These two volumes are magnificent. Difficult to imagine such subject matter to be gripping, but Vollmann writes magic and I couldn't put them down. I was already "the choir" but this book really influenced the way I view the issue.
Or, you know, he's a self-important deluded hack peddling fear about a widely misunderstood technology that might otherwise be the savior of civilization. But po-tay-to po-tah-to I guess?
I read Vol. 1, and the best part of the book really can't be presented at a lecture: WTV has included dozens of comparative charts about everything from radiation levels to energy usage to the dollar-cost of different forms of power generation. My favorite was a chart that shows the energy consumption of various American household appliances in terms of the energy consumption of a 1975 plug-in vibrator. A cellphone charger uses 15x as much power per minute! (And provides much less pleasure.)
I guess as someone a bit less credulous about the dangers of radiation, there doesn't seem to be much here supporting his argument. He can't show actual harmful levels of radiation in the 'red zone' nor can he find anything actually disturbing so he constantly reminds us of his own anxiety about the radiation levels surrounding him in the hope that his anxiety will leak into you. Even if you agree with him wholeheartedly, you have to admit his accounting does nothing to convince those that are not already sure that Nuclear power is a dangerous mistake. If you are already sure of this, then everything he says has the aura of deep foreboding, but for those like me, yeah, nope. He constantly goes on about 'maybe this, maybe that', suppositions and misrepresentations abound in this story. It's telling how the people on the ground don't think the radiation is much of a problem, not wearing masks and resenting being separated from their property, but the author's conception is that THEY are deluded, not him.
@Syntax right. I understand what your saying now. I actually took it as you saying, "calm down", in this really annoying way, that young people do here in NYC when they want to shut you down in a competitive maneuver. I do agree about the Fukashima point. Good call. My bad.
These two volumes are magnificent. Difficult to imagine such subject matter to be gripping, but Vollmann writes magic and I couldn't put them down. I was already "the choir" but this book really influenced the way I view the issue.
There is only one true eternal and immortal god and his name is William Tanner Vollmann
aaaa Tanner
indeed
Or, you know, he's a self-important deluded hack peddling fear about a widely misunderstood technology that might otherwise be the savior of civilization.
But po-tay-to po-tah-to I guess?
@@Budzilla24 I realize this is two years late, but have your read any of his other books?
I read Vol. 1, and the best part of the book really can't be presented at a lecture: WTV has included dozens of comparative charts about everything from radiation levels to energy usage to the dollar-cost of different forms of power generation. My favorite was a chart that shows the energy consumption of various American household appliances in terms of the energy consumption of a 1975 plug-in vibrator. A cellphone charger uses 15x as much power per minute! (And provides much less pleasure.)
Anyone know where i can get an ebook of this book, i can only find a hardcover copy here in melbourne Australia and its too expensive
No questions? Damn I wish I could have gone to The Headless Horseman
Same!!
16'22 : the noise of a Police Car.
I loved soused people...very open...um
i stan this model toxicity fetishist
What do you mean you Stan?
@@radiohill he's a 'fan' (cf. Eminem's 'Stan') IE he supports it
I guess as someone a bit less credulous about the dangers of radiation, there doesn't seem to be much here supporting his argument. He can't show actual harmful levels of radiation in the 'red zone' nor can he find anything actually disturbing so he constantly reminds us of his own anxiety about the radiation levels surrounding him in the hope that his anxiety will leak into you. Even if you agree with him wholeheartedly, you have to admit his accounting does nothing to convince those that are not already sure that Nuclear power is a dangerous mistake. If you are already sure of this, then everything he says has the aura of deep foreboding, but for those like me, yeah, nope. He constantly goes on about 'maybe this, maybe that', suppositions and misrepresentations abound in this story. It's telling how the people on the ground don't think the radiation is much of a problem, not wearing masks and resenting being separated from their property, but the author's conception is that THEY are deluded, not him.
@Syntax what kind of a lame command is that?
@Syntax right. I understand what your saying now. I actually took it as you saying, "calm down", in this really annoying way, that young people do here in NYC when they want to shut you down in a competitive maneuver. I do agree about the Fukashima point. Good call. My bad.
um um um um um um um um um um
you're the inevitable idiot. how does it feel?
Love how UA-cam is prompted a translate to English link for this comment
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
@MrBINGEBOY It's the future of intelligence. We call it AI to conserve energy.
I feel my boi ain't too smart with them ums. That why he ain't brought up against DFW?
that's not intelligence, it's literally just nerves. WTV is a highly intelligent guy
He’s a writer not an orator. Chill bro.
old comment but dfw constantly 'ummed' too. have you not heard interviews with him? he was comically circumspect and nervous.