WalterB Online

WalterB Online

Greasy Grease

Abstract

What a Mess!

The price of oil rises higher and higher, partly due to financial speculation. More importantly, the American economy cannot live without massive daily injections of oil, now mostly imported. This is just the latest version of drug dependent behavior that characterizes American life.

What should have happened long ago was controlled, reduced use of oil, but it didn't. Addicts rarely manage to salvage themselves, so they almost always lead terrible lives until succumbing to premature doom. But, sometimes, addictive behavior is stopped when friends intervene.

Is the United States worth saving? What would it take?

I don't know whether it is worth writing this article. I have mixed feelings because my previous attempts to advise and warn Americans about their situation have fallen on deaf ears. So, now, most of the time, I am fatalistic and passive: Que sera, sera. Most likely, this effort will also be wasted (which is an incentive to keep it short).

In case you haven't done any research on this subject, watch the Science channel or pay more attention to the evening news. There can be no doubt about it: the Arctic and Antarctic glaciers are melting as global warming increases apace. No one knows what the eventual effects of this global climate change will be, especially since it appears this will be the greatest episode of global warming in at least 55 MILLION years. There may have been other episodes of global warming equal to what is now underway, but those happened hundreds of millions of years ago. Major episodes of global warming (and freezing) are also associated with biological extinction events. There's enough paleontology known to make anyone familiar with the geological record scared stiff.

What has this to do with oil? Everything.

Wall St. and Washington are worrying about where to get more oil. Most Americans are grumbling, even upset, about the cost of gasoline. It is a minor concern that using more oil puts more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which makes more global climate change happen faster. Just what we wanted! Of course, Mother Nature will help us a little: there's only so much oil. Sooner or later, we will have to undertake self-control as temper tantrums will have no effect on the empty candy shop.

Given the drastic consequences of this situation, what should we be doing about it?

In the first place: OIL RATIONING. In the absence of rational allocation, all prices will rise indefinitely.

Second, we need to get gas guzzlers off the road. This implies a major effort to reduce transportation costs and redirect commuters to public transit. The further implication is that urban sprawl and freeway building should be prevented or penalized.

Third, we need to shift our energy sources to those which do not impact the environment so heavily. This means using solar and wind power where feasible, and "green" fuels made from renewable resources.

The foregoing imply major changes in social, political and economic organization (see my books). Will that happen? I don't think so. No matter what people believe about the long run future, they are singularly resistant to changing their life styles. Most people only think about the very short run - a few months at most - in making their decisions. But this situation requires a much larger view of oneself, a view that understands society and self over a period of many decades, even centuries. If that level of education cannot be achieved, then the only, unlikely salvation may be what is imposed on people by dictatorial Philosopher Kings.

I believe Nature is likely to run its course. I think those succumbing to what must happen in the absence of rational social choice will sorely regret the lives they led. But then it will be too late. What's happening is no different than what would be the case after a nuclear world war. (Read the science fiction, such as On the Beach.)

I'm lucky: I am near the end of my string. The futuire is your problem.

Posted 04/24/2008 08:21:48 AM Last update: 04/24/2008