This post examines our own history on the planet, outlines how the ancient-derived reward pathways of our brain are easily hijacked by modern stimuli, and concludes that in very real ways, we have become addicted to the 'consumptive behaviors' linked to oil.

Gold Plated Porsche

Editor's note: I have learned a great deal more on the twin drivers of consumption - relative status and habituation/addiction since what follows was first written. However, despite best intentions, I am personally even more habituated to stimulation offered in modern American culture and my life still has about the same physical dependence on oil's emergent properties as it did back then. On the bright side however, I have continued my decade long shift of 'competition for status' away from pecuniary metrics...