<The Politics of Oil: The Discourse Must Change The Oil Drum Friday Open Thread>

68 comments on The more things change, the more they stay the same

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kjmclark on April 28, 2006 - 8:04am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I have a great deal of respect for everyone here, but I really can't fathom how anyone could expect otherwise.  The press release is great, but that doesn't mean anyone outside the blogosphere and the PO cognoscenti are going to see it.

Lynch, Yergin, and the USGS are both the acknowledged "experts" in the real world and those preaching a message that addicts want to hear: "Lots of oil, if those other people were willing to produce it."  The addicts hear, "no shortage, other people withholding supply to increase profit."  You do see that this is the message people are willing to believe, right?

The PO message will be considered when the "experts" are discredited.  They were "proven right" the last time around, when oil prices dropped in the 80s.  We know what really happened, but the addicts prefer to believe that Reagan frightened OPEC into giving up.

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David JM on April 28, 2006 - 1:02pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I agree completely.  People will believe what they are motivated to believe as long as there is even a reasonable possibility (and sometimes not even then) that it is true.  As long as we have some vocal "expert" voices reassuring people that nothing need change then they will be strongly inclined to believe them.  Our national junkie will not want to check into rehab if he/she can be persuaded that the next fix is in the spoon.
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68 comments on The more things change, the more they stay the same

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