Hubris on a Massive Scale

GorT’s recurring series on science lessons got ‘Puter waxing philosophic, which is never good. And then ‘Puter saw this.

In today’s WaPo, Samuel Thernstrom discusses geoengineering as a potential solution to “global warming. Geoengineering is yet another example of much that is wrong with today’s political climate. Our elite betters think that with just enough study and reason, government/scientists/university professors can come up with a clear solution to any problem, no matter how intractable. Therefore, because (unproven) “global warming” is allegedly “destroying the earth,” we should let our noble scientists monkey with our atmosphere. Great idea. Attempt to solve a problem that may not exist with an untested method that may have significant, life-altering (or -ending) consequences for everyone on the planet.

Good politicians and scientists know that certain problems are unsolvable in a human time frame. This is not to say we ought not to try. However, we should expect at best incremental progress. And this is good. Breakthroughs are the exception in science and human relations, not the norm.

For example, how’s the war on poverty working out, Democrats? Seems as if Jesus was on to something about 2,000 years ago. How about the war on cancer or AIDS, scientists? Sure, progress has been made (or regress based on Democrat’s welfare programs), but no one idea has solved any major problem yet.

Man is gifted and cursed with intellect. We are gifted because we can make sense of our surroundings through application of our reason and knowledge. We are cursed with intellect because we foolishly think that because we can know some things, we therefore can know all. We should strive to know and learn as much as we are able, but always remember only God knows all.

As Dirty Harry Callahan said, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” We would be wise to follow Harry’s lead on this one.

'Puter

Always right, unless he isn’t, the infallible Ghettoputer F. X. Gormogons claims to be an in-law of the Volgi, although no one really believes this.

’Puter carefully follows economic and financial trends, legal affairs, and serves as the Gormogons’ financial and legal advisor. He successfully defended us against a lawsuit from a liquor distributor worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid deliveries of bootleg shandies.

The Geep has an IQ so high it is untestable and attempts to measure it have resulted in dangerously unstable results as well as injuries to researchers. Coincidentally, he publishes intelligence tests as a side gig.

His sarcasm is so highly developed it borders on the psychic, and he is often able to insult a person even before meeting them. ’Puter enjoys hunting small game with 000 slugs and punt guns, correcting homilies in real time at Mass, and undermining unions. ’Puter likes to wear a hockey mask and carry an axe into public campgrounds, where he bursts into people’s tents and screams. As you might expect, he has been shot several times but remains completely undeterred.

He assures us that his obsessive fawning over news stories involving women teachers sleeping with young students is not Freudian in any way, although he admits something similar once happened to him. Uniquely, ’Puter is unable to speak, read, or write Russian, but he is able to sing it fluently.

Geep joined the order in the mid-1980s. He arrived at the Castle door with dozens of steamer trunks and an inarticulate hissing creature of astonishingly low intelligence he calls “Sleestak.” Ghettoputer appears to make his wishes known to Sleestak, although no one is sure whether this is the result of complex sign language, expert body posture reading, or simply beating Sleestak with a rubber mallet.

‘Puter suggests the Czar suck it.