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December 21st, 2008 
QuadsZilla One of my friends emailed this video to me:
http://storyofstuff.com/
I wrote back. “this clip was shit.”
He replied, “What specifically don’t you believe in it?”
I started writing a reply and realized that this would make a fine off topic blog post. So after you watch as much as you can stand, come back for a breakdown.
“You cannot run a linear system on a finite planet indefinitely”
So? We don’t need to run it indefinitely. We only need to run it until technology evolves enough to solve any problems that arise. Our “linear system” will not run as it has for the foreseeable future. Every system in human history evolved, and so will ours.
“It’s the government’s job to take care of us.”
Sigh. It’s our government’s job to protect us (see the US Constitution).
It’s your job to take care of yourself. Am I the only one left that isn’t a Socialist?
“50% of our federal tax money is going to the military”
The total federal spending for 2008 was $2.9 trillion + $200 billion more for Iraq. The total spend on the military, the “war on terror” and Iraq was $826 billion.
826 billion out of 3.1 trillion is 26.6%. Estimated receipts for fiscal year 2008 were $2.66 trillion. So the percentage of tax receipts spent on “the military” was 31%. It’s way too much, but it’s not 50%.
“Of the top 100 economies in the world, 51 are corporations.”
There are only 180 countries in the world. That list includes places like Kiribati, Maldives, São Tomé, Micronesia, Vanuatu, Seychelles and Eritrea.
Above the Bhutans and Djiboutis of the world is Iceland, ranked 92 in the world with a GDP of $19.5 Billion.
GDP measures the result of production — the value of all goods and services produced in one year. GDP is calculated on a “value-added” basis. So for a corporation, that would be Profit. In 2006, according to fortune, only 8 companies made more than $19.5 Billion:
1 Exxon Mobil $39.5 Billion
2 Royal Dutch Shell $25.4 Billion
3 UAL $22.9 Billion
4 BP $22.0 Billion
5 Citigroup $21.5 Billion
6 Bank of America $21.1 Billion
7 General Electric $20.8 Billion
8 Gazprom $20.3 Billion
So in fact, of the top 100 economies in the world 92 are countries and 8 are corporations . . . and that’s only if you don’t include individual states (like California) as economies.
“In the past 3 decades, 1/3 of the planet’s Natural resource base has been consumed.”
So at our rate of growth, we will completely run out of ALL Natural resources in much less than the next 60 years (because our consumption will grow). mmmmKAY. If only there were a way to harness the energy of this Sky that’s Falling or the hot air from windbags like this.
“We have less than 4% of our original forests left.”
Hmm, that’s Interesting. Because according to the North American Forrest commission:
“About 33 percent of the United States (302 million hectares — 747 million acres) is forested. “
So I guess we had 825% of the US forested at some point.
“40% of the waterways have become undrinkable.”
In general, we don’t drink from “waterways”, we drink from reserves. When we need to drink from waterways, we set up Industrial water filters. So potentially, all of it is “drinkable” (whatever that means).
“We have 5% of the world’s Population, but we’re using 30% of the worlds Resources”
So we use 30% of the world’s water? we use 30% of the world’s Air? We use 30% of the world’s Soil . . . and then eat 30% of the world’s food?
No.
The US does consume 25% (not 30%) of the world’s energy – but so what? 2 billion people in the world don’t even have electricity!
“If everyone Consumed at the US’s rate, we would need 3-5 Planets”
No. We would just need to produce more.
“75% of Global fisheries are fished at or beyond capacity”
First: why should I care? 2nd: How can a fishery be fished beyond capacity? 3rd: If we really need more fisheries – then those “evil corporations” will make them.
“80% of the world’s original forests are gone.”
Nearly 4 billion hectares of forest cover the earth’s surface, roughly 30 percent of its total land area. So . . . if 80% is gone, that means that at one point 150% of the earth’s land surface had forrest. I see.
“According to these guys (referring to the rest of the supply chain), the people that live there don’t own [the Amazon forests] even if they’ve been living there for generations”
Actually, the deforestation is being done precisely by the people that live there. That’s the PROBLEM.
“There are over 100,000 synthetic Chemicals in use in commerce today”
Good! Just because something is synthetic, doesn’t make it bad. In fact, those synthetic chemicals are a big reason why our standard of living is higher today than at any point in human history.
“Only a Hand full have even been tested for harmful effects”
A hand full . . . that would be what? 5? 10? Lies!
“or tested for Synergistic Effects”
I see, so we just need to perform, what? about 2^100,000 or is it the factorial of 100,000 (2.8 X 10^456,573) tests for all the different permutations? That doesn’t even take into account that one would be exposed to various amounts of every given chemical.
To put that into perspective, 10^78 is the best guess for number of atoms in the universe. What she is advocating in terms of testing is an impossibility.
“You know what has the highest number of contaminants of any food? Human breast milk.”
Great, now you’re using your lies to scare ignorant mothers out of breast feeding. Even though every study ever done has shown that breast milk is the best thing an infant can eat. Great work asshole.
This is where I stopped watching because I’m sure no one really cares about the truth. That’s why that video has a page rank of 7 and has been viewed over 4 million times and this post probably won’t get any backlinks and certainly won’t make the front page of reddit.
If we continued watching we’d see more lies and distortions but I just couldn’t stomach it any longer.
Posted in 
Thank you, thank you, thank you for dissecting one of these idiots’ diatribes for the retardation and deception it represents.
Vic
I can’t stand those people that preach on and on about how bad every thing is. Yet at the same time they haven’t a clue what the hell is really going on in the world. Just tell them DHMO or dihydrogen monoxide is going to destroy the planet they will believe you.
May I recommend you change the name of our site to SEO Black Shirt, since you are pretty much just a fascist shill.
ok so it’s numbers are a bit fluffy, at least its kinda actioning something – it might spark some thoughts in peoples heads even if its a bit bullshit. After all its less bullshit than the media etc.
anyway the website had a marginal case until they added a “buy a dvd” link, despite having complained about 4 minutes earlier about people dumping dvd’s.
A very good take down, Mr. Quadsz…
But I snarfed my Pretzel Sticks when I saw UAL on your list of top ten profitable corporations.
In 2006 UAL exited from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and thereby discharged $23B worth of debt. The debt that they walked away from was accounted for as “income”. Their entire profit for the year was due to that accounting gimmick.
I wondered how an airline made $23B in 2006! Speaking of accounting gimmicks, you did notices C and BoA on that list – right?
underworld: I’m in favor of reducing our military spend by 80-90%; but one doesn’t need to lie to get that point across. In fact, this type of propaganda gets people comfortable with the idea that we are spending 50% of our federal budget on the military, so that if we “only” spent 25% on the military, then it would be an amazing improvement.
A stat like
* The United States spends more than the next 45 highest spending countries in the world combined.
* The United States accounts for 48 percent of the world’s total military spending.
* The United States spends on its military 5.8 times more than China, 10.2 times more than Russia, and 98.6 times more than Iran.
is just as powerful and has the benefit of not being a lie.
“We don’t need to run it indefinitely. We only need to run it until technology evolves enough to solve any problems that arise. Our “linear system” will not run as it has for the foreseeable future. Every system in human history evolved, and so will ours.”
Probably just what the Easter Islander was thinking as he cut down the last tree!
While it is true that these people do their cause no good by making dubious claims (from the “lies, damned lies and statistics” file as usual – everybody’s favourite source of evidence) the argument should not be dismissed ‘out of hand’. To quote Osho, “Don’t bite my finger, look where I am pointing!” – I would suggest the problems the video points to are, at this moment, less illusory than the technology required to solve them and I, for one, cannot share your faith in human ingenuity.
knouzion: This type of video lulls people into the illusion that by emailing the video to a friend or *gasp! buying their DVD is actually doing the world some good. So my friend who forwarded this link to can hop into his Porsche (yes he really drives one!) this afternoon and feel like he is part of the solution.
QuadsZilla; Alas, too true! Like these people who sign up for “renewable” source electricity and then leave all the lights on. Sigh!
Most of what you wrote was nit-picking or based on assumptions. You talk like an arrogant know-it-all, yet you have very little to attack this video with. Try again.
This post is pretty on topic:
Green tech hasn’t taken off yet because liberal guilt can’t support a very big market. What you need is government collusion. You need somebody with a gun to step in and say that if you emit more than 100 tons of carbon per year, you need to pay. You need that same person with a gun to say that these carbon emission credits have value, and can be traded. It helps if your typical Silicon Valley entrepreneur or investor believes the call to action.
That guy rocks.
You are really bad at maths.. I couldnt stop laughing at your statement: Nearly 4 billion hectares of forest cover the earth’s surface, roughly 30 percent of its total land area. So . . . if 80% is gone, that means that at one point 150% of the earth’s land surface had forrest. I see.
Try again man..
“You are really bad at maths..”
I guess I must be too because QuadsZilla’s statement makes perfect mathematical sense to me.
4 billion = 20% of original forestation. Therefore original area = 20 billion hectares.
Land area of earth = approx. 13 billion hectares.
(20 / 13) x 100 = 150%
What is the problem?
Call me a nitpicking arrogant know-it-all or a fascist shill. But never, NEVER say I’m bad at math.
My boys got my back for that.
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
My apologies.. I didnt get it right.. I hope we still can be friends
[...] However before you get to involved in your personal movement you should also check out http://seoblackhat.com/2008/12/21/stuff/. [...]
I’m sure it’s nothing a few beers wouldn’t fix.
No problem dude, come over to slovakia
Thanks! Great post, especially the 825% forest:)
“You cannot run a linear system on a finite planet indefinitely” – I think what she meant by that is that you will eventually run out of natural resources at this rate of consumption…It doesn’t take a rocket science to figure that one out.
“50% of our federal tax money is going to the military” – She is correct on this. The money is not only going to the war on terror, in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also maintaining our numerous military bases around the world and at home in the states. Back in 2005 the US government spent more on it’s military might that the rest of the world combined.