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107 comments on a linear extrapolation of oil consumption by demand growth, production growth, and demand elasticity

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Subkommander Dred on January 22, 2006 - 10:17am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
With all due respect JD, can you imagine the backlash that would occur in this country if the government MANDATED carpooling. I can think of fewer things that would make the wags at Fox News and radio call in shows go absolutely ballistic than the government telling citizens that they have to "give up the soveriegnty of their sacred SUV." Unfotunately, as much as I think your proposal has a significant degree of merit, I don't think the current way of thinking for Joe and Jackie Sixpack out in the burbs is going to jump for something like that. The problems this country (and the world, for that matter) face regarding the coming (perhaps even it's already started) energy crisis is going to cause a lot of folks significant hardship, but I think the worse things get, the worse will be our response as a society, not to find a better way of living together, but in the pursuit of keeping things just as they are. I believe the term "Business As Usual" is the phrase most appropriate. When the Vice President of the United States declares unconditionally that the American way of life is non-negotitable, I think he's speaking for millions of our fellow citizens who would rather engage in military misadventures and other foolhardy pursuits (tar sands, shale deposits...Is there a snake oil salesman close by?) than face up to the fact that we live in an interdepent planet with finite resources. Sorry to be such a buzzkill, and perhaps I am completely wrong, but past experience is shown this to be the case.
 
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dissident on January 22, 2006 - 10:47am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Peak oil strikes at the heart of the monetarist ideology currently occupying the "commanding heights" of western civilization.  Talk of finite resources and shortages that require government intervention is an anathema to the current crop of decision makers.  They believe in the panacea of the invisible hand and are in denial.  I think there is a chance to get average people to change their ways but the real problem is getting the powerful to wake up.
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Agric on January 22, 2006 - 3:25pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
But, Dred, what about the bands of eco-terrorists who will roam the suburbs burning the filthy SUVs?

The SUVs must go, and before too long, one way or another. After all, they (and their associated mentality) are the real reason the 'american way of life' is in peril.

If you have an SUV sell it now, before it becomes worthless.

Business as usual will soon not be an option, the planet has said so and is not going to negotiate.

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ericy on January 22, 2006 - 7:44pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Eco-terrorists will not be needed.  The people who are stuck owning the things will find them to be such albatrosses that they will torch them themselves and try to collect the insurance.  In the end eco-terrorists would get the blame, I suppose.
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Subkommander Dred on January 23, 2006 - 9:05am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Bands of Eco terrorists aside (does that include Weyerhauser and Halliburton, by the way) I sold my ridiculously huge pickup truck earlier this year and now use a BMW Dakar (really sweet ride) motorcycle. At 70 MPG, it's much better on gas than the Dodge Ram I had. Fortunately, I live in a place where I can walk to work pretty easily, take the bus to get most of where I need to go when inclement weather strikes, borrow my roomates totally beat Toyota for grocery shopping or other such tasks, and last but not least take a cab if all other options are not available. So I try to walk the talk that I see many folks discuss on this board and elswhere. As far as the SUV madness that this country is currently engaged in (consumer madness, credit madness, war madness,ect) I think things are going to have to get pretty bad for individuals to give up their SUV's. I had read somewhere (was it on this board?) that some folks, not being able to make ends meet driving such gas guzzling hogs, stuck with large payments and the prospect of losing a significant amount of cash on an upside down trade on something more fuel efficient have taken to torching their own vehicles so as to collect on the insurance. These are strictly anecdotal, and I know of no one personally who has done so, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if this is so.
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