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 === 6. The Paradox of Petroleum: Peak Oil and Debt Slavery === === 6. The Paradox of Petroleum: Peak Oil and Debt Slavery ===
  
-[Summary to be developed]: Geologists estimate that what was known in the 21st century ​peak oil’ had been reached by about 2007. By then, half of the known, easily accessible petroleum deposits in the world had already been used up in the frenzied race for industrial growth. This meant that each new barrel of oil would cost increasingly more to produce ​by expensive processes like refining oil sands, ​cracking ​shale all, and deep-ocean drilling platforms, all of which engendered ​enormous damage to the natural and built environments. ​+[Summary to be developed]: Geologists estimate that what was known in the 21st century ​as "peak oil" ​had been reached by about 2007. By then, half of the known, easily accessible petroleum deposits in the world had already been used up in the frenzied race for industrial growth. This meant that each new barrel of oil would, over time, cost increasingly more to produce, using unconvential methods of extraction such as refining oil sands, ​fracking ​shale oil, and drilling in the deep ocean. All of these entailed ​enormous damage to the natural and built environments. ​
  
-Setting aside huge costs which the oil companies, protected by government “regulation,” were able to “externalize” (and which we are still struggling to restore), the net result of peak oil was rising costs, so that it took more and more oil to recover and refine each new barrel, thus making petroleum-based ​energy ​more costly than non-polluting sources like wind and sun. But wind and sun are free, while the wealth and power of the Petroleum/​Military/​Industrial/​Agrobiz complex depended on a near-monopoly ​of energy ​sales and profits. So as the world heated up, capitalist governments continued to subsidize oil instead of cheaper ecological alternatives.+Setting aside huge costs which the oil companies, protected by government “regulation” were able to “externalize” (and which we are still struggling to restore), the net result of peak oil was rising costs, so that it required ​more and more energy ​to recover and refine each new barrel, thus making petroleum-based ​sources ​more costly than non-polluting sources like wind and sun. But wind and sun are free, while the wealth and power of the Petroleum/​Military/​Industrial/​Agrobiz complex depended on a near-monopoly ​on energy ​extraction ​and distribution. So as the world heated up, capitalist governments continued to subsidize oil instead of cheaper ecological alternatives.
    
-Rapidly, petroleum inputs became too costly for the profitable fertilization of small farms, and peasants became debt-slaves to the money-lenders and banks who represented Agrobiz. Even the massive factory farms linked with the vast international supermarket chains and petroleum-based transportation systems that delivered their protests ​were affected. Competition forced them to keep their prices as low as possible, and many went bankrupt or were absorbed by their competitors. The fortunate side of this squeeze was that it gave the price and quality advantage to the networks of small, local, organic farms that were developing everywhere. ​+Rapidly, petroleum inputs became too costly for the profitable fertilization of small farms, and peasants became debt-slaves to the money-lenders and banks who represented Agrobiz. Even the massive factory farms linked with the vast international supermarket chains and petroleum-based transportation systems that delivered their products ​were affected. Competition forced them to keep their prices as low as possible, and many went bankrupt or were absorbed by their competitors. The fortunate side of this squeeze was that it gave the price and quality advantage to the networks of small, local, organic farms that were developing everywhere. ​
  
-=== 7. “Heaven in Hell” ​– Mutual Aid and the Eros Effect ===+=== 7. “Heaven in Hell”Mutual Aid and the Eros Effect ===
  
-Whether under conditions of famine, epidemic, flooding, fire or drought, when disasters struck, ordinary people all over the world generally reacted more or less the same way: by showing compassion and helping each other, neighbors and strangers joining together to save what could be saved. ​ Almost everywhere, informal networks ​spontaneous sprung ​up providing ​food, shelter, medical assistance, transportation. Acting locally in response to immediate needs, neighbors appropriated whatever materials necessary to save lives, feed the children and care for the injured. ​+Whether under conditions of famine, epidemic, flooding, fire or drought, when disasters struck, ordinary people all over the world generally reacted more or less the same way: by showing compassion and helping each other, neighbors and strangers joining together to save what could be saved. ​ Almost everywhere, informal networks ​spontaneously sprang ​up to provide ​food, shelter, medical assistance, ​and transportation. Acting locally in response to immediate needs, neighbors appropriated whatever materials ​were necessary to save lives, feed the children and care for the injured. ​
  
-An ethos of mutual aid and solidarity, charity and human decency, caring and sharing emerged in almost every disaster community. Networks formed between communities as aid flowed in from the outside. Individuals who did not see themselves as particularly courageous or generousfound themselves taking enormous risks to save the lives of stranger. People emerged from their previous isolation and felt themselves part of a community, no longer alone, both protecting and protected. Common suffering and common struggle created powerful bonds among previous strangers. They discovered new strengths and capacities within themselves, and shed their guilts ​and inhibitions. Together, they felt a sort of exultation, a sense that their lives had a meaningful purpose, a kind of joy in the midst of sorrow and struggle. ​+An ethos of mutual aid and solidarity, charity and human decency, caring and sharing emerged in almost every disaster-stricken ​community. Networks formed between communities as aid flowed in from the outside. Individuals who did not see themselves as particularly courageous or generous found themselves taking enormous risks to save the lives of strangers. People emerged from their previous isolation and felt themselves part of a community, no longer alone, both protecting and protected. Common suffering and common struggle created powerful bonds among previous strangers. They discovered new strengths and capacities within themselves, and shed their guilt and inhibitions. Together, they felt a sort of exultation, a sense that their lives had a meaningful purpose, a kind of joy in the midst of sorrow and struggle. ​
  
-This contagious exaltation had been observed throughout history ​during ​revolutionary periods. During the European peasant ​war of the 15th through 17th century and the 19th century Taiping Rebellion in China, it had taken the form of religious ecstasy. Karl Marx had described the Communards of revolutionary Paris in 1871: [“storming the heavens, careless of …” [Help CAN’T FIND QUOTE] ​ The classic French sociologist Emile Durkheim labeled this contagious feeling “collective effervescence.” ​+This contagious exaltation had been observed throughout history ​in revolutionary periods. During the European peasant ​wars of the 15th through 17th century and the 19th century Taiping Rebellion in China, it had taken the form of religious ecstasy. Karl Marx had described the Communards of revolutionary Paris in 1871: [“storming the heavens, careless of …” [Help CAN’T FIND QUOTE] ​ The classic French sociologist Emile Durkheim labeled this contagious feeling “collective effervescence.” ​
  
-This revolutionary effervescence showed itself capable of infecting individual communities but of jumping ​across national and cultural boundaries. The contagion of democratic revolutions of 1848, known as “the Springtime of nations,” spread from Paris across all Europe within days, thanks to the new connectivity of the day: the telegraph and the railroad.+This revolutionary effervescence showed itself capable ​not only of infecting individual communities but of leaping ​across national and cultural boundaries. The contagion of democratic revolutions of 1848, known as “the Springtime of nations,​” ​had spread from Paris across all Europe within days, thanks to the new connectivity of the day: the telegraph and the railroad. And in 1968, in the wake of an international wave of radical uprisings, the contemporary historian George Katsiaficas dubbed this phenomenon (borrowing a phrase from Herbert Marcuse) “the Eros Effect.” [insert quote] In 2009, the writer/​activist Rebecca Solnit published a book whose title prefigured the dominant social phenomenon of the Great Collapse and the nature of our own surviving societies: //A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disasters//.
  
-In the wake of the international wave of radical uprisings ​of 1968, the contemporary historian George Katsiaficas,​ dubbed this phenomenon (borrowing a phrase from Marcuse) “the Eros Effect.” [insert ​quote] In 2009, the writer/activist Rebecca Solnit published ​book whose title prefigured the dominant social phenomenon ​of the Great Collapse ​and the nature ​of our own surviving societies: //A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disasters//.+[Develop here the reversal ​of accepted wisdom that humans are basically competitive,​ egotistical and mean - law of jungle lie to bolster capitalism’s inhumanity. Show how Darwin’s ideas of natural selection were distorted by Huxley and especially Spencerto stress competition and reinforce ​the negative view of human nature propounded by Hobbes and the atomized economic individual of Locke at the beginning of the modern eraThen quote Kropotkin’s ​//Mutual Aid as Factor in Evolution//​. Modern 21st century biological research now proves him right, with discoveries ​of complexity, interrelation ​and mutual support of every organism from bacteria and mushrooms to trees and humans. Quote from work of Pablo Servigne ​the Collapsologist on the same subject. Develop examples narratives ​of Mutual Aid in disasters.]
  
-[Develop here the reversal of accepted wisdom: that humans are basically competitiveegotistical ​and mean: law of jungle lie to bolster capitalism’s inhumanityShow how Darwins ideas of natural selection were distorted by Huxley and especially Spencerto stress competition ​and reinforce ​the negative view of human nature propounded by Hobbes and the atomized economic individual of Locke at the beginning of the modern eraThen quote Kropotkin’s //Mutual Aid as Factor in Evolution//​. Modern 21st century biological research now proves him right, with discovering of complexity, interrelation and mutual support of every organism from bacteria and mushrooms to trees and humans. Quote from work of Pablo Servigne the Collapsologist ​on the same subject. Develop examples narratives of Mutual Aid in disaster.]+Workers were still doing their jobs in emergency situations to help others liveland was taken over and cultivated, available food was distributedStockholders’ interests, corporate profits, and the stock market itself were things ​of the pastWho would bet his wealth on dead horse? Who would bet his life on a collapsing system?
  
-Workers were still doing their jobs in emergency situations to help others live, land was taken over and cultivated, available food was distributed. Stockholders’ interests, corporate profits, the stock market itself were things of the past. Who would bet his wealth on a dead horse? Who would bet his life on a collapsing system? +Split in ruling classes. Many decent technicians,​ officers, engineers and managers broke ranks with their their peers and joined in as volunteers in disaster relief, bringing with them their skills and experience. Likewise, firefighters and medical personnel ​pitched ​in with the communities they lived in, and no longer ​respected ​the official hierarchies.
- +
-Split in ruling classes. Many decent technicians,​ officers, engineers and managers broke ranks with their their peers and joined in as volunteers in disaster relief, bringing with them to self-organize communities ​their skills and experience. Likewise, firefighters and medical personnel ​pitch in with the communities they live in, and no longer ​respect ​the official hierarchies.+
  
 === 8. Dual Power === === 8. Dual Power ===
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 [Needs much development] [Needs much development]
  
-Transport workers commandeered trains and trucks to help move it. Communities spontaneously requisitioned and took over resources needed for disaster aid. +Transport workers commandeered trains and trucks to help move people out of and relief supplies and personnel into disaster zones. Communities spontaneously requisitioned and took over resources needed for disaster aid. 
  
-Then governments and the powerful would intervene violently with ‘aid’ in the form of armed repression as in New Orleans and Haïti, to defend the private property of the rich and prevent the people from appropriating the resources necessary to survive.+Then governments and the powerful would intervene violently with ‘aid’ in the form of armed repression as in New Orleans and Haiti, to defend the private property of the rich and prevent the people from appropriating the resources necessary to survive.
  
 Conflict and dual power developed [SECTION TO DEVELOP BELOW: dual power. Develop how the pre-Collapse work of ecologists developing new forms of permaculture and the gains of the Green New Deal both were important for laying the groundwork for future transformation. Give them full credit.] Conflict and dual power developed [SECTION TO DEVELOP BELOW: dual power. Develop how the pre-Collapse work of ecologists developing new forms of permaculture and the gains of the Green New Deal both were important for laying the groundwork for future transformation. Give them full credit.]
  
-Money was no longer the issue, since global financial collapse. The value of stock certificates and money itself were blown away the the general panic. Middle-class people had run to withdraw their savings and found the bank doors closed. Over-extended banks and other highly-leveraged financial institutions found themselves bankrupt and collapsed.+Money was no longer the issue, since the global financial collapse. The value of stock certificates and money itself were blown away in the general panic. Middle-class people had run to withdraw their savings and found the bank doors closed. Over-extended banks and other highly leveraged financial institutions found themselves bankrupt and collapsed.
  
-The 1% had nothing left to defend their wealth but the loyalty of their guards, who were increasingly reluctant to risk their lives and kill their countrymen and women for worthless money and uncertain prospects. The majority of security forces ​were recruited from the ranks of the masses, underpaid and mistreated by their officers, ordered to kill their own kind in order to protect the property of the absentee owners of sweatshops and luxury apartments. ​+The 1% had nothing left to defend their wealth but the loyalty of their own servants and security personnel, who were increasingly reluctant to risk their lives and kill their countrymen and women for worthless money and uncertain prospects. The majority of security forces ​had been recruited from the ranks of the masses, underpaid and mistreated by their officers, ordered to kill their own kind in order to protect the property of the absentee owners of sweatshops and luxury apartments. ​
  
-[What about countries like Egypt with mass armies of poorly-paid,​ uneducated, peasant soldiers ​and the officers as a group owned large amounts of the country’s wealth.]+[What about countries like Egypt with mass armies of poorly-paid,​ uneducated, peasant soldiers, where the officers as a group owned large amounts of the country’s wealth.]
  
-The national ​guard and other constabulary ​would be ordered to repress and kill in defense of a hated system which was seeming ​to start crumbling. Their loves and relatives were among those they were ordered to repress, and they also feared being murdered in revenge. They began first to look away or play dumb and finally to go over to the side of the community. They went over as whole units, for the soldiers understood that if only a few of them mutinied, they would be found and shot. Soldiers assemblies ​ally themselves to community assemblies. They would pitch in with disaster aid and relief, while keeping their weapons and access to military ​material+The national ​guards ​and other constabularies ​would be ordered to repress and kill in defense of a hated system which was beginning ​to crumble. Their loved ones and relatives were among those they were ordered to repress, and they also feared being murdered in revenge. They began first to look away or play dumb and finally to go over to the side of the community. They went over as whole units, for the soldiers understood that if only a few of them mutinied, they would be found and shot. Soldiers assemblies ​allied ​themselves to community assemblies. They would pitch in with disaster aid and relief, while keeping their weapons and access to military ​materiel
  
-Such militias and local national ​guards ​defending their communities stood off against mercenaries and elite units of government enforcers, creating a standoff situation where there was little actual violence, given the inevitable consequences of deaths on both sides. In such situations, groups of unarmed women might intervene, approach the government troops, and try to win them over. With the exception of elite units, high-paid mercenary specialists,​ fanatical ideological militias, they were often successful.+Soon self-organized ​militias and local national ​guard units defending their own communities stood off against mercenaries and elite units of government enforcers, creating a temporary stalemate in which there was little actual violence, given the inevitable consequences of deaths on both sides. In such situations, groups of unarmed women might intervene, approach the government troops, and try to win them over. With the exception of elite units, high-paid mercenary specialists,​ fanatical ideological militias, they were often successful.
  
 === Notes === === Notes ===
catastrophes.1552708580.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/03/15 23:56 by admin