# Mr Gore's Nobel: Like the wife-beater winning for Shelters **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 12, 2007, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456 "2007-10-12T11:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/41 "2007-10-12T15:25:52Z")
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena] I’m sorry, it is a side argument, but I just had to comment. I just absolutely despise the idea that if someone is rich and powerful, they are exempt from the little things we all are ethically bound to do, as long as they say all the right things. [/QUOTE] Not your fault, I agree with you that it was a bad argument on **BG** ’s part. I do know Gore puts his money where his mouth is by purchasing his energy from green sources at least. Could he do more, of course he could. I suspect everyone except Ed Begley Jr. could do more. * * * I lovely lady I know just passed away after being a big part of the green movement since the sixties. She has sung with Pete Seeger. She was the key volunteer in running a successful environmental festival for decades and she was tireless in her fight for cleaner air and water until diabetes kept her from doing anymore. She was never wealthy, she was a large woman with some joint problems and all she could afford to carry herself and all her stuff to events was a beat up old van. She felt guilty for using so much gas, she would have loved to buy a low emission hybrid, but she drove what she could afford and more than made up for it with her efforts for the environment. I mentioned she was a large woman that was suffering from diabetes. When it was very hot, she would run a small AC so she could escape the heat. I do not think small acts like this and her van, take away from a lifetime of good work. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/42 "2007-10-12T15:34:38Z")
Is Bill Gates a flawed philanthropist because in addition to the billions he gives to charity, he also keeps other billions for himself? Where is the line where wasted potential begins to outweigh real accomplishments? Tough question. (What I wonder is, why doesn’t Gore just short-circuit the criticism by building his own eco-friendly mansion just like George Bush’s? Obviously it can be done, and I would guess Gore has the money to do it. What’s he waiting for?) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/43 "2007-10-12T15:42:39Z")
[QUOTE=Autumn Almanac] (What I wonder is, why doesn’t Gore just short-circuit the criticism by building himself an eco-friendly mansion just like George Bush’s? Obviously it can be done, and I would guess Gore has the money to do it. What’s he waiting for?) [/QUOTE] Just a thought, but perhaps he thinks that would send the wrong message - i.e. that it takes a great deal of personal sacrifice (or at least personal expense) to reduce CO2 emissions. And conservatives could just as easily twist that into a talking point, e.g. “Gore wants us to live in tiny expensive houses.” ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/44 "2007-10-12T15:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=Autumn Almanac] Is Bill Gates a flawed philanthropist because in addition to the billions he gives to charity, he also keeps other billions for himself? Where is the line where wasted potential begins to outweigh real accomplishments? Tough question. (What I wonder is, why doesn’t Gore just short-circuit the criticism by building his own eco-friendly mansion just like George Bush’s? Obviously it can be done, and I would guess Gore has the money to do it. What’s he waiting for?) [/QUOTE] My guess is that building it (or even retrofitting his own place) would consume more resources than it saves and open him up to a new round of criticism. He also is frying bigger fish than figuring out what the floorplan of a new place should be. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/45 "2007-10-12T15:57:18Z")
[QUOTE=Dangerosa] My guess is that building it (or even retrofitting his own place) would consume more resources than it saves and open him up to a new round of criticism. He also is frying bigger fish than figuring out what the floorplan of a new place should be. [/QUOTE] Yes, it is already built, he buys green energy and I believe I read an article where he is looking to add solar. I can’t find it however. The house he lives in is over 50 years old. Again, I need to find some details. Damn, [FoxNews to the rescue](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259938,00.html), WTF? (Ok, it is really an AP story.) 😉 > [@](#): > > Zoning rules in Al Gore’s upscale Tennessee neighborhood have prevented the former vice president and environmental activist from installing solar panels on his roof. > > Gore bought his multimillion dollar home in 2002 in Belle Meade, an exclusive city encircled by metropolitan Nashville, and he has embarked on an ambitious renovation. But his contractors ran into a legal barrier last summer when they sought to apply for a permit to install solar panels on the roof. > > Terry Franklin, Belle Meade’s building officer, said the town only allows power generating equipment to be placed on the ground level. “Solar panels are generators,” Franklin said. > > “We told them they couldn’t do it,” he said. “They wanted to try anyway, but we convinced them it was something the board wouldn’t allow.” Read the article, he is trying to improve an existing structure. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/46 "2007-10-12T16:02:08Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] What nonsense! This isn’t like Mother Theresa passing beggars in the street without a glance. Gore **has** to consume profligate amounts of energy to do what he does. It’s not a personal-lifestyle problem anyway. If we all adopted a “green” lifestyle, it wouldn’t scratch the surface of the AGW problem. Only government and industry can make any changes that will make a real difference. [/QUOTE] She lived in Calcutta - do you seriously think she didn’t do exactly that every day? Seriously? Argue all you want about whether Gore deserves this or not, but the arguments about his personal energy consumption are sophmoric and unworthy of anyone on this board. If a doctor found a cure for cancer, would you rant about his personal consumption of alcohol or other drugs? Can I not express concern about starvation unless I am starving myself? ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/47 "2007-10-12T16:02:11Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] What nonsense! This isn’t like Mother Theresa passing beggars in the street without a glance. Gore **has** to consume profligate amounts of energy to do what he does. [/quote] I don’t see why it’s necessary for him to live in a really really big house. > [@](#): > > It’s not a personal-lifestyle problem anyway. If we all adopted a “green” lifestyle, it wouldn’t scratch the surface of the AGW problem. Only government and industry can make any changes that will make a real difference. Has Al Gore urged anyone to change their personal lifestyles? Has Al Gore advocated for policies that would encourage people to use less electricity/fly less/etc.? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then he’s not setting a good example. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/48 "2007-10-12T16:04:56Z")
[QUOTE=Lamar Mundane] If a doctor found a cure for cancer, would you rant about his personal consumption of alcohol or other drugs? [/quote] If the doctor was urging other people not to consume alcohol or other drugs, then yeah, it would be rantworthy. Or if the doctor was pushing for policies that would discourage people from using alcohol or drugs. > [@](#): > > Can I not express concern about starvation unless I am starving myself? You can express whatever concerns you want. But if you don’t practice what you preach, you are rantworthy. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/49 "2007-10-12T16:15:18Z")
[QUOTE=brazil84] I don’t see why it’s necessary for him to live in a really really big house. [/quote] What the hell would it accomplish if he sold it? Somebody else would move into Gore’s house, and the net change would probably be zero. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/50 "2007-10-12T16:21:07Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] What the hell would it accomplish if he sold it? [/quote] He would be setting a good example. > [@](#): > > Somebody else would move into Gore’s house, and the net change would probably be zero. You could make the same argument about a lot of actions the environmentalists urge people to take. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/51 "2007-10-12T16:24:53Z")
Why the hell weren’t people paying any attention until Al Gore said it? He sure wasn’t the first and many of his claims are bogus fluff, yet now he’s a visionary. The whole charade makes me ill. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/52 "2007-10-12T16:28:31Z")
[QUOTE=brazil84] He would be setting a good example. [/quote] How? His action wouldn’t accomplish anything. > [@](#): > > You could make the same argument about a lot of actions the environmentalists urge people to take. So you’re agreeing there’s no point, but you’d like him to live in a smaller house, which is something I don’t think he’s ever told anyone to do. Again, this sounds more like house envy than any kind of actual argument. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/53 "2007-10-12T16:30:07Z")
[QUOTE=brazil84] He would be setting a good example. You could make the same argument about a lot of actions the environmentalists urge people to take. [/QUOTE] Did you miss the part where he is seeking to improve the house. Add Solar, etc. Jim ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/54 "2007-10-12T16:34:19Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] How? His action wouldn’t accomplish anything. [/quote] Let’s suppose a prominent politician announced that he or she is not going to vote in the next election. Do you agree that he or she is setting a bad example? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/55 "2007-10-12T16:42:20Z")
[QUOTE=brazil84] He would be setting a good example. [/quote] Yes, a good example of a needless increase in built-space, additional heating, cooling and power consumption… Unless you argue that he should tear down the house rather than selling it and buying a new one. > [@](#): > > You could make the same argument about a lot of actions the environmentalists urge people to take. Please do. I’d be curious to see what you come up with. Start with a list of common recommendations for energy conservation and tell us how they would necessarily result in a net change of zero. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/56 "2007-10-12T16:42:44Z")
[QUOTE=brazil84] Let’s suppose a prominent politician announced that he or she is not going to vote in the next election. Do you agree that he or she is setting a bad example? [/QUOTE] No. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/57 "2007-10-12T16:46:12Z")
[QUOTE=Lamar Mundane] Can I not express concern about starvation unless I am starving myself? [/QUOTE] No, but it might be better not to be a glutton and then lecture others about their excessive food consumption. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/58 "2007-10-12T16:46:36Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] Start with a list of common recommendations for energy conservation and tell us how they would necessarily result in a net change of zero. [/QUOTE] Sure. For example, if you purchase and use less gas, then there’s a good chance somebody else will purchase and use the gas that you did not use. (I’m not saying that this argument is correct, only that’s the same as the argument about living in a big house.) ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/59 "2007-10-12T16:46:37Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] Why the hell weren’t people paying any attention until Al Gore said it? He sure wasn’t the first and many of his claims are bogus fluff, yet now he’s a visionary. The whole charade makes me ill. [/QUOTE] That’s exactly the point. He took an issue that was only being followed by a group of scientists and brought it to worldwide attention. The issue needed someone to fill that role, and Gore stepped up. The problem lies in the notion that this issue didn’t exist before and that Al Gore invented it out of thin air. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456/60 "2007-10-12T16:50:09Z")
[QUOTE=Lamar Mundane] No. [/QUOTE] Do you think it’s ever possible for somebody in a position of leadership to do something that’s wrong purely because it sets a bad example? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-gores-nobel-like-the-wife-beater-winning-for-shelters/422456.md?page=4)