The Grand Delusion
James Howard Kunstler has a thought-provoking editorial in Sunday's Washington Post about how delusional we (USians) are being when we keep talking about looking for "solutions" to the energy crisis (hybrid cars; other potential Iraqs awaiting invasion) without admitting that the way we've structured our society over the past 50 years has been --will be-- our biggest downfall.
While it'll probably be argued that he's oversimplifying the global food crisis a bit, his main point should cause quite a bit of soul-searching amongst those who plan to be around on this planet over the next few decades. In the short term: without cars or airplanes, he asks us to imagine how important our passenger rail system --yeah remember that?!-- will become in the near future. I imagine long-distance travel becoming nearly as difficult as in horse-n-buggy days! Definitely something to think about! Let's hope others in this city are listening too.
While it'll probably be argued that he's oversimplifying the global food crisis a bit, his main point should cause quite a bit of soul-searching amongst those who plan to be around on this planet over the next few decades. In the short term: without cars or airplanes, he asks us to imagine how important our passenger rail system --yeah remember that?!-- will become in the near future. I imagine long-distance travel becoming nearly as difficult as in horse-n-buggy days! Definitely something to think about! Let's hope others in this city are listening too.
hey. cool link. I think the end of cheap, easy long-distance travel will bring back the traveling road show/medicine show. People who are able to travel in a manageable way will have a rare commodity to bring to isolated neighbrhoods; travel stories, news, fun, etc.
Posted by: david | Sunday, June 08, 2008 at 11:57 AM
YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I have been looking for this article every since I read it.
Thank you. Thank you.
Its so good and practical.
Posted by: m.dot | Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 03:56 PM