Back OpEd News | |||||||
Original Content at https://www.opednews.com/articles/Peak-Oil-Simplicity-Isn-t-by-Richard-Turcotte-Change_Democracy_Energy_Future-160413-840.html (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). |
April 13, 2016
Peak Oil: Simplicity Isn't Always So Simple
By Richard Turcotte
While there's surely some benefit derived in keeping things simple for readers and followers, I'm still unclear as to what the long-term benefits are for them [and the rest of us] when the full range of facts and considerations about our future energy supply are kept off of the discussion table.
::::::::
Democracy holds out a promise that we will get to make choices about what we will do in our community. But each time we choose to ignore the factual truths staring right at us, we ensure that future generations will have fewer and fewer choices.
Offered in the context of climate change, that quote holds the same meaning and truth for peak oil and all other complex, challenging issues in our society for which universal agreement is lacking.
The challenges posed by peak oil [a depleting, finite resource whose substitutes carry a host of drawbacks: higher costs; greater production challenges; less efficient; environmental consequences, etc.] is all the greater--if that's possible--because from the perspective of those of us legitimately concerned about providing full disclosure, too many citizens without the means/opportunities to understand what's at stake rely on informed others making a deliberate decision to disclose either too few facts from which to make informed decisions, or carefully massaged facts with a self-serving purpose.
A steady diet of half-truths, misrepresentations, irrelevancies, distractions, abundance forever nonsense, and in some cases outright lies certainly suggests disagreement about energy supply issues for those who make no independent determinations on the matter. If you come to the table without understanding or even knowing the facts, you leave very quickly with a comforting if false belief that there are no issues worth considering. Furthermore, it's more difficult to contribute meaningful insight, or even just have a chance to voice concerns or ask questions if you've been told there's nothing to be concerned about.
Perhaps there's a good explanation for why making a critical, looming problem worse later on; for more people and industries affected by that problem; in more ways, and with costlier options at hand--not to mention fewer ones--is actually a wiser course of action than just telling the truth and offering up all of the facts.
So " what is it?
[http://peakoilmatters.com/2016/03/15/simplicity-has-disadvantages/]
Looking Left and Right: Inspiring Different Ideas, Envisioning Better Tomorrows
I remain a firm believer in late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone's observation that "We all do better when we all do better." That objective might be worth pursuing more diligently."
If we don't look for ways to tamp down the vitriol and intense hatred which members of Left and Right teams freely direct at "the opposition," we will not only foreclose whatever options might still remain to find common ground that moves us all forward. Worse still, we will eliminate both the hopes for and attainment of a better and more peaceful future. We're too close to achieving that empty triumph as it is.
We might not want to acknowledge that we're all in this together, but we are. The sooner we pause for a moment and ask ourselves What Happens Then? if we continue to stoke the white-hot partisan fires, the sooner we realize that sustaining polarization is not in the best interests of anyone.
If we keep doing more of the same partisan same, the answer to What Happens Then? won't be to anyone's liking--not that current antipathy is offering us much. It's actually not contributing anything other than deepening the divide. There will be harsher consequences from doing more of the same.
Aren't we better than that? Shouldn't we want, expect, and deserve more?
There's plenty of blame to go around, of course. But we're no closer to one side winning--whatever that might mean--than we ever have. Partisans on each side might not (or might not want to) believe that, but if Left or Right is counting on Right or Left to concede, a long and painful wait is all that's guaranteed.
Sure as hell we won't experience "better" by doing more of what we're doing now".So I'm hoping to do my part by offering--from my staunchly progressive approach--a different and more meaningful perspective on our conflicted public dialogue. I invite you to join in. Who knows " we just might get to a better place after all!
Richard Turcotte is a retired attorney and former financial adviser (among other professional detours) and now a writer.