We Talk Friday
(WTF)
This is a semi-regular series that I will run on Fridays to hold discussions on a current topic from the week gone. The aim is to keep them light and conversational, though some might be heavier - regardless of the content topic itself though, just have some fun engaging and discussing with whoever happens to put in the effort in the comments section below.
There was a fire in an underground carpark here the other day, caused by a hybrid car whilst it was charging. The only reason I mention it is I have many friends who work in the building and several of them had their cars destroyed by the intense fire and heat caused by the battery. Before it had made the news, one of my friends had sent me some images he was sent of what was going on (he was working from home) and the piles of smoke billowing out of the vents.
Does that count toward emissions of EVs?
A little later, he sent me another image from a colleague with a Tesla showing that the internal temperature was 98°C (208°F) at the time, and a little later, well... No more readings came in. Dozens of cars were destroyed in the fire and of course, they will have to check the structural integrity of the building, which only opened a couple years ago.
My friend who sent the pictures drives a Full-EV, and he is now contemplating changing back to a combustion only vehicle, even test driving a couple today already. However, while he has cooled on his EV because of this, I think it is more about him always having car fever and spending way, way too much on vehicle changeovers. And, since he invested into an expensive set of solar panels on his house, which is one of the reasons he went full-EV to begin with, it makes little sense to change back now.
He drives a very nice SUV.
What comes to mind with this though, is how fast our opinions can change these days on even large topics that will make significant impacts on our life, and financial wellbeing. As a species, we seem to be far more flaky than we were earlier, where we have moved heavily away from being committed to anything at all. And as far as I can see, this has made us far more consumptive also, which means that a great deal of potential investment wealth from the masses, is transferred as consumption to the already wealthy.
Everything is disposable.
We are so easy to flip in opinion and we will make decisions rapidly, and rather thoughtlessly. There is very little "thinking slow" in our global culture now, very little deliberation and consideration - it is think little, act fast, come what may. Yet when what comes is a negative result, we also don't take responsibility for it, and instead look to lay blame on someone or something else.
It is to our own detriment.
But, someone is benefitting. All this changeover, all this buy and throw away, all this fast thinking on what requires slow - is costing all of us and it is making gains for the few. The corporations, the politicians, the incredibly wealthy - they all benefit from our lack of thought, and bank on us running from hot to cold quickly, so they can drown us in contradiction, polarization, and debt.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
Be part of the Hive discussion.
And you may be rewarded.
