Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoHCHII
You are exactly right and its one of the reasons I really have concern for the dominance of the west going into the future. Our society is so built along individuality, individual competition and shorter term goals and frequent validation of those goals, I really don't see us holding up to societies with a different paradigm. I am skeptical the US can make the transition to a sustainable society this late in the game. There are many variables working against it (demographic, paradigm, built out suburbanization, debasing of the currency), and while in the past innovation has delayed the inevitable, this appears to be one big economic shock.
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All I can say to 1stpik is, "Wow".
You hit the nail on the head with that post.
We're in a huge amount of trouble; we're a much poorer nation than we realize and things are about to get a lot worse.
Our preeminence in developing new technologies is being squandered and even crippled. And while this is happening, control over vital strategic resources; oil and gas, are being cornered by state controlled enterprises; Gasprom in Russia, Sinopec in China, Aramco in Saudi Arabia, the Venezuelan government, the thugocracy in Kazakstan, the kleptocracy in Nigeria, etc. The "Seven Sisters" no longer control the worlds most vital resources anymore. Their percentage is down to around 10%. In the meantime, 90% of the world's oil and gas is largely controlled by what can best be described as organized crime syndicates.
These countries oppose our culture and its values and will relentlessly suck money out of our economy. They will get stronger, we will get weaker.
Meanwhile, the two most important things we could do to survive; conserve and develop new energy technologies for export sale, are being discouraged and undermined in every conceivable way possible.