Oil
My favorite political issue is the oil crisis. It makes the Iraq War for oil look like a good decision and a moral act for America. Minus the democratization part, we can't be hassled with that.
Here is a list of why it is awesome.
- It is very similar to global warming. It leads to a collapse of all society, is not being handled at all (at least significantly or efficiently), and is happening at an ambiguous time. One of the biggest differences is that there is a widespread disbelief by people and even some scientists on whether it is happening/our fault. In the oil crisis, there is practically no opposition. In fact, it may be safe to say there is none.
- Speaking of disbelief, the people who believe in it the most are the oil companies. Speakers include usually geologists who work for these companies, general economics/geologist experts, White House oil advisers, Republican congressmen, and the CEOs of the companies. Back when Dick Cheney was doing Halliburton, he publicly stated that we were going to peak on oil and after that it was downhill. The oil companies acknowledge the threat, it's just that there is little they can do to stop their own production at this point because of how the economy works. As a result, they are absolutely desperate to find new sources of oil. Like, Iraq desperate.
- The original theory was developed by a Shell geologist (Hubbert) in the 50's. He created a bell curve model of what would happen. No one believed him, until the model proved to be absolutely correct.
- Global warming has some symptoms, supposedly. Katrina and whatnot. The oil peak is a worldwide crisis affecting every nation on Earth and some will debate if oil production could possibly peak. Trick is, oil has peaked in every single country on Earth, except for some post-Soviet states and parts of the middle east. The model accurately predicted the peak of the US oil peak in 1970 and most countries in the world (though the OPEC embargoes did offset it a few years and you can easily see it in the graphs). Baku, the oil capital of the world in the early 20th century is now a wasteland because of its local oil peak destroying its economic capabilities. Oil towns around the world are now in ruin and it is a premonition of the future. We survived our peak because we became heavily reliant on foreign oil at that point.
- Oil is cheaper than milk, bottled water, and coffee. Gas prices are guaranteed to increase at this point. Gas expensive now? Just you wait.
- The oil peak, depending on who you ask, happens between 2002 - 2020. It may have already happened. This could likely mean this bullshit recession won't end for a very, very, very, very long time.
- Don't even try to suggest ethanol, hydrogen, solar, or wind power. They are not remotely self-sustaining/capable of keeping up with our ungodly economy.
- Oh, by the way, oil isn't just used in gasoline. It's used in plastic, pharmaceuticals, any technology using electricity, and any sort of production/distribution.
- Unlike a Nuclear war, this is a very slow and extremely painful, gradual process. You won't be shocked, you'll slowly be trained to just conform to the collapse.
- Also, even though we can't make new products, we still would have everything we have now. It'd make a good start.
- It is an ungodly economy. Even if every square foot of Earth (no oceans, though) has a wind power thing, it wouldn't be enough to power America's energy needs. Developing new technology and using it to replace oil in every small bit of industry would be like JFK, instead of the moon, putting '30,000 families with somewhat large houses on Pluto'.
- Bush weakly tried to warn us.
- It knocks down all barriers of social systems.
- For the most part, it is widely accepted there is nothing we can do to stop a social collapse at this point. Don't write your governor, it's too late.
- It's too perfect. It's not like the government would ask people to buy hybrids, it'd have to be the government asking everyone to only use bikes. It is a solid undeniable problem that can't be brought to the publics attention because it is too late for them to listen. Since the reason it is a bell curve is because of a rapidly growing economy, to go down the curve by attempting to prevent it/it actually happening will destroy the economy. The government can't ask people to destroy the economy and reporters can't report that they have already destroyed the economy.
- If it happens soon enough, maybe global warming will stop before it kills us all.
I've been waiting for the end of the world since I was a kid. Waiting patiently. I didn't know what would cause it but I knew it'd be just the end of society. People always thought this would be from Nuclear war, but in my post-modern age I knew it would be more trivial. I thought it would be running out of all fossil fuels in 2048, but oil gradually collapsing (exponentially nonetheless) at around now is too perfect for it. I think one thing that I've always been neurotic about is being prepared for it mentally. I could never let myself not strive to be self-sufficient in a post-society world, even if it made me bipolar and gave me an anxiety disorder. This all excites me so much because it's so fucking perfect. Global warming was too confusing and unsure and controversial and chaotic, but we understand this really well. All they say is 'be prepared'.
Here is a list of why it is awesome.
- It is very similar to global warming. It leads to a collapse of all society, is not being handled at all (at least significantly or efficiently), and is happening at an ambiguous time. One of the biggest differences is that there is a widespread disbelief by people and even some scientists on whether it is happening/our fault. In the oil crisis, there is practically no opposition. In fact, it may be safe to say there is none.
- Speaking of disbelief, the people who believe in it the most are the oil companies. Speakers include usually geologists who work for these companies, general economics/geologist experts, White House oil advisers, Republican congressmen, and the CEOs of the companies. Back when Dick Cheney was doing Halliburton, he publicly stated that we were going to peak on oil and after that it was downhill. The oil companies acknowledge the threat, it's just that there is little they can do to stop their own production at this point because of how the economy works. As a result, they are absolutely desperate to find new sources of oil. Like, Iraq desperate.
- The original theory was developed by a Shell geologist (Hubbert) in the 50's. He created a bell curve model of what would happen. No one believed him, until the model proved to be absolutely correct.
- Global warming has some symptoms, supposedly. Katrina and whatnot. The oil peak is a worldwide crisis affecting every nation on Earth and some will debate if oil production could possibly peak. Trick is, oil has peaked in every single country on Earth, except for some post-Soviet states and parts of the middle east. The model accurately predicted the peak of the US oil peak in 1970 and most countries in the world (though the OPEC embargoes did offset it a few years and you can easily see it in the graphs). Baku, the oil capital of the world in the early 20th century is now a wasteland because of its local oil peak destroying its economic capabilities. Oil towns around the world are now in ruin and it is a premonition of the future. We survived our peak because we became heavily reliant on foreign oil at that point.
- Oil is cheaper than milk, bottled water, and coffee. Gas prices are guaranteed to increase at this point. Gas expensive now? Just you wait.
- The oil peak, depending on who you ask, happens between 2002 - 2020. It may have already happened. This could likely mean this bullshit recession won't end for a very, very, very, very long time.
- Don't even try to suggest ethanol, hydrogen, solar, or wind power. They are not remotely self-sustaining/capable of keeping up with our ungodly economy.
- Oh, by the way, oil isn't just used in gasoline. It's used in plastic, pharmaceuticals, any technology using electricity, and any sort of production/distribution.
- Unlike a Nuclear war, this is a very slow and extremely painful, gradual process. You won't be shocked, you'll slowly be trained to just conform to the collapse.
- Also, even though we can't make new products, we still would have everything we have now. It'd make a good start.
- It is an ungodly economy. Even if every square foot of Earth (no oceans, though) has a wind power thing, it wouldn't be enough to power America's energy needs. Developing new technology and using it to replace oil in every small bit of industry would be like JFK, instead of the moon, putting '30,000 families with somewhat large houses on Pluto'.
- Bush weakly tried to warn us.
- It knocks down all barriers of social systems.
- For the most part, it is widely accepted there is nothing we can do to stop a social collapse at this point. Don't write your governor, it's too late.
- It's too perfect. It's not like the government would ask people to buy hybrids, it'd have to be the government asking everyone to only use bikes. It is a solid undeniable problem that can't be brought to the publics attention because it is too late for them to listen. Since the reason it is a bell curve is because of a rapidly growing economy, to go down the curve by attempting to prevent it/it actually happening will destroy the economy. The government can't ask people to destroy the economy and reporters can't report that they have already destroyed the economy.
- If it happens soon enough, maybe global warming will stop before it kills us all.
I've been waiting for the end of the world since I was a kid. Waiting patiently. I didn't know what would cause it but I knew it'd be just the end of society. People always thought this would be from Nuclear war, but in my post-modern age I knew it would be more trivial. I thought it would be running out of all fossil fuels in 2048, but oil gradually collapsing (exponentially nonetheless) at around now is too perfect for it. I think one thing that I've always been neurotic about is being prepared for it mentally. I could never let myself not strive to be self-sufficient in a post-society world, even if it made me bipolar and gave me an anxiety disorder. This all excites me so much because it's so fucking perfect. Global warming was too confusing and unsure and controversial and chaotic, but we understand this really well. All they say is 'be prepared'.