Problems, Predicaments, and Technology

  It is with quite regular cadence that Steve publishes what are spectacular refutations to the constant stream of so-called "solutions" to the "problems" that society is suffering from. Unfortunately, if one actually does any real research, one will discover that none of these "problems" are being "solved" - they are all getting worse instead. Why is this?   One of the primary issues here is that none of the reductionist ideas proposed to "solve" said "problems" work holistically, meaning that only one or two qualities of each issue that is actually comprised of a multitude of parameters are targeted, leaving the rest of them untouched. Practically all of these "problems" are actually made worse through these so-called solutions, as Steve points out, through ecological destruction caused by the extraction of energy and resources in order to procure what is needed to build these "solutions."   Needless to s...

  Coxhall Gardens, Carmel, Indiana

Trail at Beartree Recreation Area in Virginia

Flag Rock Recreation Area, Norton, Virginia

Keowee Toxaway State Park, South Carolina

Atlantic Ocean, Kure Beach, North Carolina

  Pilot Mountain in North Carolina

  Picture of Table Rock Mountain in South Carolina taken from Bald Ridge Heritage Preserve

  Pictures of wildfire damage at Glacier National Park in Montana 2016 Special note:   In reality, this series could have been titled,  " So, what can be done? "  to eliminate  the "we" issue  and the judgment issue ("should"). What type of activities will help in reducing the effects of ecological overshoot? I'm often asked this question when I point out that solar panels, wind turbines, nuclear energy, hydroelectric dams, EVs, and all other technological devices will not help climate change, pollution loading, or any other predicament under the parent predicament of ecological overshoot: "Well, what are your solutions?" Sadly, this question assumes that I am pointing out a PROBLEM, not a predicament. Predicaments don't have solutions. So, I don't have a solution (and nobody else does either, despite claims to the contrary - more on that in a couple of paragraphs). But I can tell them what WON'T help. Buying more stuff, REGARDLE...

  Playhouse (for the landowners' grandchildren) in Jonesboro, Illinois Four of my articles over the past couple of years are part of a four-part series titled, " So, What Should We Do? " The first three articles were written, one after the other, back in 2021 after I discovered our lack of free will which condemns us to make choices based upon our biological (see the Maximum Power Principle ) and cultural conditioning (see this article ). This led me to realize that we truly lack agency to be able to control hyperobjects such as nature, climate change, ecological overshoot , the biosphere, etc. Not only is the predicament of overshoot too difficult for most people to grasp, many people unfortunately place it in the category of problems (with answers or solutions) rather than predicaments (with outcomes). Attempting to reduce issues seen as problems tends to turn those issues into bigger problems and/or predicaments. Often this is due to those working on these issues ...

  Advertisement from the mid-20th century I have often used this expression (the title) to describe many things people tend to think of as solutions for one thing or another that either are not solutions or are unrealistic at best in terms of actually solving something. For anyone just joining these articles, this post  will help get you started so as to be able to comprehend what this article is about.  As I have expressed before, my deep passion is to help explain where we are (as a species), how we got here, why we are in this mess, and what can and/or cannot be done to "solve" these predicaments. My very first post explained the difference between problems with answers or solutions and predicaments (or dilemmas) with outcomes. In it, we discovered that predicaments don't have solutions, and that every solution proffered for a predicament winds up causing new problems and/or predicaments or comes with unacceptable costs or just simply doesn't solve anything. The re...

If you look closely at the area just slightly to the left of center in the picture above, the same area is enlarged below: Rough Ridge Trail, North Carolina

  New River State Park Visitor Center, North Carolina

Round Barn in Indiana

  Bridge over Cataloochee Creek on the Old Cataloochee Turnpike; near Cataloochee Valley, North Carolina There are apparently many people who misunderstand my articles, why I write them, and what it all means at the end of the day. I read scientific articles - LOTS of them, and I read them almost every day (scroll down to  see the " FILES " here ). I'm curious, and I am constantly searching for answers to a rather simple question; "Yeah, but WHY?" Occasionally I misunderstand something or the science changes, and I make sure I correct myself. More often than not, the general theme remains unchanged. Such is the way of ecological overshoot. It cares not one bit what we think of it. It does not respond to our beliefs. It isn't interested in our desires, opinions, or plans we have for the future. Is "it" ecological overshoot, nature, or the laws of physics? Does it really matter, considering all three are equally oblivious and disregarding of our emot...