I appreciate the nuanced discussion of how citizens and home owners can empower themselves re: fires, rather than pandering to polarized and unwin-able social media arguments. That said, I'm pretty sure part of the reason folks are having those vehement 'safety vs. freedom' arguments (and that whatever news story of the day still triggers the c-v-d polarities) is that people on whatever 'side' of an issue are upset at how challenging it was/is to have a nuanced public discussion about how to behave as an individual and as a concerned citizen. And--as per your 2nd segment--social media tends to significantly limit the possibility of nuance, rather than encourage it.
I think we can't underestimate the extent to which "noble" lies about various covid issues by public officials (well documented, no need to show them all here) destroyed trust in "experts" by many people. This trust can't be rebuilt unless "noble lies" are repudiated and "noble liars' punished.
In some ways, it's easier for people to understand the risks associated with fires vs. infectious disease. On the other hand, that understanding is also undermined by misconceptions and ignorance. In the past decade, we've seen wildfires destroy significant parts of Fort McMurray, Jasper, and Los Angeles. The fires moved incredibly fast, were almost impossible to stop, and were exacerbated by poor management of forests and interfaces with towns.
Despite a devastating object lesson on how fires affect cities, there's still a lot of people fighting removal of dead and dying trees from Vancouver's Stanley Park - a forested jewel at the heart of the city that also borders on some of the most densely-populated residential area in Canada (the West End.) Other BC cities continue to push ahead with plans for increasing urban forest canopy when encroachment of trees and brush were significant factors in the loss of houses in those fires.
Good points to chew on. You've got me thinking that most of us have some experience of viruses or caring for a family member, but very little knowledge of forest management and mitigating fire risks, which is why I was appreciating the podcast conversation. I know Stanley Park well from living in Van in past; if it is not being stewarded well, I'm sorry to hear it. I am aware of some of the dynamics that played into the Jasper fire last year, heartbreaking to many Albertans and worrisome to those of us who live in mountain forested areas.
And yet we have all lit fires and seen trees, while basically nobody has seen a virus, and we just go from "I have a cold" to "a virus particle came to me from another person" on faith.
Forestry should be much easier for the layman to actually understand.
Matt I have really enjoyed this episode with Andrew MacDougall , a great topic, you both articulated very well what I have been thinking for the last twenty years , when my children first started with gaming with an Xbox, I could see how powerful screen time was and how it could take over their time.., since then it has been exacerbated with social media and all that goes along with it.
It is a very powerful instrument and extremely difficult to counteract, so I am very grateful to people who also see the impact it has on society as a whole and are willing to discuss it.
I love the technology and there are many great aspects of the internet that I also use , but it has gone too far and seems to be taking away peoples ability to use critical thinking to analyze what they are reading or listening to.
There is so much in formation out there, whether accurate or not that people need to listen to and include their own experiences to form an opinion, but it is increasingly difficult to do so , so thank you for providing very informed context to this topic.
Everyone is so angry since pandemic that I have to believe we just aren't ourselves right now. I hope that is the case. Such anger about the forest fire ban and individual rights is mind boggling when Jewish fellow citizens are being physically attacked on the street every day now it appears. I wonder how Jewish Canadians are feeling about their individual rights.
I've been noodling a column idea for a few weeks. I think this podcast episode, by combining two totally unrelated topics, sort of helped firm up the concept. It's outrage addiction. Some people need IG reels or TikTok to calm their brains down. Other people need to read something that pisses them off.
Actually, the fact that Jewish people are being assaulted in the street with impunity, just as churches are being burned down with impunity, makes the restrictions on people's mobility even more annoying.
Because it very clearly shows that the government has the ability and a taste for harsh, even oppressive action, but that they consciously choose not to act to protect Jews or Christians.
its a small , very small, group of leftovers from the covid days who define their days by "fighting tyranny through social media comments sections from my anonymous account". . They are getting too much attention, in part because they all comment on each others posts to boost engagement and thus get fed to millions of people on X and Facebook. This isnt debating whether a virus is dangerous or not, we know , clearly, that humans in forests means there will be an idiot who throws a butt, and another dork that thinks he can make a campfire because he "knows what he is doing" and another fool that brings in his ATV or bike and sends out a spark or two. It surprises me that this decision is even an issue, seems like they made the right call to do it.
The discussion about the pernicious effects of the internet and proposals to regulate it in a way to curb irresponsible behavior is linked to a very old compulsion to regulate vice and compel virtue. I'm not disagreeing about the problems related to social media, but in a lot of ways they're similar to previous concerns about alcohol, lewd content, public modesty, etc.
I'm also a bit amused at the fact that it's a couple of Upper Canadians who are clucking their tongues and discussing how this problem should be dealt with so people behave correctly. It only took a century or so to concede that perhaps selling beer in convenience stores wouldn't lead to the end of civilization (although many Upper Canadians still aren't convinced).
Maybe in this case, lean into a different approach of trying to *educate* people about what social media is doing and encourage them to make the right choices. Compelled virtue rarely turns out to be much of a virtue at all.
I appreciate the nuanced discussion of how citizens and home owners can empower themselves re: fires, rather than pandering to polarized and unwin-able social media arguments. That said, I'm pretty sure part of the reason folks are having those vehement 'safety vs. freedom' arguments (and that whatever news story of the day still triggers the c-v-d polarities) is that people on whatever 'side' of an issue are upset at how challenging it was/is to have a nuanced public discussion about how to behave as an individual and as a concerned citizen. And--as per your 2nd segment--social media tends to significantly limit the possibility of nuance, rather than encourage it.
I think we can't underestimate the extent to which "noble" lies about various covid issues by public officials (well documented, no need to show them all here) destroyed trust in "experts" by many people. This trust can't be rebuilt unless "noble lies" are repudiated and "noble liars' punished.
In some ways, it's easier for people to understand the risks associated with fires vs. infectious disease. On the other hand, that understanding is also undermined by misconceptions and ignorance. In the past decade, we've seen wildfires destroy significant parts of Fort McMurray, Jasper, and Los Angeles. The fires moved incredibly fast, were almost impossible to stop, and were exacerbated by poor management of forests and interfaces with towns.
Despite a devastating object lesson on how fires affect cities, there's still a lot of people fighting removal of dead and dying trees from Vancouver's Stanley Park - a forested jewel at the heart of the city that also borders on some of the most densely-populated residential area in Canada (the West End.) Other BC cities continue to push ahead with plans for increasing urban forest canopy when encroachment of trees and brush were significant factors in the loss of houses in those fires.
Good points to chew on. You've got me thinking that most of us have some experience of viruses or caring for a family member, but very little knowledge of forest management and mitigating fire risks, which is why I was appreciating the podcast conversation. I know Stanley Park well from living in Van in past; if it is not being stewarded well, I'm sorry to hear it. I am aware of some of the dynamics that played into the Jasper fire last year, heartbreaking to many Albertans and worrisome to those of us who live in mountain forested areas.
And yet we have all lit fires and seen trees, while basically nobody has seen a virus, and we just go from "I have a cold" to "a virus particle came to me from another person" on faith.
Forestry should be much easier for the layman to actually understand.
There are currently two fires in NS, both under control, according to the NS government.
Matt I have really enjoyed this episode with Andrew MacDougall , a great topic, you both articulated very well what I have been thinking for the last twenty years , when my children first started with gaming with an Xbox, I could see how powerful screen time was and how it could take over their time.., since then it has been exacerbated with social media and all that goes along with it.
It is a very powerful instrument and extremely difficult to counteract, so I am very grateful to people who also see the impact it has on society as a whole and are willing to discuss it.
I love the technology and there are many great aspects of the internet that I also use , but it has gone too far and seems to be taking away peoples ability to use critical thinking to analyze what they are reading or listening to.
There is so much in formation out there, whether accurate or not that people need to listen to and include their own experiences to form an opinion, but it is increasingly difficult to do so , so thank you for providing very informed context to this topic.
Keep up the good work
Everyone is so angry since pandemic that I have to believe we just aren't ourselves right now. I hope that is the case. Such anger about the forest fire ban and individual rights is mind boggling when Jewish fellow citizens are being physically attacked on the street every day now it appears. I wonder how Jewish Canadians are feeling about their individual rights.
I've been noodling a column idea for a few weeks. I think this podcast episode, by combining two totally unrelated topics, sort of helped firm up the concept. It's outrage addiction. Some people need IG reels or TikTok to calm their brains down. Other people need to read something that pisses them off.
Outrage addiction. great way to describe it, this is a thing that X and Facebook comments sections feed like IV drips to people
Actually, the fact that Jewish people are being assaulted in the street with impunity, just as churches are being burned down with impunity, makes the restrictions on people's mobility even more annoying.
Because it very clearly shows that the government has the ability and a taste for harsh, even oppressive action, but that they consciously choose not to act to protect Jews or Christians.
That angers me.
Too much pie.
its a small , very small, group of leftovers from the covid days who define their days by "fighting tyranny through social media comments sections from my anonymous account". . They are getting too much attention, in part because they all comment on each others posts to boost engagement and thus get fed to millions of people on X and Facebook. This isnt debating whether a virus is dangerous or not, we know , clearly, that humans in forests means there will be an idiot who throws a butt, and another dork that thinks he can make a campfire because he "knows what he is doing" and another fool that brings in his ATV or bike and sends out a spark or two. It surprises me that this decision is even an issue, seems like they made the right call to do it.
Could be
Great discussions, both first and second part
The discussion about the pernicious effects of the internet and proposals to regulate it in a way to curb irresponsible behavior is linked to a very old compulsion to regulate vice and compel virtue. I'm not disagreeing about the problems related to social media, but in a lot of ways they're similar to previous concerns about alcohol, lewd content, public modesty, etc.
I'm also a bit amused at the fact that it's a couple of Upper Canadians who are clucking their tongues and discussing how this problem should be dealt with so people behave correctly. It only took a century or so to concede that perhaps selling beer in convenience stores wouldn't lead to the end of civilization (although many Upper Canadians still aren't convinced).
Maybe in this case, lean into a different approach of trying to *educate* people about what social media is doing and encourage them to make the right choices. Compelled virtue rarely turns out to be much of a virtue at all.
I am very rarely called an Upper Canadian and it’s basically always in a comment section when it happens.