Sunday, April 27, 2008

I don't like oil.

After hearing and reading about the 48 hour closure of the North Sea oil pipeline due to the 1,200 person union strike at the Grangemouth, Scotland refinery, I began to think about dependency. Motorists and consumers were urged by the government "not to hoard fuel, saying there would be enough to go around." In attempt to offset the 700,000 barrels of oil per day supplied by the pipeline and to ensure that there is "enough to go around" the Scottish government is importing 72,000 tons of fuel from Europe. Some fuel stations in Edinburgh are limiting purchases while others have already reported they have run out of gas.

What happens when there is "not enough to go around?"

People cannot travel (unless they walk or bike).
People cannot get to work (unless they work in their own community).
People cannot earn notes of exchage (see above).
People cannot buy food (unless they know local farmers and/or trade other possessions).
People cannot eat (unless they grow their own food or know local farmers).

We are obviously an oil dependent people. What all are we dependent upon that may need remedied where we would be deeply troubled if there was "not enough to go around?

12 comments:

-Steb- said...

coffee ....... ;)

:::: Travis Keller :::: said...

i think that i am dependent on many things more than coffee... except for right now as i finish a postmodern philosophy essay suggesting the current state of the church and some prescribed remedies. one of which may include dependency on the communitas rather than a global economy.

Clark W. Griswald said...

how about air?

:::: Travis Keller :::: said...

j clark,
i think you are being facetious however make a good point about quality air management.

Tyler DeLong said...

Man it would suck to have to walk or ride a bike somewhere...i can't image the pain that would rip through my heart if I couldn't drive my car...

Oil is a god.

I think it is interesting that in the 80's when there was an oil scare, car companies came out with little cars and stopped manufacturing the big gas guzzlers. But we see in todays culture they are producing more and more big SUV's rather than smaller cars to help with the economy and environment, not to mention lowering our dependancy on oil.

:::: Travis Keller :::: said...

tyler.
are you saying you don't like my honda element? are you telling me that i worship another god named oil?

Tyler DeLong said...

no travis I am not saying YOU worship oil, or that I don't like your element (it is actually pretty fuel efficiant) but i am saying that in our culture, oil has become something we worship and we will even kill for it. This is seen in many other "staples" in our society.

is oil not a god?

myoldblog2009 said...

"There Will Be Blood"

ache said...

today the president was drilled with questions about oil and food issues.

he could not answer a single one of them.

radically thinking, maybe running out of oil would be the best thing for our world.

:::: Travis Keller :::: said...

ache,
good to hear from you. let me know when you are in the mv. i might agree with your radical proposition - though chaos and violence would temporarily exist.

Anonymous said...

AMISH

myoldblog2009 said...

http://www.powerofcommunity.org/

do it

Matthew 5:38-48, NASB

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone want to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only you brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."