Environmentalism

George Carlin: I Hate Fucking Earth Day, I'm Tired of These Self-Righteous Environmentalists…

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As Virginia Rappe could tell you, it's never a good idea to put any faith in a comedian. But this Carlin bit is a propos on Earth Day.

Hat tip: Richard Tren

NEXT: Fit to Judge

Nick Gillespie is an editor at large at Reason and host of The Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie.

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  1. P B

    I really wish he was still around to poke the oligarchs in the eye.

  2. Tony

    Redundant. Every environmentalism themed post has some asshole referring to this bit.

    I really don’t think George Carlin would think that we should doom all future generations of humanity to extinction or serious hardship because a couple CEOs want to squeeze a few more billions from fossil fuels.

    1. Big B

      I think the point wasn’t so much that, as that framing it as “we need to save the planet” is silly.

      In reality, we want to protect the environment as it was at time X for our own safety and comfort.

      1. Tony

        Yeah I get it and have always liked this bit. But it’s still a caricature–environmentalists are not spotted owl obsessed hippies who hate humanity, and I don’t think they ever were, occasional kooks notwithstanding.

        1. Lucy

          You know, I always thought my father was just being…my father when he caricatured environmentalists as that. But after witnessing the smug, poor people hating gathering of gasbags that was a Rachel Carson celebration, I am less sure.

        2. TrickyVic

          “””But it’s still a caricature–environmentalists are not spotted owl obsessed hippies who hate humanity”””

          Of course they are, until gas hit $4 a gallon, then everyone wants a Prius. 😉

        3. Zeb

          Surprisingly many are just that though.

        4. heller

          Have you met Mathews yet Tony?

        5. Chad

          You wound me, Tony. And here I thought we were friends.

      2. TrickyVic

        Some people need a higher calling, saving themselves is selfish, saving the planet is honorable.

        They don’t want to see it for what it really is. Humans selfishly wanting to save themselves, as if that’s wrong for some reason.

        1. Lucy

          It is. That’s why I never look both ways before crossing the street. That would be selfish of me.

          1. Brett

            Its also selfish to make other people have to brake for you.

      3. Tony

        Which is to say Carlin was commenting on language–which was his thing–not environmentalism.

        1. The Libertarian Guy

          I think he was serious about the smug levels put out by the extremist enviroweenies.

          Double points for the ones who burn down houses and car dealerships. Though they should be called terrorists.

          1. Mr. FIFY

            ESPECIALLY the violent ones, though commenters over at Media Matters seem to think it’s okay as long as nobody dies…

            1. celtigirl

              And my favorite response to that is… then it’s ok for anti-abortion folks to burn down an abortion clinic if nobody’s inside right?

        2. DWCarkuff

          I think you have a cognitive dissonance thing going with respect to Carlin and need to spin him to suite your conceits. Yes, Carlin was expressing his contempt for “evironmentalists”.

    2. Ron L

      Tony|4.22.10 @ 4:25PM|#
      “I really don’t think George Carlin would think that we should doom all future generations of humanity to extinction or serious hardship because a couple CEOs want to squeeze a few more billions from fossil fuels.”

      How about, since he didn’t buy your bullshit, he realized we were doing nothing of the sort?

    3. George Carlin

      As the original asshole who DID this bit, Tony, I offer a hearty fuck off from beyond the grave.

      1. Colin

        +1

  3. Ghost of Schr?dinger's cat

    the earth plus plastic.

    sheer genius

  4. Pro Libertate

    What kind of name is Rappe, anyway? Seems kind of sexist.

    1. PapayaSF

      And Fatty Arbuckle is generally considered innocent in that case.

  5. Who shat and made Tony Hit’n’Run’s arbiter of superfluity?

    1. Kant feel Pietzsche

      Well, it’s important to stick with what you know…

  6. TP

    Ohhhh, that’s what that bright orange steam is running through the living room. Lava! I kinda like it. I can catch some great trails off it. By the way, where the hell is that fucking cat?

  7. Tim Geitner

    Off topic, but further proof, as if any were needed, that hipsters are dousche bags. One of the resident hipsters in Slate is puzzled that the Chinese actually want their bikecycles to be functional rather than “ironic fashion”.

    http://www.slate.com/id/2250893/pagenum/all/#p2

    1. John

      Damn handles.

  8. Carlin was not a comedian; he was a philosopher.

    1. wylie

      Historically, i don’t think there was a difference between the two until the Intellectual Class decided you had to sit in a room full of books in order to conduct True Philosophy.

    2. Pro Libertate

      A stand-up philosopher.

      1. Kant feel Pietzsche

        A shambling, misanthropic philosopher.(my favorite variety)

        Socrates would have had the same gig if he were alive today. In fact, I’m surprised that Carlin didn’t get the hemlock LONG before his heart failed him.

      2. rbenchley

        “Oh, a bullshit artist!”

        1. Pro Libertate

          Exactly.

        2. Comicus

          Hey! I coalesce the vapors of human experience into a viable and meaningful comprehension!

  9. Enough About Palin

    Hat tip: Richard Tren?

    This clip has been linked to at H&R a great many times.

  10. This is only half of the video. Here’s the full 8 minutes.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eScDfYzMEEw

  11. Warren

    Aww Nick. Did your really have to go there? Hasn’t the memory of Fatty Arbuckle been dragged through enough mud?

  12. Here is the worst part about this earth day crap. This is the exact same day that Pat Tillman lost his life while defending this country. A man who had it all ended up giving all for his country. Yet not a word from the media about it. All we hear about is how we are causing a fictitious, already proven false theory of global warming. Screw them all. I salute you Pat Tillman.

  13. sara

    @david atlee, please remember that earth day didn’t originate because of global climate change. it started to protect nature against pollution and litter, which we still need to do – not because the earth is more deserving of protection than humans, but because humans need a healthy, safe environment.

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  15. Bert

    Does anybody know what the date was that George did this bit????? I love it and think he nailed it smack on the head.

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