The Quantum Peak Breast enlargement conspiracy
when was it -- 6 or 7 years ago? -- that gasoline was at an all time inflation adjusted low. I remember thinking "and we thought it'd be running out by now".
I can more easily believe the usual reasons for human behavior (stupidness, shortsightedness, bias, sloppiness) than believe:
- the feds have been fully aware of peak oil for years
- 911 is a GW planned action as part of an overall scheme to handle peak oil
- the feds run drugs to keep our troops high and stupid
I mean Jeeze -- look at poor Carter's screw-up trying to rescue a few hostages from a bunch of Iranian hothead amateurs. You think the World Trade Center could be rigged with bombs, and planes guided in, and Guiliani being in on the secret, and the suicide bombers NOT knowing? And the air defense system WOULD know about it? And the people who cleaned up at the Pentagon knowing no airplane crashed their because no wings had been found? And the airlines would have to know, I would think, that what hit the Pentagon was not their plane. And then where is that plane and the people on it?
It's crazy enough to think that peak oil is NOW and we're not in a panic, building windmills and banning recreational driving and taking over GM military style to manufacture solar panels.
But to combine our inactivity with a background of giant conspiracy... it's too much. GW's smirk is hiding something, but supreme intelligence, or even stupid participation in a conspiracy of that magnitude is unthinkable.
I do find curious that Matt Simmons consulted with Bush early in his Presidency. Then what: that's when Bush first got the 911 idea? And Matt Simmons is in on the game? I don't believe it, because Simmons in his calm tweedy way is running around screaming FIRE while no one, seemingly not even Bush, listens.
Simmons says Bush encourages him to keep speaking on the issue, which is interesting -- it implies (1) Simmons is not in on any game to pretend our actions have nothing to do with energy depletion; (2) Simmons a loyal Republic asked Bush, giving him a chance to silence Simmons; and (3) Bush really doesn't get it. He thinks in platitudes and generalities, and doesn't really understand he may leave an administration facing worst crisis than Herbert Hoover, but pre-bankrupted so there's no money to launch the crash programs that give us the best shot as making the best future for as many people as possible. (Define "best future" as you will -- I'd like to see industrial culture continue because I want to see Star Trek become nonfiction; but at a certain point the goal become being the best organic farming culture possible).
Peak oil makes sense to me because after all it's what King Hubbert predicted, and King was validated by the success of his 1970 prediction, and it's also consistent with the world view expressed by Jimmy Carter and by the objective evidence of frenzied exploration, reduced discoveries, and oil company mergers. So to that extent I a believer.
So what explains Clinton's inaction?
Or Al Gore's silence?
Or Jimmy Carter's silence?
The only remote possible explanation for conspiracy would have to be some horrific end-game -- some dramatically better outcome (from the point of view of some country or class) than the chaos and permanent deindustrialization that otherwise seems inevitable. Which would be what?
Putting oneself in a "thinking the unthinkable" mode, there's nothing wrong with the present situation that wouldn't be cured by eliminating the people who use, say, 25% of the world's oil. You wouldn't want to kill too many smart ones, because you'd want to use them during the 3 or so decades you just bought to invent fusion or quantum breast enlargement or something so we could get back to humanities real long term business of building real fast cars and downloading software that makes downloading easier.
Everything about this is nuts.
- Charles |
