When you were young, there was nothing quite like having a crush on someone. Do you remember your first crush?
Share why if you wish.
Month: February 2022
Should We Pursue Nuclear Energy?
Nuclear energy , like any other form of energy, has advantages and disadvantages. Do the pros outweigh the cons?
Our knowledge of the workings of atoms and the subatomic particles that make up those atoms marked a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the universe. It also allowed a leap forward in technology, which led to power plants that generate lots of electricity.
Energy that is generated from nuclear reactions has one primary advantage: no carbon emissions are produced. Most of the world’s energy currently comes from burning fossil fuels, which releases carbon into the air. That carbon is now threatening us all in the form of climate change.
Time is growing short to find an alternative form of energy, one that does not pump billions of tons of carbon into the air each year. Nuclear energy is one such possible alternative. (As are solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and others.)
Listen to a podcast where Michael and Lee discuss the related question: ‘Is technology neutral?’ We also discuss a bonus question: ‘Freedom or security?’
The drawbacks to nuclear power are, primarily, two-fold.
First, nuclear plants produce radioactive waste, and no one has come up with a satisfactory plan for its disposal. That waste will last for hundreds of years. The current strategy for dealing with it is to put it somewhere that seems to be geologically stable, and far from any human civilizations.
The second danger comes from accidents that produce radioactive fallout. We’ve seen this play out most recently in Japan in 2011, when a tsunami destroyed a nuclear power plant. As a result, radioactive material was released into the surrounding air and ocean.
We have an energy problem. To live a lifestyle that is common in a first world country is energy intensive, and the energy demands of the human population across the world are expected to increase for the foreseeable future. No combination of alternate energy sources can meet our current needs, let alone larger ones.
Should we explore all possibilities, including nuclear? Or are the risks associated too great — even greater than those posed by climate change? Should we pursue nuclear energy?
Related questions: What is keeping us from sustaining the planet? What is the greatest problem facing humanity? How is climate change impacting you?
Empathy Or Compassion?
Of course, both empathy and compassion are possible, and both are important. The question here is: is one more important than the other?
Share why if you wish.
What Is The Strangest Thing You Have Been Called?
Invariably, people refer to you in expected — and sometimes unexpected — ways. What’s the strangest thing you have been called?
Share why if you wish.
Do You Experience Any Feedback Loops?
There are some behaviors that are self-reinforcing. These are called “feedback loops”, and can be positive or negative. Have you experienced any?
As an example of a feedback loop, consider someone who has a fear of public speaking. If they need to give a presentation in front of a large group of people, that fear might manifest as sweating, stammering, or otherwise being a bad speaker.
Similarly, someone who is worried about not being able to sleep, may let that anxiety keep them awake, and so they end up getting a bad night’s sleep.
Listen to a podcast where Michael and Lee discuss the related question: ‘How can we maintain wonder?’ We also discuss a bonus question: ‘How do you think others see you?’
A positive cycle, for example, might include someone who is confident in talking to people they are romantically interested in. That confidence allows them to be relaxed and makes them ultimately more attractive.
Can you think of other examples, in particular any that you have noticed happening in your own behavior? Do you experience any feedback loops? Are there ways to disrupt negative cycles, or reinforce positive ones?
Related questions: How can we build confidence? Could everyone benefit from therapy? What are you doing to improve yourself? Do you have trouble sleeping?