Curing Anxiety, Locally
16 February 2008
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
How distressing that many Americans now worry themselves sick that their consumption habits are ruining the environment ("Well, Doctor, I Have This Recycling Problem," February 16). There is, however, no need for them to seek professional help. My three-step plan to cure this mental anguish is simple and guaranteed to work:
Step One: Avoid major newspapers, magazines, and network news. These media uncritically genuflect to the official creed of environmental groups, and never give any historical perspective.
Step Two: Get historical perspective by learning how filthy and perilous the environment was before modern capitalism. I recommend reading Fernand Braudel's The Structures of Everyday Life.
Step Three: Get the actual facts about today's state of humanity and the environment by reading the data-packed works of Indur Goklany, Bjorn Lomborg, and Julian Simon.
Persons completing this regimen will feel supreme contentment whenever they buy things such as SUVs, non-fair-trade, non-organic coffee from Guatemala, and even incandescent light bulbs.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
The Editor, New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036
To the Editor:
How distressing that many Americans now worry themselves sick that their consumption habits are ruining the environment ("Well, Doctor, I Have This Recycling Problem," February 16). There is, however, no need for them to seek professional help. My three-step plan to cure this mental anguish is simple and guaranteed to work:
Step One: Avoid major newspapers, magazines, and network news. These media uncritically genuflect to the official creed of environmental groups, and never give any historical perspective.
Step Two: Get historical perspective by learning how filthy and perilous the environment was before modern capitalism. I recommend reading Fernand Braudel's The Structures of Everyday Life.
Step Three: Get the actual facts about today's state of humanity and the environment by reading the data-packed works of Indur Goklany, Bjorn Lomborg, and Julian Simon.
Persons completing this regimen will feel supreme contentment whenever they buy things such as SUVs, non-fair-trade, non-organic coffee from Guatemala, and even incandescent light bulbs.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Friday July 4, 2008 at 9:04am