Submitted by Bush tea
Source: Bloomberg
Bush tea we take your point but there is a process which Barbadians will have to undergo to achieve the philosophical change which you are suggesting. Could we say that the same triggers or mental gymnastics required for Barbadians to shift to greening is the precursor to changing how we are currently managing things?
David – BU
With the cost of oil ballooning to US $122 per barrel in May 2008, it has become apparent to just about everyone that we have a global crisis on our hands. Cheap oil is the foundation on which everything that we hold dear stands; from the water we drink; the food we eat; the way we travel, communicate; etc to the very materials – especially PVC’s and plastics that we use. Most of us only seem to have recognized this crisis now that the actual problem of high prices, scarcity, and even food riots and open chaos in some countries has hit us in the face.
Even more confusing, to my mind, has been the exercise of agreeing on how we need to respond to the crisis.
Putting aside the outrageous ideas such as having Government subsidize the cost of energy so that food and other products continue to be affordable; or of ‘negotiating’ double digit salary increases to enable workers wages to keep in step with rising costs; learned commentators such as JR and even the Barbados Light & Power now, have been pointing at conservation and finding alternatives to fossil fuels ( so called ‘greening’) as the best answer to the challenges that we face.
Question:
Why has oil become so valuable that it can now command a price that is 1000% of its value just 10 years ago?
The simple answer is because we have created a world where ‘success’ is defined in terms of the amount of goods that we are able to accumulate (GDP). In the last 40 years, our industrial infrastructure has been able to reach unprecedented levels of efficiency in producing goods and services. It stands to reason therefore that demand for ALL factors that are critical for ‘success’ will experience significant supply /demand pressures. It is not only fossil fuels that have exploded in value. Metals like copper, aluminum, gold etc and even rare items like plutonium have seen explosive increases in costs.
Here is the fundamental point.
If instead of oil, our industrial productive complex is converted to ‘green’ factors such as solar, wind, and bio products, the kind of phenomenal growth that current productive philosophies dictate will very quickly create a demand situation such that the basic input factors for the ‘green’ energy culture will experience the same pressures that oil and the metals etc now face.
In short, the basic problem will remain – only the symptoms will be a little different.
What then is the REAL problem?
The problem is obviously the clearly misguided but generally accepted philosophy that success is somehow related to ‘growth’ of productive output. Not that goods and services are unimportant, but surely- as with almost everything else- there is an optimum level of development above which, the cost-benefit factors decline significantly. The attached graph indicates this relationship.
We have moved our world into a position where enough persons are now far enough into the ‘B’ section of the graph that the overall strain is resulting in shortages of the critical inputs like oil. (… and lots of us – including those with huge resources, are increasingly unhappy) I am suggesting that the optimum developmental point is such that life on this earth can be idyllic for all of us, even while operating sustainably within the capacity of earth’s resources.
How much is enough?
Man is designed with unlimited potential. It is absolutely natural for us to refuse to be bounded by limits. This is why we spend billions to get to the heavens, the deepest depths of the sea and the darkest mysteries of life. It is also why we are so focused on ‘development’, which, to a certain point IS worthy of our ingenious efforts. The problem of course is that we have not recognized the REAL area of endeavor, which is intended to tax our collective drive and endurance, and like unguided youth we waste our enormous energies in fruitless and misguided endeavors.
It is like the common situation of the wayward child who, for lack of guidance from a special teacher, is condemned to become a troublesome mischief -maker, rather that the brilliant, talented leader of society that was possible – but for the proper directing of his natural talents. As a species, we have used our boundless talents to pursue material assets – and we have outdone ourselves to the point that the earth can no longer sustain our onslaught.
A change in course?
One would have thought that the current crisis would cause us to raise fundamental questions and would perhaps assist us in effectively changing course, but alas, we prefer to concentrate on finding alternative and more efficient means of misdirecting our energies towards accumulating goods.
As with the development of our youth, the critical factor in achieving any kind of success will be the existence and commitment of suitable teachers who can provide the leadership and guidance required. This is intended to be the role of the church, but we are now so far removed from this realization that some other arrangement will be needed if we are to move forward.
A hint from Bush tea
I am NOT a ‘teacher’ in the above sense, however I will provide a small hint of the REAL purpose and challenge on which our collective ingenuity and creativity should be channeled –
It is towards the creation and refinement of ‘excellence of character’.
…now here is a REAL challenge, given the different and contrasting personalities, ethnicities, moods and other differences among human beings, this is the ULTIMATE challenge that mankind can face.
To create a society where individuals, families, communities, countries and the global community, are molded into a model of human development. Where ultimately the epitome of achievement is a state of righteousness – that is – a state where a human being will CHOOSE to do the RIGHT thing given any range of conditions, options and inducements to the contrary.
No leader on this earth that I know of has the wisdom, strength or ability to put together such a global arrangement. However, I can tell you all – that very shortly, exactly such an arrangement will be implemented RIGHT HERE on this planet, including Barbados, by a leader that is ‘out of this world’.
…and Bush tea will be one of his boys…
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