The Christian Science Monitor takes a look at the growing likelihood that the world's major powers will soon butt heads over access to oil. There is a phrase that is bandied about frequently in this era: "the end of history." As much as I'd love to see it, I think we are going to learn in the near future that history may have paused for a little while, but it is back with a vengeance.
History is marked by battles for resources. Since World War II, most wars have been over ideology. It is easy to fool oneself into thinking that those days are gone. They aren't. China is a very hungry, very large nation which is going to be trying to secure oil resources to meet needs that one day could be much larger than our own. It is uncertain whether the earth's oil fields can meet the world's needs as former third world nations like China attempt to leap into the first world. What does this mean to us? Well, it could mean several things. It could mean that the world is facing terrible global economic crunch as demand rises much faster than supply. It could mean that major economic powers find themselves in armed conflict over petroleum resources. Or it could mean that the nation that pioneers an widely available, cheap form of alternate source of energy will be the leader in the world's future economy. If it is us, believe me, we won't seriously dedicate ourselves to it until we are in crisis, but once we get there, no one will do it better.
Which of these three paths will we travel down? I'm not going to venture to guess that. There are too many decisions to be made yet, too many variables that we cannot account for. Just don't think that we are anywhere near the end of history.
UPDATE
Before anyone starts to think I'm turning into an environmentalist or radically turning to the left, I will say that I'm still skeptical about our current alternative energy options. Take hydrogen, for example. Read this article in Popular Science for reasons why hydrogen is more hype than realistic option.
2 comments:
Why are we so reactive, as opposed to proactive?
We seriously need to start adopting alternative energy sources so that when it comes time (long time from now), we are in no crisis as such. I know it is hopeful, but the more we think about it and not act on it, the sooner will the crisis come.
I for one am looking for a reduction in hybrid car prices. Also, solar energy is next on the list. As long as it can run my air conditioner all summer long :-)
Reasonable question. I don't know why we aren't more pro-active on things. Perhaps because we are so good at circling our wagons and coming away better for it? Lame answer, I know, but it is a topic I've not really given much thought to before.
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