The Oil Drum

My father is 87 and still strong – especially in mind. He has clear memories back to his maternal grandfather (born 1861) and the way of life they had, and then his father through World War I, and of course what my parents went through at school, during the Depression (which hit Australia extremely hard too), World War II, and the raising of their family through the 50s and 60s boom.

He is part of the Greatest Generation, and he is not that unusual (well in some ways he is exceptional, not just through longevity) in his broad range of skills, independence, knowledge, but above all, his sense of community and a belief in a social good. He also dragged himself out of the working class, and now lives in old age quite comfortably with my mother. But they have never retreated to a individualism that is the dominant theme today – they are curious and interested in the world, and in old-fashioned values such as self-responsibility, justice, equality, and fairness.

We occasionally have long talks about the way the world has changed – at all sorts of levels. He is a total believer in Peak Oil, but equally, just about Peak Everything. The world may change incrementally, but by some measures the world has changed at lightning speed during his lifetime (1920 – ). He is a guy who can still use a wide range of beautiful hand tools, but is also quite au fait with the Internet – and everything in between.

He bemoans (as I do) the destruction of community caused by the motor car – and while he acknowledges the enormous freedom mass car ownership has afforded, he is very critical of the neglect of public transport, and the spread of suburban sprawl outwards from every city. Along with the neglect of public transport, there has been a major change in his mind – a neglect of the commonweal on just about every level.

He reserves his greatest criticisms for wars – especially resource wars. His (our) whole family has been dramatically affected by war – over many generations – and his strong anti-Vietnam stances were almost career-threatening at the time (he was a life long schoolteacher and then college lecturer). His greatest contribution to his small circle has been his long-standing resistance to mindless consumerism, and he and my mother both quietly shake their heads watching the rampant spending of their grandchildren, and all their friends.

They see the wealth these young people enjoy, but understand intuitively (and to some extent analytically) that it is simply not sustainable for very long. They are aware that the massive paradigm shifts will occur after their lifetime, but in some ways it is ironic. If the world did change dramatically while they were alive – it is in fact their generation that would clearly be best equipped to deal with it. Much better than my cohort (baby boomers), and certainly more than the iPod, plasma screen, jet-setting younger generation. Interesting – and scary – times indeed.

The APEC Summit concluded in Sydney on Sunday – and energy issues were virtually absent, despite the presence of Australia (as host), USA, China, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and so on. It is as if the whole world cannot emerge from the denial – to do so publicly would bring it all down in ways that are too unpredictable to be allowable.