Speedbumps or mountains?
Speedbumps are those little hills they place in parking lots and backstreets to prevent people from driving too fast. They're part of a category of strategies called "Traffic calming".
As oil hits a new record high of $78/bbl today, apparently related to fears over violence in the middle east, what should we make of this?
Are these "speed bumps" designed to "slow us down" and convince us to use less oil for our own good?
Or is it a "Sword of Damocles", signing our future doom lest we change our ways ASAP?!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_of_Damocles
I suppose I'd say BOTH are true, and the Damocles myth seems appropriate, except with fossil fuels a good fraction of humanity has now collectively rise to the power of kings of old, and our place may be just as unstable as that sword hanging above the king's head by a hair.
The moral of the story is we're suppose to not envy the wealthy and aspire to a simple and happy life without great wealth, but also without great worries either.
I lean to accept this intepretation, but on the other hand, what power do I willingly turn down? Accepting power is one thing, and being dependent upon it is another. Well, so we can think. Am I dependent upon the A/C now cooling my evening? Probably not, but will I turn it off as long as I can afford it? Moderation? right?!
The first response to speed bumps is to slow down, but when you've past them, do you speed up again, or see the world differently?
My hope is we hit $150/bbl oil as soon as possible, of course with a minimum of human misery, but whatever it takes without overt mass destruction, I must say sooner the better.
Let us collectively "look up" and see the sword, even for a moment. That's a worthy lesson, although different responses are always possible. (Why doesn't that king just move his throne over a bit?!)
Anyway, a good day for the oil bull. May he keep rising and shine down on us his wisdom.
And may god have mercy on my sorry soul.
P.S. More fun imagination at:
http://www.fcnp.com/619/peakoil.htm The Peak Oil Crisis: Independence Day 2006 – America's last fling?
As oil hits a new record high of $78/bbl today, apparently related to fears over violence in the middle east, what should we make of this?
Are these "speed bumps" designed to "slow us down" and convince us to use less oil for our own good?
Or is it a "Sword of Damocles", signing our future doom lest we change our ways ASAP?!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_of_Damocles
I suppose I'd say BOTH are true, and the Damocles myth seems appropriate, except with fossil fuels a good fraction of humanity has now collectively rise to the power of kings of old, and our place may be just as unstable as that sword hanging above the king's head by a hair.
The moral of the story is we're suppose to not envy the wealthy and aspire to a simple and happy life without great wealth, but also without great worries either.
I lean to accept this intepretation, but on the other hand, what power do I willingly turn down? Accepting power is one thing, and being dependent upon it is another. Well, so we can think. Am I dependent upon the A/C now cooling my evening? Probably not, but will I turn it off as long as I can afford it? Moderation? right?!
The first response to speed bumps is to slow down, but when you've past them, do you speed up again, or see the world differently?
My hope is we hit $150/bbl oil as soon as possible, of course with a minimum of human misery, but whatever it takes without overt mass destruction, I must say sooner the better.
Let us collectively "look up" and see the sword, even for a moment. That's a worthy lesson, although different responses are always possible. (Why doesn't that king just move his throne over a bit?!)
Anyway, a good day for the oil bull. May he keep rising and shine down on us his wisdom.
And may god have mercy on my sorry soul.
P.S. More fun imagination at:
http://www.fcnp.com/619/peakoil.htm The Peak Oil Crisis: Independence Day 2006 – America's last fling?
posted by Ares Olympus at 9:20 PM
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