Anti-RDA movement on Earth?

[Fosus]

Originally Posted by Isard

No, I'm pointing out a flaw in your logic.

You argue against colonization using "what if's", and then dismiss "what if's" in regards to importing alien species.

How can you not see this?

Can't you see that two different situations are being discussed?

Those what if's were 134 years apart from each other if you understand what i mean.

[Isard]

Originally Posted by Fosus

Can't you see that two different situations are being discussed?

Those what if's were 134 years apart from each other if you understand what i mean.

Time makes no difference. If you're going to use a worst case scenario to argue your point, you need to accept worst case scenario's as talking points against your own arguments.


For example. Okay, the possibility of an RDA rising is grounds to limit exploration and the commercialization of space.

I then argue, that the possibility of a chemical or viral outbreak as a result of the release of Pandoran fauna into or ecosystem as grounds to limit our planets exposure to xeno-botanical materials.

Both are worst case, both are unlikely. Yet one is considered good evidence and the other is not?

[Isard]

Either the RDA is a corporate entity that is under the oversight of a global governing body, or their a mega corporation that controls the world.

[Human No More]

Earth is a polluted wasteland. Most species couldn't survive there even if they were introduced.
Some plants from Pandora, such as the aforementioned ones, have unique qualities that Earth does do not which could be used to undo some of the damage. There's a difference between 'colonisation by foreign wildlife' and use of biological controls, which are done today with great success.

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Earth is a polluted wasteland. Most species couldn't survive there even if they were introduced.
Some plants from Pandora, such as the aforementioned ones, have unique qualities that Earth does do not which could be used to undo some of the damage. There's a difference between 'colonisation by foreign wildlife' and use of biological controls, which are done today with great success.

Where are the places with biological controls? This is actually an honest question, I've never heard of it. I HAVE heard of species introduced to BE controls, and then they've turned around and become problems themselves. Like the cane toad.

There are also the logistics of trying to reverse the damage anyway - and with all the effort of knocking down buildings to make room, importing soil from where-ever, you might as well try to use the original flora, even if you have to genetically modify it. Which they can do. If they can create Avatars, they can fortify Earth plants. Just because they apparently haven't done this doesn't mean that they can't. It'd be better than introducing alien species, at any rate, because that's not FIXING nor restoring, that's creating something entirely new.

If that's what they want, so be it, but they should at least be up front about it and not pretend that foreign species will restore things just because they are maybe the same colour.

[Human No More]

Yes, that's what I meant. Yes, some have become pests, but many haven't. In the end, in this situation then there is nothing to lose - having some actual life surviving is better than none at all if you ask me.
Again, the original flora has to have survived first, plus genetic modification does not create new traits out of nowhere - they have to come from somewhere, which may well be plants from Pandora. the intention isn't to recreate Earth exactly the same, but simply to restore it to a more natural state by whatever means allow that to occur.

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Yes, that's what I meant. Yes, some have become pests, but many haven't

Really?

Invasive species of Australia
Invasive species of New Zealand
Invasive species of North America.

Originally Posted by Human No More

In the end, in this situation then there is nothing to lose - having some actual life surviving is better than none at all if you ask me.
Again, the original flora has to have survived first, plus genetic modification does not create new traits out of nowhere - they have to come from somewhere, which may well be plants from Pandora. the intention isn't to recreate Earth exactly the same, but simply to restore it to a more natural state by whatever means allow that to occur.

They've cloned TIGERS, which have been extinct for more than a hundred years. Tigers, which would have needed a fake womb into order for them to grow. I think they can manage plants from the millions of specimens of genetic material we have already have - and you can't tell me that if they have zoos, they don't have botanic gardens, or gardens and farms on the Luna and Mars colonies. The genetic material is there.

*wry* If you want natural, they've got a lot of destruction and death to pull that off.

But, honestly at this point, I think we might have to agree to disagree - I cannot fathom why anyone would want to introduce new species. Use genetics from? Yes. Use the whole thing? No. I can't do that, I'm sorry. I'm too Australian, and I've seen just how much the continent I live on be ruined, and even fictionally, it makes me twitch and I have an instinctual DO NOT WANT. Just because something is green and flowers doesn't mean it's good, doesn't mean it does anything but harm in the wrong environment.

[Human No More]

I know that, we have problems with invasive species here (primarily animal rather than plant, but still there) - but in this context, there are no species left on Earth.

[Tsyal Makto]

1. I'm not against all colonization, just colonization that damages and exploits the guest world (as in Avatar). If humans can learn to treat lightly, and they want to see other worlds, fine by me. Again, wonderful job putting words in my mouth.

2. There is a difference. It's just about weighing the risks and benefits of the two options. In the case of Avatar, it would have been more benefitial to Earth, and less risky/damaging to Pandora, if Earth took the resistance's route.

[SnowRider]

The impression I've gotten from the ASG, Pandoropedia, and other places on the net are that the RDA is a corporation with a great deal of power, but they are not absolute. They have to follow the rules laid down by the UN Space Charter and it isn't like they can just do whatever they please whenever they want.

The ASG left me with the impression that the RDA is the biggest obstacle to the human race moving forward (in the universe of the movie, of course) and reclaiming both our world and our heritage as a sentient species.

They're in the way of progress, in other words, and the anti-RDA "Resistance" is doing whatever they can to undermine the RDA. Indeed, the introduction to the ASG states that their explicit fundamental goal is to stop the RDA and dismantle it.

I also got the impression that the "Resistance" is interested in using the extracts and products of some Pandoran flora and fauna to help heal Earth and restore it. This is why they look to Pandora and the Na'vi for answers. The last sentence in the introduction says that about as strongly as it needs to be said.

I never got the impression that all the wildlife/wilderness on Earth is either dead or gone, just that Earth's ecosystem is very, very battered and will not last much longer if it continues that path.

Which is why I hope James Cameron comes up with a way for the anti-RDA movement to succeed so that Earth can be saved from the worst tendencies of the human race.

[Ashen Key]

Originally Posted by SnowRider

The impression I've gotten from the ASG, Pandoropedia, and other places on the net are that the RDA is a corporation with a great deal of power, but they are not absolute. They have to follow the rules laid down by the UN Space Charter and it isn't like they can just do whatever they please whenever they want.

The ASG left me with the impression that the RDA is the biggest obstacle to the human race moving forward (in the universe of the movie, of course) and reclaiming both our world and our heritage as a sentient species.

They're in the way of progress, in other words, and the anti-RDA "Resistance" is doing whatever they can to undermine the RDA. Indeed, the introduction to the ASG states that their explicit fundamental goal is to stop the RDA and dismantle it.

I also got the impression that the "Resistance" is interested in using the extracts and products of some Pandoran flora and fauna to help heal Earth and restore it. This is why they look to Pandora and the Na'vi for answers. The last sentence in the introduction says that about as strongly as it needs to be said.

I never got the impression that all the wildlife/wilderness on Earth is either dead or gone, just that Earth's ecosystem is very, very battered and will not last much longer if it continues that path.

Which is why I hope James Cameron comes up with a way for the anti-RDA movement to succeed so that Earth can be saved from the worst tendencies of the human race.

Very cool, thank you so much for typing this! It's actually really helpful