Hacker News Reader

Comment by d_e_solomon | Hacker News Reader

> What started off as a clever way to win arguments has become a lazy put down. It’s (Virtue Signaling) too often used to cast aspersions on opponents as an alternative to rebutting their arguments. In fact, it’s becoming indistinguishable from the thing it was designed to call out: smug posturing from a position of self-appointed authority.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/20/virtue...

View on HN

:) you might be correct. My point is that showing up in 2017 to tell how great you're going to be in 2040 does not have any practical reason other than to make nice for the moment of today.

I would love to hear your argument as to why you think this is something newsworthy and relevant.

The underlying message was in fact to show that the French respect the Paris agreement, whereas US just pulled out of it.

So, what better way for the new French president and his administration to show how great they are at promising 23 years into the future?!

Sure, sorry to be slow in replying - busy day. So it goes further than that. It sets an expectation for industry that they will need to develop technology to make the 2040 deadline.

If auto firm A makes the deadline and is able to sell awesome EV vehicles and auto firm B and C have only so-so, because they didn't take the law seriously, A is going to sell a lot more vehicles. So autofirms have to start considering these sorts of government regulations in their R&D budgets today. The investments made today will help determine their outcomes in 2040.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com