Precautionary Principle Is Older Than 1999

Understanding the Implacable Enemy Within the West -- part 5.

I've heard a disheartening remark from at least two people who already understand how the Precautionary Principle is a threat not only to progress but to liberty. "Most people are too stupid to understand, so why bother discussing it?" For me such an attitude recalls the smartassery "beauty may only be skin deep, but ugly goes clear down to the bone."


I have been fighting Luddites for a large part of my career, and even I did not know how relentless and successful they were. I think in many ways I was a lone man out; but it also could have been ignorance (which can be easily cured) and not stupidity.

Adversaries to the Western way of life have operated sub rosa not because people can't understand what's been going on, but because shedding light on such cockroach activities (such as one I will provide for you today) is constantly being washed out by other, more intense and flashy lights such as our dominant media (The Agency of Lies) pours out 24/7. I agree that noticing useful truths in a sea of lies can be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, but it is not impossible, and certainly not when you know what it is you're looking for.

I think if I dug more deeply I would find that what my friends meant could be put another way

"What chance do we have of dispelling the fog? The Establishment is more powerful than us, so their fog machine is far greater than our wimpy efforts. So why bother?"

Back in 1999, an article appeared in Reason Magazine that, given its tiny circulation, few people read. "The Newest Green Attacks On Progress" by Ronald Bailey. A very pertinent extract from that article is found here: Precautionary Tale, The latest environmentalist concept -- the Precautionary Principle -- seeks to stop innovation before it happens. Very bad idea.

He disclosed that the AAAS had been subverted away from its fundamental purpose -- the advancement of science.

At this year's annual meeting of the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science in Anaheim, California, in a symposium titled "The Precautionary Principle: A Revolution in Environmental Policymaking?", environmentalist advocates and academics insisted that a principle of ultimate precaution should trump all other considerations in future environmental and technological policy making.   "When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically."

RTWT.

I can tell you from my own efforts on alternate paths attempted much sooner than 1999, that no matter how few people read all this article, surely even fewer discussed antidotes to the threat posed by those propounding the Precautionary Principle. With all the credentialed MSM recognized leadership in the other camp, "What chance do we have of bucking the Establishment?"

Screw that. Piled Higher and Deeper never was so meaningful as it is today. You know very well what will happen if you good men persist on such a pessimistic attitude: "Why bother? what can we really do?" Instead of fighting the real culprits and instigators of the coming chaos -- by shedding light that reveals and thus encumbers their misanthropic schemes --  you will wind up fighting your neighbors and even your relatives.

You will add to the chaos.

And our new Fascist/Statist masters will chuckle "how delightful."