Choices

More and more, it seems that people feel like they are forced to make a choice between being known as an “environmentalist”- meaning a tree-hugging, granola crunching, SUV hating hippie or being known as a money-hungry capitalist who is indifferent to preserving our natural resources in pursuit of the Almighty Dollar.

When did conservation become a zero-sum game? Why do we have to make a choice between economic growth or environmental preservation?

Being tricked by the media (or really by anyone who has a vested interest in making you “pick a side”) in this way is what is known as a false dilemma.

Here’s what wikipedia has to say about this logical fallacy:

The informal fallacy of false dilemma involves a situation in which two alternative statements are held to be the only possible options, when in reality there exists one or more other options which have not been considered. The concept is also known as false choice, false dichotomy, falsified dilemma, fallacy of the excluded middle, black and white thinking, false correlative, either/or fallacy, and bifurcation.
When two alternatives are presented, they are often two extreme points on some spectrum of possibilities. This can lend credence to the larger argument by giving the impression that the options are mutually exclusive, even though they need not be.

What does this mean for those of us who are committed to preservation but who are also dedicated to seeing South Alabama grow and prosper as a region? It means that YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHOOSE between one extreme or the other!

Welcome to Bay Talk

Welcome to the Alabama Coastal Foundation's Bay Talk Blog- a spot where you can learn about volunteer opportunties, environmental issues facing South Alabama and all about conservation. Please feel free to post your thoughts and ideas!