We pretty much know how much oil we have out there at this point. After 150 years of exploration and advances in technology regarding under ground topography and understanding of geological sciences our understanding is astounding. We have the earth pretty well mapped out. It’s no long a mystery, even as much as it was just 30 ears ago.
The benefits of additional deep water drilling for society as a whole is very very minimal. It’s pretty much negligible actually. The benefits for the soon-to-be shrinking oil industry are huge. Put another way, it wont matter to joe six pac at all if the oil industry sucks out every last drop it can. he really won’t notice at all. So if you really want to fight for the right of the oil industry to exist a little bit longer at incalculable social costs(see nigeria, ecuador and GOM for details), go for it. Put up the good fight for them. I won’t be joining you.
Over this time we have painted ourselves into an oil corner(fossil fuel actually). With a massive infrastructure set up for fossil fuels. This massive century long investment will be with out a doubt worthless within a century, quite possible sooner and their is not a damn thing we can do about it.
The earth has plenty of natural energy to bring stability and we do have the technology to harness it. Here is the kicker, our market system will never deliver it and neither will out political system.
We are enslaved to institutions and really a cultural straight jacket that won’t allow us stability and we are talking a lot of potential instability in the cue if we are not careful.
What I’m seeking, and have been seeking for a while now is an understanding of our natural place in this world. What I’ve found, contrary to my expectations, is that we’re confused on a grand scale. Understanding that what we have is an institution of our own creation, makes it apparent that we hold our own destiny in our hands; it’s not an invisible hand that acts through our very nature, and thereby removes our free will to be otherwise, but rather a confusion waiting to be transcended.
My advice, to be taken or left of course, is always retain an open mind even about your deepest convictions, or you’re little more than an artifact. We need a fully integrated view of this world and our place in it with respect to life itself, and it isn’t easy to put into one liners and political talking points.
