Article content continued

Klein’s answer implies it’s the individual involved, opening the door to everyone flying for their own business or using an SUV to ferry the kids around all day on the grounds it’s for a good cause. Instead of showcasing how new technologies or social media could be used creatively to reduce her own fossil fuel consumption and still get the message out effectively, Klein provides a rationale for the very decisions that she criticizes others for making.

The interview confirmed how little Klein understands capitalism. She argues that it is absurd for our society to consider “science fiction” technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions instead of thinking about fundamental changes to capitalism. This ignores that a major benefit of capitalism is fostering innovation and technological change.

Removing technological change from the dynamics of capitalism is like cutting oxygen from a fire. Of course the fire would die, but fortunately the supply of oxygen is inexhaustible, as is the wellspring of innovation in capitalism. It is why the amount of all major types of pollutants eventually has receded over time (Montreal just had its first year ever without a smog advisory), with the exception of greenhouse gas emissions up to now.

Klein simply doesn’t appreciate the close relationship between energy consumption and economic growth, regardless of whether the economy is organized under capitalism, socialism, feudalism or any other “ism” you care to use. The preferred energy source is always the cheapest one, which for the foreseeable future will be fossil fuels and not more expensive energy sources like wind and solar power.