Is it out of excessive optimism that I put a question mark on the title of this mailing? I could also have called it “Dream and Reality”.
Dream: Ministers of the Environment of industrialized countries will meet to take drastic and responsible measures in the face of global warming.
Reality: The Ministers of the Environment of the industrialized countries will compete with spectacular declarations on their concerns in the face of the climate crisis, in a way electoral pious wishes.
Dream: When buying a vehicle, citizens will deliberately opt for a small vehicle that consumes as little fuel as possible. They will seriously consider turning to an electric or hybrid option, encouraged by a significant government rebate.
Reality: When purchasing a vehicle, many consumers will opt for a heavy vehicle that inspires power and comfort, even if they are only two adults riding in it. SUVs will always be huge sellers, even in the middle of town.
Dream: Motorists, aware of global warming, will no longer leave their engine running unnecessarily while they write on their tablet or talk on their cell phone.
Reality: It’s the last concern of many motorists, that carbon monoxide escapes from their vehicle while writing a message that they say can’t wait.
Dream: The wealthiest citizens of the planet will limit their air travel intended to spend their holidays in a country where they dream of staying. Without eliminating them altogether, they will space them out.
Reality: The wealthiest citizens of the planet will pursue their exploration of the world by paying for two or three stays abroad per year, these trips being essential to their psychological balance.
Dream: Governments will ban all forms of space tourism, i.e. space travel for non-professional reasons.
Reality: The governments concerned will encourage space tourism, given the economic benefits that this industry generates and which they cannot do without.
Every morning when I have my first coffee, I deliberately choose the dream, but if I listen to the radio at news time, there is a bitter taste of reality in my second coffee. So, the question mark attached to the expression “Collective suicide” dissolves quite quickly…