(no subject)
Capsule of thoughts: The Middle Eastern revolutions and rebellions are inspiring. But they will probably make my life harder. But I don't care.
Here's my breakdown of this line of reasoning:
Inspiring: It's impossible not to be inspired by huge numbers of human beings trying to seize control of their own destinies. They are likely to do stupid things with their new freedom, as would we, but they will be creating a space of possibility in which to explore new options. I hope that this space is fruitful. The world needs something new -- before the old order dies and, in its death throes, takes us all down with it.
Harder: the dictators of the Middle East have probably shaped the economies of their various nations toward exporting oil at a "reasonable" price, keeping their foreign sponsors happy. This has directly or indirectly stunted the non-oil sectors of their domestic economies, reducing the local energy use per capita -- reducing domestic oil consumption. Inevitably, in freer and more equitable societies, more people will be using more energy, which inevitably, right now, means oil. More domestic consumption means less oil on the world market, and there's already not enough. We will, of course, end up revising downward our ideas of what "enough" is. Repeatedly. I hope that by the third or fourth revision, we'll have renewable alternatives in place -- not researched, _deployed_ -- to fill at least some of the gap.
Care: I already knew I lived in Omelas and I didn't like it. I'm sure that when I learn what Egyptian/Libyan/?? freedom _really_ costs me, I won't like it either, but I hope I'll be in a place to adapt to and live with that cost.
Here's my breakdown of this line of reasoning:
Inspiring: It's impossible not to be inspired by huge numbers of human beings trying to seize control of their own destinies. They are likely to do stupid things with their new freedom, as would we, but they will be creating a space of possibility in which to explore new options. I hope that this space is fruitful. The world needs something new -- before the old order dies and, in its death throes, takes us all down with it.
Harder: the dictators of the Middle East have probably shaped the economies of their various nations toward exporting oil at a "reasonable" price, keeping their foreign sponsors happy. This has directly or indirectly stunted the non-oil sectors of their domestic economies, reducing the local energy use per capita -- reducing domestic oil consumption. Inevitably, in freer and more equitable societies, more people will be using more energy, which inevitably, right now, means oil. More domestic consumption means less oil on the world market, and there's already not enough. We will, of course, end up revising downward our ideas of what "enough" is. Repeatedly. I hope that by the third or fourth revision, we'll have renewable alternatives in place -- not researched, _deployed_ -- to fill at least some of the gap.
Care: I already knew I lived in Omelas and I didn't like it. I'm sure that when I learn what Egyptian/Libyan/?? freedom _really_ costs me, I won't like it either, but I hope I'll be in a place to adapt to and live with that cost.