Permanent Changes Are Needed in Politics, Economics and Culture - Otherwise, We Remain Doomed
A Collection of Charts, Graphs and Maps Exploring
the Global Oil Industry
The Globalist
April 28, 2020
Just how big is the oil industry? Much bigger and more invasive in our lives than I thought. It is tied to almost every product and service we consider modern necessities and desirables. See the above link for eleven graphics providing facts on the global oil industry.
The last chart from The Globalist (see above, top) shows a selection of consumer products that can be produced from one barrel of oil.
Along with our technological efforts at fixing, ameliorating, and redirecting oil dependency we need a radical reset of our values and beliefs, especially those about our relationships with each other, and with Earth.
Regrettably, this involves efforts in politics and economics, areas where the vast majority of humankind have little to no control.
I say regrettably because of the deep dysfunctional and economic cronyism of current US and global politics. The troughs provided by the wealthy are bottomless and tasty. Leading these political minions of the rich manufacturers and service providers in a better, more humane direction is difficult to nigh impossible, and dangerous.
Some of you think, and have said, I am a contrarian doomsayer. I am, but not without good reason.
I am, to a degree, (reluctantly, skeptically), supportive of technology and new ideas to change our modern ways. However, I am reluctant to support the insatiable consumption and inequity at the heart of capitalist modernity.
I also support having hope and supporting activism no matter how dire the present and future look. Some of you think I don’t, but I do.
I am nevertheless going to remain a contrarian, a doomsayer until I see radical, permanent changes in three areas; indicators of which count far more than technology, hope, and activism:
1. Economics. Big oil, manufacturers, and service providers must shift, in word and deed, from infinite growth to sustainability. They must also acknowledge and publicly admit the harm their activities have had on Earth, and Earth as a habitat for life. They must also allocate far more money and resources than they have to other-than-oil-based activities, products, and services.
2. Politics. This vastly complicit lot of money-chasing, power-addicted, preening parasites, mostly (but not all) on the Right, must radically change their legislative and leadership activities, in word and deed.
Laws, leadership, and funding must change to support better, more humane ways of thinking and behaving toward each other; and toward economic policies that are more humane, and Earth and life sustaining. This must be done in a way that is permanent over the long term, not temporarily to suit politician-preferred short-term re-election cycles.
3. Culture. Beliefs, values, and preferred ways of behaving in the minds of persons matter most. They define and support all political, economic, and religious ideas and actions. A radical change is needed. A radical movement is urgently needed away from: human exceptionalism (secular and divine); libertarianism; international and domestic Social Darwinism; and comfort and convenience regardless of the cost to our fellow humans and the planet. This change in culture, within and between societies, must become permanent and sustainable.
None of the above three changes are anywhere near permanent and sustainable. Not even close. Nor do they show significant signs of moving in such better directions. In fact, a good case could be made that the current individualism, populism, and cutthroat hyper-nationalism, in the US and elsewhere, are hallmarks of our current catastrophic direction, and things are getting worse by the day.
Until radically better laws, leadership, economic policies and activities, and new ways of thinking about humankind are permanently and sustainably in place, we shall remain doomed. And I shall remain a contrarian, doomsayer.
This is not another plug for I have announced and plugged it already, but my latest book has scattered through it some suggestions for making these other-than-technology-hope-and-activism changes. Here’s the link:
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