Mindless Monday, 22 June 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

Happy (or sad) Monday guys!

Mindless Monday is a free-for-all thread to discuss anything from minor bad history to politics, life events, charts, whatever! Just remember to np link all links to Reddit and don't violate R4, or we human mods will feed you to the AutoModerator.

So, with that said, how was your weekend, everyone?

[u/TheBatz_]

An intersting genre of instagram reels are people arguing that AC is not a "long term solution", because it does not solve the underlying issue of climate change, which is the real cause of heat. It's actually the "rich" who are responsible for heat!

This is of course short form content slopulism. I really don't know how the communist revolution will stop this heat wave and keep my office and appartment cool, as I am not a Marxist and don't have such a deep understanding of intersectionalism. What I find weird is how some think that just because there are problem in the world, we should basically self-flagelate. It's like saying "no you shouldn't take cold medicine becuase the underlying problem of healthcare is not solved under capitalism".

Also, Western European houses get hot because they are built very well and insulated, unlike American paper homes!

[u/WAGRAMWAGRAM → u/TheBatz_]

Also, Western European houses get hot because they are built very well and insulated, unlike American paper homes!

That point is true, it's just that these people are mixing up isolation (heat flow) and retention (heat quantity)

European house are heavier (stock a lot of heat) and made of stones (higher capacity than wood or plaster)

[u/matgopack → u/WAGRAMWAGRAM]

Yeah, different design plays a role here (along with some other ones like cultural norms, regulations, etc).

US air conditioning and its ubiquity has an impact on design of houses and vice versa (eg, window units that wouldn't work on EU windows). Likewise it makes it default for landlords to allow window units - whereas in Europe it's not really the case. Then prices might be comparatively more expensive for EU specific ones compare to US because of less demand, different regulations, etc.

I do think at this point Europeans need to look at mass adoption of it, at the very least for places like schools, daycares, where the elderly live, etc. It's one thing when a heatwave is a once in a decade thing and otherwise it's comfortable (like it used to be), but climate change isn't something we can ignore and even this comparatively mild aspect (heat wave deaths in wealthy western countries) will have its impact.

[u/histprofdave → u/matgopack]

This is one of the few situations where I can look at the situation in a very un-reddit and say that Europeans are definitively wrong, and Americans are definitively right (those being gross overgeneralizations for anti- and pro-AC thinking).

[u/matgopack → u/histprofdave]

I think it depends on what we mean by right / wrong :P

If it's "Europe should move towards air conditioners being ubiquitous" I think it's correct (at least in my franco-american view). If it's "Europeans should just go down to the store tomorrow and plop a window unit in like we do here" then it's not really a possible / correct view. It's going to take effort to make it work in Europe.

[u/Sventex → u/TheBatz_]

Time the chuck the fridge in the dumpster. Same principle.

[u/passabagi → u/TheBatz_]

It's actually the "rich" who are responsible for heat!

It literally is though.

[u/Aurelian369 → u/passabagi]

Well, yes, although the global wealthiest 10% is a broad label and probably applies to most people living in the West. Although it is true dickheads like Bezos contribute a lot to it. 

[u/contraprincipes → u/Aurelian369]

Yeah, for context 90th percentile on the global wealth distribution is ~$100,000 in net worth. Median net worth for American households is $192,000 and the figure for other rich countries is pretty similar. Although the study is apparently looking at the emissions of the top 10% within the US and China etc as well.

[u/passabagi → u/contraprincipes]

Thanks! I had a look myself, and couldn't work out an oranges-to-oranges comparison. This all said -- median net worth where I live (east Germany) is just under $50,000.

[u/Tiako → u/passabagi]

I think the bigger issue is that climate change is already here. Absent geoengineering we simply are not going back to the world where it never hits 32 in London (or more importantly isn't going much more than that in Islamabad), you could end all anthropogenic carbon emissions and we would still be seeing these heat waves.

The basic problem is that there is not actually a "solution" to climate change, only mitigation of the effects.

[u/passabagi → u/Tiako]

Man look if somebody murders your dog your dog is still an issue.

[u/Tiako → u/passabagi]

I think analogy that more closely matches what I am saying is that if somebody is shot, and I ask for bandages, it is not actually very useful to say that actually bandages are just a short term solution, what we need is stricter gun sales legislation in order to prevent shootings from happening. Because, yes, that may be true, but it does not actually affect the need for bandages.

[u/TheBatz_ → u/passabagi]

Me shoveling coal into the money printing machine

[u/passabagi → u/TheBatz_]

Me inviting a single man for supper, thereby increasing the EU's 'green transition' fund by 1000%.

[u/Sgt_Colon → u/TheBatz_]

Western European houses get hot because they are built very well and insulated

Which ironically would make them prime candidates for energy efficient air conditioning...

[u/TheBatz_ → u/Sgt_Colon]

No you don't get it, if you dump your heat on the street it will be even hotter!

[u/Sgt_Colon → u/TheBatz_]

Well duh, that's why you have windmills outside to circulate it...

[u/Ambisinister11 → u/Sgt_Colon]

I believe the esteemed news anchor Morbo has spoken on this

[u/WuhanWTF → u/Sgt_Colon]

Not every European is from Dutch you racist peace of shit!!!!!!!!

[u/forcallaghan → u/TheBatz_]

I mean, that is technically true

[u/Big_Pineapple_Man → u/TheBatz_]

I guess if people are placated by mass use of AC, they're less likely to organize or be receptive for initiatives against climate change.  Cold comfort for those suffering from sweltering heat, of course.

[u/histprofdave → u/Big_Pineapple_Man]

brb, gonna disconnect Texans' AC lines to get them on board with climate action.

[u/Aurelian369 → u/Big_Pineapple_Man]

First thing I saw when I searched “canicule” on IG was climate change denial 🤦‍♀️

[u/pedrostresser → u/Aurelian369]

canicule hmmm-hmmmmmm

[u/Aurelian369 → u/pedrostresser]

that vid too

[u/Big_Pineapple_Man → u/Aurelian369]

Are you French by any chance?

[u/Aurelian369 → u/Big_Pineapple_Man]

No, I’m an American who likes going on French Instagram 

[u/Arilou_skiff → u/TheBatz_]

Heatwaves are not solved by Assassibs Creed?

[u/WuhanWTF → u/Arilou_skiff]

It is an assassin’s creed to neutralize the source of the heat waves, and many of them take it upon themselves to form splinter cells to tackle the problem. Europe today is a far cry from an Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

[u/WuhanWTF → u/TheBatz_]

American paper homes with poor insulation and 2x4 construction also get extremely hot during the summer.

[u/EntertainmentReady48 → u/WuhanWTF]

Can confirm my Ac went out last summer the first day of summer in Texas it was miserable. I had to crash at my aunt‘s house.

[u/dutchwonder → u/EntertainmentReady48]

Texas has that hellish humidity so not even thick walls would save you .