I never really gave much thought to how a decision I make today can impact people in future generations, at least environmentally. The idea makes sense I just never thought hard about ramifications. Asking if it would be bad for no future people to exists doesn't seem like a yes or no answer, at least not for me. I mean, if people weren't to exists in the future, let's say it ends with our generation, can it really be bad if it isn't hurting anybody? The future people who would have existed-I wouldn't say they were better off not existing than existing.
Personally I believe that if I was to have been born a year or even a month later I would still have been me. I understand how it would be a different set of cells so "technically" I suppose I would be different- I guess what I am trying to say is that I can see it both ways. Therefore I believe that having no other generations would not cause harm to those future individuals, I mean whose to say the would have even existed in the first place. Also, if the climate decisions we're making now, good or bad, would still result in no future generations I don't see what harm that would cause. Although, if we were to make positive climate decisions that would make future generations better off, or if our negative climate decisions make it so potential future generations isn't even possible, then I believe we would be harming those individuals if they were to have been born. I guess what I am trying to say is that I agree that the decisions I make today have the potential to affect others after me. If I decide to become a very active environmentalist, I would hope that those decisions would help make like better for those future individuals, but if I knew that life was finite then what good does me trying to help out the world really do? If the effects won't be seen my anyone what's the point?
-Lauryn
Hi Lauren, I really liked your post. The idea that there is no harm to people that never existed is interesting, and I am curious as to your ideas about if they did exist, may it be worse for the entire human race and planet at the same time? Ultimately, it is difficult to sometimes make a conscious effort to help future people if it can even take time out of our own life if it doesn't have a direct impact on us. I believe it will take a collective effort to save the earth.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to know that people do still exists after this generation than I would say that we should pay more attentions to how we're impacting the climate. However to answer a question about how this may affect the entire human race- I frankly have no idea. I guess what I am trying to say is that we should be mindful of how our actions are impacting other individuals.
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