Do you believe Exxon and peers were wrong to sell and burn fossil fuels when they knew the results?
I hope you do. Why? Because today, June 24, in 1988, the New York Times published those results on its front page news. Since then, you and everyone in the world have known at least enough to know the important part of what they knew. Actually before then, since the Times story was far from the first widespread publication about it, but it was a big one.
It’s tempting to say that they are different because they are bigger than you. Tempting but specious. If you do something that hurts people, who else but you is responsible for your actions? If you can’t change the world, are you still responsible for your actions that hurt people?
You can’t stop all of racism so do you still tell racist jokes? No, because you don’t want to hurt people even if you can’t solve all of racism yourself.
You have a choice. You don’t have to fly, buy doof, use AI, or plenty of other unnecessary activities that hurt people. You know the consequences of your actions. Does blaming others for their actions change your responsibility for yours?
If you consider those companies wrong for acting, knowing the consequences of their actions, since you know the consequences of yours, should you change your actions?
To be absolutely clear: I am not judging. I am asking you about your actions relative to your values, not mine or anyone else’s.
