The Climate Change Debate Is Long Over And There Is Nothing We Can Do
Why Hacker News recommends it
Dropped into climate threads as a fictional but relevant fatalistic take, not as a recommendation.
What it is
A clip from The Newsroom season 3 in which characters argue that the climate change debate is over and only a technology to reverse emissions can help.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2016 to 2026.
What Hacker News said
Cites Comevius · 2018-08 · on “Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change”
I'm not a physicist, but isn't the second law of thermodynamics puts a limit on what we can do with the excess energy, most of which are being absorbed by the oceans. Besides most of the damage is already done. EPA: It’s as if you’re sitting in your car, in your garage, with the engine running and the door closed, and you’ve slipped into unconsciousness. And that’s it. McAvoy: What if someone comes and opens the door? EPA: You’re already dead. McAvoy: What if the person got there in time? EPA: Then you’d be saved. McAvoy: OK. So now what’s the CO2 equivalent of the getting there on time? EPA: Shutting off the car 20 years ago. [this video]
Cites mimikatz · 2021-04 · on “We Are Living in a Climate Emergency, and We’re Going to Say So”
I thought we were already doomed and past the point where any change would matter 5 years ago? [this video] Sure it is fiction, but a real take by people and that aired 6 years ago.
Cites headmelted · 2021-08 · on “Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'”
Also people need to be presented with the consequences. I still know a lot of people who genuinely believe it means slightly warmer summers. They think I'm a crazy person when I mention the never-ending storms and lack of drinking water. Also just dropping this link here as I remember watching it at the time and thinking isn't it great we're not there yet: [this video]
Cites throwaway_7678 · 2026-03 · on “Global Warming Has Accelerated Significantly”
Relevant clip, [this video] . Even if people doesn't believe in science and reports like this, they believe it's getting hotter every year. The past few summers have been very bad and it's only going to become worse. We all will be busy in our virtual worlds arguing over stupid things and the real world will become literal hell to live in.