If All Your Friends Jumped Off A Bridge, Would You?

Back in the day, before such things were dealt with by lawyers and child services, teachers and parents often posed the bridge jumping question to kids who used the “everyone else is doing/did it” in an attempt to gain permission for something, or to water down the blame for an unacceptable act. My reply was, “It depends on the bridge”.

On a larger scale, the world of adult governance, commerce, and general mayhem seems to follow this same principle. There have been those in America who forever yearn to be chic like France and other European countries, or regimented in military lockstep like China or other totalitarian states. I never understood the thinking. Why would we want to emulate cultures that we’ve either had to rescue from themselves or that place so many restrictions on individual autonomy?

It brings back memories of high school history and government teachers who longingly discussed unicameral legislative bodies because they are “more efficient”. Obviously they did not understand the purpose of the system we have, which is to hedge against too efficient a system of making laws and spending money. If you have ever had to deal with a large mob, swaying them from near riot to placidity, you know how easily and quickly a majority changes its stripes and opinion. By making the process slow and difficult, acting on imprudent whim is minimized. The majority is very prone to stupid snap decisions.

The latest and most dangerous instance of all our friends jumping off the bridge is this proposed Copenhagen treaty for climate change and bankrupting developed nations. China is not buying into this. That is one thing about super police states, they don’t pretend to be sorry or out to promote the welfare and threat of enemies. Only Europeans and Americans do that. We are all ashamed and feel guilty for odd reasons. Mostly for behaving in the past somewhat like third world countries and self proclaimed victim states behave now. The worst of old Europe barely approaches the worst of present day Islamic states.

Still, we don’t want the rest of the world not to like us and withhold their approval; even if we have to buy it by slitting our own wrists.

The predictions of doom and assertions that “the science is all in on global warming climate change” remind me of that Mark Twain story in which the guy convinces the people he made the sun go away and come back because he knew when the solar eclipse was due. It is slightly different, but placing blame for slight trends in climate, and convincing everyone if they just stand on their heads and hold their breath that we can fix it is not too far from the general idea.

Who wants to stand against the crowd? You get painted as an evil redneck by the usual suspects who talk down at the masses in their best disapproving intellectual voice, spouting obscure half truths based on questionable studies and dubious conclusions.

Then again, just because the proof is lacking in solid basis, and dissent is akin to a scientist asking to have his career and reputation crushed, it doesn’t mean the sky isn’t really falling, or could some day.

We better jump off the bridge so no one thinks we are weird.