something more able to be interpreted on a wider scale rather than, "Hey, look at this graph. Yep!"

I wasn't directing you to a graph, I was directing you to a page which contains a basic description of the situation, a long list of references, and a link to another page full of related resources from a variety of scientific organizations. As I said, I figured it might be a good place to start.

Freebase Dali · 04-15-2014, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I wasn't directing you to a graph, I was directing you to a page which contains a basic description of the situation, a long list of references, and a link to another page full of related resources from a variety of scientific organizations. As I said, I figured it might be a good place to start.

Heh, I edited the post like 10 times since that quote.

Edit:

And was hoping for a discussion.

Paul Smeenus · 04-15-2014, 11:39 PM

GuD · 04-18-2014, 10:55 PM

Well.

I guess to be literal, not every one person on this planet is gonna agree on what is and isn't an improvement. So it's impossible to say from an objective standpoint. But... I'm guessing you're asking me personally. So, right.

Meh. The optimist in me tries to remember that I've always been surrounded by more or less well-informed people who care enough to empathize with others. But there are definitely more dumb****s than smart****s, and the ratio of dumb****s to smart ****s seems to be changing for the better (more smart****s). At the same time, it's easy to have a bad day or a bad experience and say **** IT THE WORLD IS ENDING I CARE ABOUT NOTHING. It is for me, at least.

I try not to take it all too seriously. I'm along for the ride, might as well have fun while I'm here.

Did I answer the question? Where the **** am I?

04-18-2014, 10:55 PM	#56 (permalink)
GuD Dude... What? Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 1,322	Well. I guess to be literal, not every one person on this planet is gonna agree on what is and isn't an improvement. So it's impossible to say from an objective standpoint. But... I'm guessing you're asking me personally. So, right. Meh. The optimist in me tries to remember that I've always been surrounded by more or less well-informed people who care enough to empathize with others. But there are definitely more dumb**s than smarts, and the ratio of dumbs to smart s seems to be changing for the better (more smarts). At the same time, it's easy to have a bad day or a bad experience and say IT THE WORLD IS ENDING I CARE ABOUT NOTHING. It is for me, at least. I try not to take it all too seriously. I'm along for the ride, might as well have fun while I'm here. Did I answer the question? Where the ** am I? __________________ I spit bullets in my feet Every time I speak So I write instead And still people want me dead ~msc