[ExI] Ignorant fear mongering (was Re: Doomsday Oil Price: (was RIP: Peak Oil))

[BillK]

2012/2/26 Stefano Vaj wrote:
> But what seems excessive to me is that some of use appear to deny *in
> principle* and *at any time* the risk of ending up in energetic (economic,
> evolutionary, etc.) dead ends, where selection for immediate returns would
> actively prevent us from making the investments or the detours necessary to
> get out of our predicament(s).
>
> This reminds me of faith in the Providence (or avatars thereof, such as the
> Invisible Hand) and is quite symmetrical to the millenial idea that Doom is
> impending unless we see the Errors of Our Ways, Atone and Expiate.
>
>

I have always found that it is much easier to make decisions when you
are faced with no alternative.
I have the feeling that is what our politicians are waiting for.

We already seem to be at the stage where we have no 'good' choices
left. Politicians like to offer a view of wondrous benefits if you
vote for them. Even in the middle of the worst financial crisis the
world has seen, politicians are eager to talk about their spending
plans.

At the moment the water is getting hot, but it is not yet hot enough
that we have to jump before we boil. Politicians just can't promise
higher taxes and work harder to solve a problem in twenty years time.
They won't get elected next year and that's their main concern. When
things get bad enough that the people are marching to demand higher
taxes and crash programs for energy development - then the politicians
will step forward and leap into action. We must anticipate bad things
to come.


BillK