Will listening to this make you smarter? Maybe that depends on your definition of smarter. Maybe that depends largely on you and how you process what you listen to.

I confess you lost me as to how having a paying job relates directly to intelligence.

@MikeInBatonRouge In algebra, an X represents something else.

Although a climate change remedy didn’t cost me a paying job, my X represented a climate change remedy. Were any of the speakers concerned that a remedy may put him out of a paying job? If so, his saying so might have persuaded me to listen more closely.

@yvilletom Oh, so your perspective is that personal economics definition deserves to be the determining factor in whether anyone listens to scientific recommendations for public policy? Okay, in that light your comment makes sense to me. I agree; individually we DO have to be concerned for how we survive economically.

However, from a public policy standpoint, the climate science has already shown resoundingly that to ignore the climate change disaster will not only be environmentally disastrous, but also economically devestating, and in fact it already has begun to be in huge ways. Policy makers need to have a heart and seriously prioritize social safety nets for people as part and parcel of addressing climate threats. But to simply ignore the science, because we are afraid of the unknown if we upset the status quo, is woefully near-sighted.

@yvilletom Actually they did say that, perhaps you missed it.

@Fernapple Please supply the approximate time - plus/minus five minutes — at which someone said it.

@yvilletom 16 to 17 mins. I think it got another mention further on as well.

@Fernapple Thanks, Later today I will view it again.

@Fernapple Before 2pm CA time i played everything after twelve minutes and any mention of economic impact was too subtle for my ears.

@yvilletom That is sad, I was more specific than that, 16 to 17, but have you thought of seeking medical advice, difficulty concentrating can be the first sign of several quite life changing conditions, I say this out of genuine concern having lost family members to such things.

@Fernapple Thanks for your concern. I heard mentions of money but did not hear it described as a benefit anyone had lost. I have done many hours of public speaking and am always explicit about benefits and costs, even repeating my mentions of them. If you will identify the specific economic impact, I will know you’re not gaslighting me.

@yvilletom The speaker Margaret Atwood, plainly states, within that bracket, refering to the subject of paying jobs. Which you may recall was your original question, not "economic impact" by the way.

"And that can get very entrenched until people see that by trying to solve the problem, jobs can be created and money can be made. And that will be the tipping point in public consciousness in this country. Other countries are already there."

@Fernapple Thanks for supplying Atwood’s words. I was listening for something like “Trying to solve the problem will cost me my job.”

With all of the speakers being ‘above the fray’, none of them were personally affected and their presentations suffered.