http://transition-times.com/blog/2010/02/12/wsj-reports-the-next-crisis-prepare-for-peak-oil/ Information, insight, and inspiration for The Long Emergency Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:42:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= http://transition-times.com/blog/2010/02/12/wsj-reports-the-next-crisis-prepare-for-peak-oil/comment-page-1/#comment-50 charlescressonwood Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:30:59 +0000 http://transition-times.com/?p=1949#comment-50 It is an unfortunate aspect of human nature that we don't pay attention to the long term trends, even if they are potentially catastrophic (peak oil for example). Instead, we pay attention to the short term pain that is bothering us (such as the Greek government's deficit spending, problems rolling over Greek bonds, and the related threat to the Euro). In the grand scheme of things, it matters little if the Greek government goes bankrupt. In the grand scheme of things, it matters little if the centralized European government, and the Euro as a currency, both cease to exist. It does matter a great deal that we are on track for millions, perhaps billions, of people to die of starvation because the system that brought them their food is no longer functional (due to petroleum-related dependencies). It does matter a great deal that we are killing the planet due to our continued addiction to fossil fuels (pesticide toxic pollution, hormone disrupting plastics, climate change, etc.). So the question is: How can we get our leaders to focus on what is important? It is time for mass demonstrations, mass Internet signature collections, impeachment hearings, alternative political parties, and other legal (but big-time attention getting) measures to clearly communicate to our leaders that they must reorient their priorities, and they must do so now. - Charles Cresson Wood, technology risk management consultant It is an unfortunate aspect of human nature that we don’t pay attention to the long term trends, even if they are potentially catastrophic (peak oil for example). Instead, we pay attention to the short term pain that is bothering us (such as the Greek government’s deficit spending, problems rolling over Greek bonds, and the related threat to the Euro). In the grand scheme of things, it matters little if the Greek government goes bankrupt. In the grand scheme of things, it matters little if the centralized European government, and the Euro as a currency, both cease to exist. It does matter a great deal that we are on track for millions, perhaps billions, of people to die of starvation because the system that brought them their food is no longer functional (due to petroleum-related dependencies). It does matter a great deal that we are killing the planet due to our continued addiction to fossil fuels (pesticide toxic pollution, hormone disrupting plastics, climate change, etc.). So the question is: How can we get our leaders to focus on what is important? It is time for mass demonstrations, mass Internet signature collections, impeachment hearings, alternative political parties, and other legal (but big-time attention getting) measures to clearly communicate to our leaders that they must reorient their priorities, and they must do so now.
- Charles Cresson Wood, technology risk management consultant

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