http://www.warsocialism.com/
“SHORTAGE OF ENERGY” or “LONGAGE OF PEOPLE”?
By Jay Hanson, August 21, 2007
to discuss the issues raised in this paper http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/the_dieoff_QA
Longage is always soluble; a shortage may not be. — Garrett Hardin
There is a crime here that goes beyond denunciation.
There is a sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolize.
There is a failure here that topples all our success. — John Steinbeck
A specter is haunting developed countries, the specter of “peak oil.” If you were born after 1960, you will probably die of violence, starvation or contagious disease. This is because our genetic demand for more-and-more resources, within a physical environment of less-and-less “net energy”[1] available for those resources, will inevitably lead to widespread violence and global nuclear war.
Geologists have calculated that global oil production [2] and North American natural gas production [3] are peaking about now. American coal is expected to peak about 2035.[4] No alternative — even nuclear [5] — has the potential to replace more than a tiny fraction of the power presently generated by fossil fuels.
America was specifically designed by special interests (e.g., General Motors, Firestone and Standard Oil) to require fossil fuel and automobiles [6] to be viable. The exhaustion of fossil fuel will leave many millions of Americans with no access to food or water and facing certain death. For example, ten or more millions of people in Southern California alone will die within a couple of days after drinking their toilet tanks and swimming pools dry.
Since it’s literally impossible to increase global net energy production, the only approaches which can mitigate this problem are national — to either increase national net energy, or reduce national energy demand, or both. The primary goal of American public policy should be to minimize the suffering [7] of as many American citizens as possible by delivering basic “needs”[8] gratis. Unfortunately, our democratic [9] form of government can not direct us to any specific goal because it is “process politics” instead of “systems politics”:
“As the name implies, process politics emphasizes the adequacy and fairness of the rules governing the process of politics. If the process is fair, then, as in a trial conducted according to due process, the outcome is assumed to be just — or at least the best the system can achieve. By contrast, systems politics is concerned primarily with desired outcomes; means are subordinated to predetermined ends.”[10]
Indeed, all measures that our present government takes to mitigate our problems will make them even worse! [11] Since our present government can not direct us to any specific goal, the first step in mitigation must be to invent a new systems politics. In other words, dump our present “special interest” government in favor of a new “common interest” government based on a new set of values:
“In brief, liberal democracy as we know it — that is, our theory or ‘paradigm’ of politics — is doomed by ecological scarcity; we need a completely new political philosophy and set of political institutions. Moreover, it appears that the basic principles of modern industrial civilization are also incompatible with ecological scarcity and that the whole ideology of modernity growing out of the Enlightenment, especially such central tenets as individualism, may no longer be viable.”[12]
The closest example in our experience was the country on a war footing during World War Two when our economy was directed towards the specific goal of winning the war. Moreover, even if the entire economy were directed towards developing renewable energy supplies, it would be a significant challenge to avoid anarchy because energy available for consumer goods could fall to about 30% of demand:
http://www.warsocialism.com/
Duration : 0:6:20
[youtube rK08G79Eb6E]
January 14th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Deporting illegal …
Deporting illegal aliens does NOT solve this problem, as this is a GLOBAL problem, which can’t be fixed by moving people around. (hint: US peaked in 1970, Mexico peaked in 2004) All deportation does is use more oil as you deport them. Worldwide birth control would have some (marginal) effect if there was the political will, but there isn’t, however nature will take care of this sooner or later. Food / water shortages and rioting will claim many lives when a full-blown oil shortage hits.
January 14th, 2010 at 11:33 am
This is bullshit. …
This is bullshit. the is no shortage of oil. If there was the price of oil would be $1000 or more a barrel. Right now oil is so cheap that no one want to drill for it. In the US, drilling for oil is usually viable at around $60 a barrel. Other wise there is no profit.
You can’t live well without work!!
Why don’t you let people decide for themselves in stead of trying to control everything.
Fascist.
January 14th, 2010 at 11:33 am
how do you guys …
how do you guys that say peak oil is a fraud explain the peaking of oil in the united states,or ,do you even know about this.
January 14th, 2010 at 11:33 am
So CONSERVATION is …
So CONSERVATION is impossible because it would take MORE energy? This is pseudo science. Its not even properly researched. Looks like its just pushing mass murder to curb global population.
Its an insult to people who actually read and KNOW what is going on in planet earth that conservation and such WONT work. 2/3rds of our electricity is LOST in the power grid before it goes to your house. Does this video discuss that or say its impossible to fix? I dont think so.
This video is total bullshit
January 14th, 2010 at 11:33 am
The united states …
The united states DESTROYED Iraq’s oil production. Saddam was flooding the market with cheap fuel.
So this guy supports China style Eugenics to keep population under control?
PEAK OIL IS A FRAUD!!! A PROVEN FRAUD!!!
January 14th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Modern military …
Modern military forces need oil/fuel in order to function.