For the most part, I like to think myself as an optimist. I have relatively good health, a great wife, a nice home and an interesting job. But from time to time the facts seem to stack up and I cannot put a positive spin on the things I see.
1) Oil prices continue to climb which in all likelihood means we have past 'peak oil' and there is no more cheap oil for us to drill.
2) Even if there was cheap oil to be found, having a chunk of Antarctica the size of 7 Manhattans drop into the water is a good indication that we have already past the point of easy remedies.
3) The party that is supposed to save the day by a landslide of votes indicating the country is truly ready for change, ready to stop the war in Iraq, to start making real environmental progress cannot find a candidate to run for president.
4) The country is spiraling into a recession.
5) Do I really need to find any more reasons? Climate change, end of cheap oil, recession, no savior to save the day. That pretty much sums it up.
Game over.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
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4 comments:
I see what you're doing...you're writing a movie script about two unemployed homeless drunks stumbling down the alley in tattered hooded sweatshirts and overcoats sharing a bottle of Wild Turkey.
...so, (as I slap the back of your head) pass the damn thing, will ya? It's MY TURN to talk about the end of the world, dammit!
I've been in this same mood lately, myself. It's not useful.
It's true we're facing serious problems. President Kennedy famously said, "When written in Chinese the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity."
Did you notice how Barack Obama, confronted with embarrassing video of inflammatory remarks by his pastor, didn't act just to limit the political damage to himself? He confronted danger, and he seized opportunity: he moved the ball down the field on the issue of race in America.
The Democrats have found a candidate to run for president. You'll see.
This is going to be a tough century here on planet earth. Terrible things are going to happen. Terrible things have happened throughout history, and humans have always found a way to turn crisis into opportunity, and build a new world on the ruins of the old. They don't wait for a savior to save the day; they step up and save it themselves. Leaders emerge. Years later, they're remembered as saviors. In the moment, they're just struggling along with everyone else.
You're right about "game over," though. The old game is over. As you said, we're past the point of easy remedies. All the choices now are tough ones. We can't afford to play around anymore. There's work to be done.
I'm with you Jyms. I was reading this morning about our Western water drying up. Add to that the huge bill coming for our current spending and I wonder if our generation hasn't been spoiled. The baby boomers had a good comfortable run thanks to their parents but I wonder if we're not going to be paying for their excess for another century. My only hope are those great sci fi flicks where civilization has moved to the clouds and we've solved the energy and economic problems. Of course, first we have to enslave an alien populace to work in the cholesterol mines.
Thank you for your comments guys. I do appreciate it.
Like a line from a cheesy song, "We are in this one together", and collectively we can tackle these issues one at a time. The world has cooled and warmed, our nation was a nation before we found oil and eventually Clinton will realize she has been hiking down a deer trial instead of a path. We just need to brace ourselves for the long road ahead. I have a feeling it is going to be bumpy. It's good to know you guys are along for the ride.
Jyms
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