Our Oil Reserves Are Depleted; It's Time for Utopia
Last week at a Christmas party in the hills of Umbria, we were part of a captive audience listening to an American businessman holding forth on an ever-popular expat subject - the dismal exchange rate of dollars to euros. He informed his listeners that they needn't worry: In just a couple of years, he said, America will have pulled out of the recession and the economy will be growing strong; Europe, on the other hand will still be facing the ripple effects of the global meltdown - and will be suffering.
"You'll see," he said blithely, "the dollar and the euro will be at par."
Although the conversation took place in Italy, it could have as easily occurred in a Wall Street boardroom. Despite the ongoing economic meltdown, the dominant, "business as usual" wisdom is that the ascendancy of the American model of global capitalism can only continue. It's just a matter of time before the good ship USS Free Enterprise rights itself and we have smooth sailing ahead.
But exactly what resources will the U.S. call upon to fuel the economic recovery that our American businessman and millions of others like him continue to believe in? Our longtime economic paradigm - growth fueled by cheap oil - has no future. Even when it did, it was a flawed concept because the constant growth required under the "grow or die" capitalist paradigm demands that we relentlessly exploit natural resources - how else to increase profit margins and pay investors their ever-greater dividends?
This paradigm has brought us to the brink of ecological disaster, with a planet so over-heated that even the most optimistic climate experts are doubtful whether we will be able to prevent cataclysmic disruptions unless worldwide carbon emissions are drastically reduced in the coming years - an unlikely scenario given the unwillingness of most governments to enact tough standards and regulations.
Not only has the planet been brought to its knees as a result of this capitalist ethos, but we humans haven't fared so well either. Can we really say we're succeeding as a human race when half of the world's population is starving, or lacks adequate access to potable water, or is suffering from preventable diseases? Even in the U.S., our "high standard of living" leaves much to be desired, not only for the 45 million people who have no health insurance but for the tens of millions who work 40-80 hours a week and find themselves with little time to socialize, go for a walk, prepare and enjoy a meal with friends, or read a book - in short, have less free time and a lower standard of living than their parents did.
With oil virtually at an end, what better time to re-examine the economic paradigm that allowed us to think we could use up finite resources and just "grow" forever? Isn't it time to rethink our blind embrace of the "grow or die" philosophy that led us down this self-destructive path?
In her recent post, "Laissez-Faire Capitalism Should Be as Dead as Soviet Communism," Arianna Huffington suggests that the collapse of our financial system as a result of deregulation proves that this form of deregulated capitalism should be relegated to the dust bin of history. But is it just deregulation, or is it capitalism itself that needs to be junked? Inherent in the capitalist ethos is the endless exploitation of natural resources. Indeed, not only the exploitation of nature, but the exploitation of individuals by individuals is a guiding principle of modern capitalist society. You needn't travel to 19th century England to understand this; it's not just the exploitation of workers in factories anymore. As capitalism colonizes the realm of interpersonal relations, we've ceased to become human to each other and instead become "resources" (think "networking") to be exploited for one type of gain or another.
Considering the tremendous advances in labor-saving technology in the last century, isn't it time for a new form of social organization? One that prizes mutual aid over competition, collective stewardship of nature over its rapacious exploitation, and recognition that "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" must include the provision of basic necessities for all, regardless of status: shelter, food, free healthcare. Even better, imagine if we could recognize that ultimately human beings are capable of much more than just earning money? It's time to use our immense powers of reason to ask ourselves: What does it mean to build a truly civilized world? History has shown us that Leninist Communism - itself a form of state-sanctioned exploitation of nature and human beings - wasn't the answer. But neither has capitalism allowed us to fully realize our potential as free, creative beings.
We stand on a threshold. Will we use our extraordinary technology, science and rationality to create a just, humane and truly free society? Or will we continue down the path of domination - of each other and of the natural world - destroying our environment and ourselves?
The great utopian, Murray Bookchin, said: "If we do not do the impossible, we shall be faced with the unthinkable." When he said those words, more than a quarter of a century ago, the notion that capitalism could bring the world to the brink of destruction was ridiculed by almost every mainstream intellectual. Yet here we are on the precipice, confronted with the unthinkable. The only course left to us, is to do the impossible - to abandon the paradigm of capitalism that has defined our cultural, political and economic life for the past 250 years, and whose supremacy has led inexorably to the despoilation of our planet and demeaning of human existence.
Let us choose to end the domination of each other and the unthinking exploitation of nature, and find a more human, decent form of social organization, one that prizes true, decentralized democracy, basic decency and the common good.
The oil is almost gone. The hourglass is about to run out. It's time to create a utopia.
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The Singularity will completely destroy all these economic theories, including capitalism and the BS you're advocating here.
Science/Technology is the answer. :)
Oh wow I saw the word "overpopulation". Strange, the main article thinks this about the free market. Someone suggested we have 'overshot our carrying capacity', weird the main article didn't mention 'carrying capacity'.
No one explains Human Carrying Capacity. We have overshot it, but no one says how to calculate it. "How Many People Can the Earth Support?" said 'how many people you have, depends on what kind of lifestyle they want'.
The world can't support as many Americans as it can Bangladeshis.The trouble with 95% of the 'environmentalists' I've ever met is they will say everyone should get by on 3 handfuls of rice a day, when in truth, everyone should have birth control in their water supply, if people want a kid they should have to adopt one first!
If there were only a million people on earth it wouldn't matter if everyone had an SUV. However, with world population at 6.7 billion, (Jan. 2, 2009) we don't have that option. We can look back to a world of 6 billion (Oct. 1999) and wonder why we are adding a billion people every 13 years, but you know the answer to that.
No one is paying attention. Because you can't sell the news that we have too many kids when Brad and Angie 'true environmentalists' just got pregers again.
Why is it people are so resistant to simple solutions such as growing Industrial Hemp and creating both bio diesel from the seeds and cellulose ethanol from the stalks..?
I really believe many would rather see an international crisis and break down due to oil running out in the near future which is not likely...
I've twice been in vehicles out of Canada that came down into NY State and one which crossed America running on Industrial Hemp ethanol fuel...
We as a people in so many issues including our failing crumbling economy looking for solutions...
There are solutions but as long as we cling to failed ridiculous false ideologies such as so called "conservatism" or wrapped theological misinterpretations then we can guarantee our failure as a functioning successful nation...
Neither hemp nor bio diesel are solutions. They are, however, distractions from the real solutions using wind and solar energy.
Oil isn't running out in the near future, unless you count the 50-80 year time scale as near (maybe if you are still very young and imagine that you will live forever that would make sense). The only thing that will happen is that within the next decade the world will have to live with less oil. But less is not the same as nothing and the gradual reduction of our oil supply will lead to gradual changes in our behavior.
In other words, the future is neither black nor white but it has many colors. But neither hemp nor bio-diesel will be one of the major ones.
Of course Hemp is a solution not the only one but a very real one none the less, as even Henry Ford himself was well aware...
But what did Henry Ford known about cars..?
Yes. A good way to get a room full of environmentally sensitive people incensed, is to point out the obvious, if somewhat unpopular, fact - that most plants are really terrible converters of radiant energy into chemical energy.
The reason for that is simply poor education. One can be an environmentalist without being well informed. And sadly, poor information is at the core of most of our problems. Few people with exception of the ultimate specialists in their fields have the correct insights. And even fewer listen to these people. That includes even those who otherwise are well intentioned.
HuffPost's Pick
There is only one issue that needs to be addressed and that is human nature. Until we understand that and work to include the nature of human beings into our planing and problem solving we will continue to waste our resources, fight among ourselves and destroy this beautiful planet. How much of my behavior is inherited, inherent, and instinctive? Am I a composite of behaviors that will help to insure my survival and are these desires and motivations prevailing over my judgment. Do I take as much as I can or do I share and if I do share do my personal bias determine who I share with? Do I take public transportation or do I ride in a glamorous personal vehicle. Why can't I use public transportation without fear of being robbed, molested or harassed by others? We make many mistakes as societies that are a detriment to our well being by feeding this malevolent beast. We may not survive simply because first you have to accept that you have a problem and everyone knows denial suits us just fine.
Capitalism's built-in time bomb has always been the need for infinite growth within a finite system. This article certainly nails the problem.
We have to kill the monster before it kills us all.
For one group of people's proposed solution go to http://www.thevenusproject.com/
There is nothing in the definition of capitalism that would require growth. There are also no inherent reasons for why we couldn't grow within the means of this planet. We are certainly not limited by energy in any way, shape or form. The only thing there is, right now, are lots of people who can not imagine that one can go further by being more efficient and clean. But even that will change rather rapidly.
If we aren't at peak oil, we are at least getting close. As we get to the other side our descent will pick up speed. A growing population is and peaking oil make for a bad combination. Also, it takes energy to extract energy resources. In other words, some fuel will be needed to mine uranium or whatever. Waiting till the last moment to solve this problem would be socially irresponsible. The world wastes phenomenal amounts of energy needlessly transporting products around the world. Supposedly, the markets will produce the most efficient economic arrangements. To responsible people, this needless transportation of material makes no physical or social sense. Obviously the market contains some inbuilt error which prevents it from assigning proper values to energy (or other resources). In the US a new federal planning paradigm is needed to organize and direct the production, transportation, etc. of manufactured goods. A new mass transportation system is also needed. Providing all Americans with cars powered by new energy sources will create some future nightmare. Planning on this front is also needed.
Oil at an end? Hardly. We have probably reached peak oil in 2007 or 2008, which means that we have about half of our conventional oil reserves left and there are plenty more of oil shales and sands, which come at an enormous cost (economically and ecologically, of course).
All this really means is that the era of perpetual cheap oil is coming to an end. Now, unless your name is Scrooge, there is little to panic about. We have to be more conscious about how we use oil, which is really a technological challenge and an opportunity, not a threat.
Hmmmm...most of the comment so far seem to be based on the fear of change, including absolutist denial of what's right in front of our faces.
Obviously any fundamental change inspires fear, because we, in the final analysis, animals. This is really a question of "are we going to evolve as a species?" If not, there really IS no hope. The main paradigm that will have to change is the dominant patriarchal culture which views the Earth as female and therefore, to be plundered and raped. Change the idea that Momma will always clean up after Her boys and we've got it made in the shade.....and good luck to that! It's been going on for millennium. I think it's in our DNA.
I think/believe that what will have to happen is a classic "bottom" which will cause enough pain that we will be screaming for a way out. by that time it will probably be too late as we prefer to blame (the actual original sin) than to calmly set about to do some serious self-examination.
We think it hurts to much to do THAT!
I see this all the time with addicts of one sort or another, many of whom prefer to die rather than change some simple basic attitudes.
BULLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only people your hearing that oil is in short supply from are the OIL COMPANYS !!!!!
AND THE OIL COMPANY ANALYIST !!!!!!!!
They all make more money if the price of oil is HIGH !!!!!!!!
WAKE UP !!!!!! We need and Independent aduit of Oil Feilds !
But Oil Companys are not going to allow that .
Utopia is without a doubt the third rail of anti-capitalist political philosophy. Every well-intentioned social reformer that grabs it becomes less of a benevolent visionary and more of an authoritarian elitist.
There will never be a comprehensive solution to human suffering. We can make the world better, and we certainly have a long way to go, but we can't make it perfect. Not even close. Even if we could, no two people have the same vision of utopia... Not even close.
Stop thinking about how educated progressives of considerable means (predominantly white) can save the working poor from a systemic exploitation. People have to save themselves. Organizations will have to be established and promoted, but people need to make to conscious decision to join.
Think in terms of how a private organization could implement progressive democracy as a service. The organization takes the form of a credit union where each member owns a share account and one vote. The purpose is to provide services with the aim of growing the combined wealth and ensuring the financial security of its members. These include investment, credit, insurance, and career services.
Most progressives expect the federal government to care for people from cradle to grave, and maybe we shouldn't. There's no reason why we can't form our own private governments that pick up where limited government leaves off. We can't protect national security or ensure safe drinking water, but we can handle social security, medicare, unemployment, home loans, even tuition reimbursement.
A libertarian troll hath visited. Ask libetarians this, has their philosophy ever worked anywhere on the planet yet. They'll not be able to answer affirmatively.
Spain, 1936, until crushed by the Communists and Fascists. But then, every system is crushed eventually.
Hunter-gatherer systems were libertarian / anarchist and lasted tens of thousands of years.
How about Papua New Guinea, with its numerous agrarian tribal societies, tending to be economically egalitarian, although not "utopian", but certainly not capitalist or communist, with no pan-tribal hierarchies or bureaucracies, and having lasted for extended periods.
Jefferson was a Libertarian. The country he founded did quite well for a couple of hundred years.
What's interesting about the Libertarian philosophy -- other than its utter failure to produce the desired results -- is that it is what Alan Greenspan (an acolyte of Ayn Rand) embraced. How's that working in our economy now? Even Greenspan admits he was mistaken.
Not even social mobility is highest in relatively libertarian economies. Recent studies demonstrate that the Scandinavian democratic socialists allow more of a meritocracy than the "free market" U.S.
Thinking of our Libertarian brothers' insistence on "freedom" as a form of mental illness, that persists in denying reality even now, is the best explanation I have for its existence.
That, and the way it can, when well funded by the oligarchs, persuade people to vote for things not in their interest.
But hey! Isn't that what Gay Marriage is for?
"our own private governments"
What the bejeezus does that even mean?
We are not yet at any real peal oil moment and this type of article only covers for the criminal speculation that laid waste to our automotive industry and wrecked our economy...
We could take the rout Brazil did and turn to bio fuels if we only allowed the cultivation of Industrial Hemp and it not only not impossible but really quite simple....!
Then we would also be able to have regional distilleries and bio diesel plants everywhere and it would support our farmers allow more farms and also be a great move in terms of our national security as our refineries would no longer be clumped into a few small region...!
Industrial Hemp renews itself every 4 months as well ...you know...
Very simple...very real solution it also eats CO 2 like crazy....
Not impossible simple easy just get the politicians out of the way of progress and real solutions...it's the same for Health Care...get the corrupt politicians and corrupt insurance companies out and problem solved..!
"We are not yet at any real peal oil moment"
On a per capita basis, global oil production plateaued in 1973, peaked in 1979, and has been declining at least 1.2% annually ever since.
I'm with you on the industrial hemp, though.
That oil use per capita has decreased is a sign of increased efficiency of use, i.e. a positive indicator, not a negative one. Total oil use has been increasing quite a bit, though, although that might have come to an end last year.
The point is that we can simply grow Industrial Hemp nation wide and eventually be energy self sufficient...
It is far from impossible...!
Brazil uses sugar cane and I don't think they have been cutting down their rain forest to grow sugar cane but to harvest hard woods and for charcoal production...and export..
Brazil.........cutting down one of the greatest climate stabilizers: the rainforest. for what again? to feed our cars?
All over the world cutting down the rainforests so the wealthy can have their rare woods on their yachts and dinner tables and deprive the Earth of it's oxygen and climate control. Real smart.
Solar, solar, solar......wind, wind, wind, geo thermal, bio mass. Get rid of the cattle too. too expensive & not good for the colon. Mass transit bullet trains
No one (or very few) listened to the Club of Rome in the '70s when they drew our attention to the limits of living on a finite planet. Yes, we might listen to those who want to fly off to Mars or the moon. Those are just alternative variations on the "disposable Earth" fantasy.
I saw just recently that someone had done a 35 years later comparison of those predictions with actuality and found them to be on the mark. When carried to the next step, they suggest a desperate situation as early as 2020.
So whom do we choose for leadership. A Ronald Reagan who says "Don't worry, be happy"? Or a Jimmy Carter who says turn the thermostat down and put on a sweater? We are on the proverbial road to ruin. Maybe there are positive alternatives along the way, and I hope for the sake of my grandchildren that is the case. But if we refuse to acknowledge that freedom doesn't mean doing whatever we can imagine but doing what we need, we will continue to turn freedom into a lie.
And another empire bites the dust, as always. It will be what we choose.
So I was thinkin the same thing, does anyone remember this at all, peril to those who don't.
Ah yes the Club Of Rome.
i have been talking about the pyramid scheme of growth-based capitalism for 20 years - the insustainability of bleeding our planet dry of resources and of exploiting workers and "new markets" for products. global warming, widespread disease and poverty, habitat destruction, loss of animist and other important cultural/spiritual practices and skills, and disconnection from our earth are only a few of the ill effects of this corrupt system.
communism and capitalism both fail to adequately account for human greed. as zaza mentions, a sustainability model is the only hope we have for society and the environment, but those at the top of the pyramid will fight and fight and fight - and they have all the money and power. it will take nothing short of a populist uprising, even if it's a quiet, stealthy one - one household at a time, to undermine them and get us where we need to be.
the best start i can think of is to generate renewable energy on our own properties to prevent the recentralization and monopolization of energy in a sun and wind era. we are getting scary pushback from Big Energy (Industrial Solar and Wind) when we demand equal incentives for generation that will not kill off millions and millions of acres of open space. why are they allowed to decide our destiny? lets all demand generous feed in tariffs for power we produce that we feed to the grid, and start our futures now.
The steady state economy needs to be the new pardign. An economy that produces only what's absoluted needed in order to live a modest existance. Sustainability needs to be the new ethos with conservation as the guiding principal. Also, we need to start talking about the effects of human overpopulation -- we've overshot Earth's carrying capacity and we're destroying the planet as a result. Unless we can find a way to humanely stabilize (and eventually reduce) population, we won't have a hope in hell of establishing a equitable sustainable world.
Spot on.
Sapient (wise) governance (government, law, and economic) is something we might consider.
http://questioneverything.typepad.com/question_everything/2008/07/index.html
Scroll down to July 20 to start the series.
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