Further Analysis of Statement

Further Analysis of the Club of Rome Statement

Discussion on the Use of the Emphatic, "do"

Notice the sentence, "In their totality and their interactions these phenomena do constitute a common threat which must be confronted bt everyone together."

The use of the emphatic, "do" implies that the author is referring to the existence of a previous statement that does not fully agree with what is being written in this sentence. It's the same as the author saying, "These phenomena do, in fact, constitute a common threat ...".

In English, we usually use, "in fact" (except when it is used to mean, "more specifically"), "do, in fact" and the emphatic "do" when we mean, "This is really true, while some other statement is not true".

In other words, the author is subconsciously admitting that "This is really true, in contrast to what I wrote just before this"! It is hinting at some deception in the previous statement, which reinforces the view that the use of the words, "came up with the idea" and, "fit the bill" is evidence of deception.

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I think to begin the third sentence with the word, "But" is a mistake. In English, we use the word, "but" when referring to a contrasting or a contradictory idea. We use "but" in that situation, not simply as an introduction to a new idea, which happens in this sentence, when the author introduces a warning about how to view this topic. Why was the word "but" used to start that sentence? Most likely it was the mistake that some people make of thinking "but" is a good way to introduce a new idea. If we read the statement with the word "but" deleted, then it becomes easier to read, and clearer.

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Discussion on the Use of the Word, "Threat"

Notice how the author wrote, "threat of global warming", not just, "global warming". Why didn't the author use the words, "the inevitability of global warming" or similar wording?

The word, "threat" is used when there is some doubt about it being 100% inevitable. It could be used in cases of genuine danger or it could be used when people believe there is danger when in fact, none exists. An example of the latter is kids being told to believe that wolves are a danger (a threat) by such fairly tales as, "The Three Little Pigs". After hearing that story, kids actually believe that wolves are similar to the wolf in the story and are a threat to them.

In other words, introducing the word, "threat" can (or, in this case, has) led to a fear campaign. Fear campaigns can be based either on reality or on something untrue that the victims of the campaign believe to be true.

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