On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 11:10 AM, <[email protected]>wrote:
> (3) For instance, if all the subscribers of PEN-L were to > decide that from now on they no longer fly to conferences, > this would not remain un-noticed and make an impact. Pen-L > might in this way become a pioneer for academia and > play a historic role. > Al Gore's movie ended with an exhortation to buy energy-efficient light bulbs. I listened to a talk by Jared Diamond where he lectured eloquently about how the silly Easter Islanders committed environmental suicide, and at the end of the talk suggested that we moderns should learn a lesson from the Islanders and ... you guessed it, buy energy efficient light bulbs. I expect better from PEN-L. Personal virtue in this sort of thing is, frankly, kind of silly. If you need to fly on an airplane in order to get something worthwhile done, it is silly to refrain from doing so. If PEN-Lers as a group stopped taking airplane flights, those planes will still fly ... perhaps with a few empty seats. The main effect of such a gesture is likely a sort of mass professional suicide on the part of the PEN-Lers, whose voice will then be heard even less than it is now. And if you think you can shame people into following a noble example, think again: most people will hate you for it and likely avoid and ostracize you. You will get exactly the same reaction as a Jehovah's witness. -raghu.
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