so i found the will's essay to be very condescending and i felt that he was talking down to me as the reader. i don't know how others react to this, but i have a hard time listening to or reading something when the speaker or author addresses me the same way they would a ten year old. also, he infers that the majority of americans are ignorant about these environmental issues and that we are following a trend or giving into a fad by trying to "go green."
i for one, would rather be safe then sorry, so if saving energy now (regardless of whether or not we're really in an energy crisis) means having enough in the future, then count me in. also, just because we have enough of something, doesn't mean we should be wasteful. my dad is always getting after me and my brother for leaving our lights on when we're not in our rooms even if we only left for a second.
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I dont like George Will too much. He seems to act like he knows everything and doesnt acknowledge the benefits of the other side. The massive problem with his essay was a lack of acknowledging of global warming, which he knows is true because its backed by the top scientists in the world. Its great that we have proven reserves, but we shouldnt be using an energy source like oil if its going to harm our planet. For skeptics of global warming, I dont understand how people can think that if humans grow their population to a size of 7 billion, use massive amounts of resources, cover the ground with asphalt, and cut down forests, they still arent doing anything to the environment.
ReplyDeletehaha, my roommate is always dogging me about leaving the light on in my room or in the hallway. I looked it up the other day, how much lights cost when you leave them on, and it's barely anything, especially compared to leaving a TV on at night - which she does! =P
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Will does seem to be talking down to the reader. I think that for one thing Will seems to be living in the present. He uses an example that if every U.S. power plant burned coal that the billions of tons could power them for 45 years.Well what happens after those 45 years? As you said, if saving energy now means energy for the future we should do it...well Count me in as well!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! There is no sense that we are doing the speeches about saving the energy on one side, but we are wasting the energy on the other side. In fact, we are acting in that way. Although we have saved lots of energy for the future, it doesn’t mean that we can use, or even waste, them without a limit.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a good point about the writer's tone. It did seem to me that he was writing in a way that talked down to the reader. I think that his tone would probably be interpreted differently by people who agree with him. Since they agree they might see his tone as not being directed towards them, but rather towards "indulgent environmentalists." I totally agree with what you about energy and the environment. Humankind has pushed the environment into a place that has dire consequences and no one can really say when everything will come crashing down.
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t agree more! Although well written, Will’s essay totally rubbed me the wrong way! His tone is more than condescending, and I am entirely put off by his patronizing, self-serving opinions. Like you, I have a hard time reading any work of writing when the writer seems to have an attitude problem!
ReplyDeleteI kept getting mad at him for talking the way he did about environmentalists, and almost making fun of them. I didn't like his attitude about the oil reserves. I also was put off by his comment about the windmills, like he was trivializing renewable, sustainable resources. I had to put down that essay and come back to it. It was hard for me to read, too.
ReplyDeleteI agree. George Will's tone made it very difficult to read. I felt that he was writing only for people that would agree with him, and ignoring everyone else. This seems self-defeating--he's not going to change anyone's mind with this essay, just alienate people that don't agree with him. I agree that it's "better to be safe than sorry." It's important to start saving the environment so we still have somewhere to live.
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