Comments on: Superfluous Luxuries: How science was put in the service of greed http://www.thecommentfactory.com/superfluous-luxuries-how-science-was-put-in-the-service-of-greed-2198 Join And Start Writing Today! Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:16:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ralph http://www.thecommentfactory.com/superfluous-luxuries-how-science-was-put-in-the-service-of-greed-2198/comment-page-1#comment-2028 Ralph Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:00:14 +0000 http://www.thecommentfactory.com/?p=2198#comment-2028 [cont] As for sources you are right, it is not a thoroughly checked article, any points are derived from a variety of documentaries and a wealth of articles, books and lectures. They are the ones that have stuck as there is a near universal consensus on them, such as how long oil will last. A Crude Awakening is a good film, as is The Planet (can watch this on youtube), and I generally believe George Monbiot without question (I know, dangerous in any case but he is damn convincing), who has proved very enlightening. For official figures check out the sustainable development commission, pretty much all you need to know. Lifted those figures bout TVs/household from the Economist book of figures 2009. [cont]
As for sources you are right, it is not a thoroughly checked article, any points are derived from a variety of documentaries and a wealth of articles, books and lectures. They are the ones that have stuck as there is a near universal consensus on them, such as how long oil will last. A Crude Awakening is a good film, as is The Planet (can watch this on youtube), and I generally believe George Monbiot without question (I know, dangerous in any case but he is damn convincing), who has proved very enlightening. For official figures check out the sustainable development commission, pretty much all you need to know. Lifted those figures bout TVs/household from the Economist book of figures 2009.

]]> By: Ralph http://www.thecommentfactory.com/superfluous-luxuries-how-science-was-put-in-the-service-of-greed-2198/comment-page-1#comment-2027 Ralph Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:59:52 +0000 http://www.thecommentfactory.com/?p=2198#comment-2027 Fair comments-Mike, I woholeheatedy agree and the world is rapidly revealing itself as an ever increasingly unjust place, with the most culpable contributers to something like climate change (which is and will be linked to countless humanitarian crises) getting off scott free. I think that the fallout from global warming is entirely unpredictable, or least I am in no ways qualified to predict it, but through our lack of adaptative measures, I do envisage an incredibly drastic change to our society. Just looking around to the extent to which our lives depend on cheap oil, it is everywhere.. which leads me to your point John; you'd be surprised how relatively few people are aware that our deposits of oil will be exhausted so imminently. We are looking at 40 yrs given the accelerated usage and increasing population sizes. There are alternatives, many of which are economically unviable for widespread installation (like solar power), many of which are just not being implemented half as effectively as they should (wind power), some of which are still highly controversial and divisive (nuclear, biofuels) and above all there is an overwhelming lack of support from government. Even the most ambitious governments are not doing nearly enough. Fair comments-Mike, I woholeheatedy agree and the world is rapidly revealing itself as an ever increasingly unjust place, with the most culpable contributers to something like climate change (which is and will be linked to countless humanitarian crises) getting off scott free. I think that the fallout from global warming is entirely unpredictable, or least I am in no ways qualified to predict it, but through our lack of adaptative measures, I do envisage an incredibly drastic change to our society. Just looking around to the extent to which our lives depend on cheap oil, it is everywhere..
which leads me to your point John; you'd be surprised how relatively few people are aware that our deposits of oil will be exhausted so imminently. We are looking at 40 yrs given the accelerated usage and increasing population sizes. There are alternatives, many of which are economically unviable for widespread installation (like solar power), many of which are just not being implemented half as effectively as they should (wind power), some of which are still highly controversial and divisive (nuclear, biofuels) and above all there is an overwhelming lack of support from government. Even the most ambitious governments are not doing nearly enough.

]]> By: john forthright http://www.thecommentfactory.com/superfluous-luxuries-how-science-was-put-in-the-service-of-greed-2198/comment-page-1#comment-2023 john forthright Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:17:21 +0000 http://www.thecommentfactory.com/?p=2198#comment-2023 Ralph, It would be nice if this article cited a few of its sources. Am i supposed to take all this doomsday knowledge hands down? And while you don't have to be a genius to realize oil won't last forever, there are alternatives. Ralph,
It would be nice if this article cited a few of its sources. Am i supposed to take all this doomsday knowledge hands down? And while you don't have to be a genius to realize oil won't last forever, there are alternatives.

]]> By: Mike Soley http://www.thecommentfactory.com/superfluous-luxuries-how-science-was-put-in-the-service-of-greed-2198/comment-page-1#comment-2021 Mike Soley Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:06:43 +0000 http://www.thecommentfactory.com/?p=2198#comment-2021 "everyone in a position to make a difference is accountable for this world’s demise." Ralph - Very prescient editorial from one so young. But sadly the way of the world is such that those most responsible seldom if ever pay the consequences. I agree with your projection of collapse but don't expect the walls to simply come tumbling down. Instead get used to what Jim Kunstler terms: "The Long Emergency". A long, slow, agonizing decline... Mike "everyone in a position to make a difference is accountable for this world’s demise."

Ralph – Very prescient editorial from one so young. But sadly the way of the world is such that those most responsible seldom if ever pay the consequences.

I agree with your projection of collapse but don't expect the walls to simply come tumbling down. Instead get used to what Jim Kunstler terms: "The Long Emergency". A long, slow, agonizing decline…

Mike

]]>