Blog Abstract

I'll post this as a page as well. 

Keep this in mind. All conflict rises from inequality, real or imagined. Unpeople, here defined by Chomsky, are not an accident. They are not created by God or any other supernatural force. They do not "deserve" to live a life of crushing poverty and desperate hopelessness. They are created by powerful people who make policies for their own benefit. The world is devolving into a casino capitalist free for all resulting in massive inequalities the world over. There is a never-ending need for new markets and cheap labor. Here is an illustration of the results. According to the dominant narrative, this is the natural order of things. By that, I mean what we are taught about ourselves by society. We are "free," competition with winners and losers in natural, you get ahead through hard work, you can pull yourself up by your own boot straps (what does that even look like) are some examples of the myths created for the benefit of a few. Unless we rethink the world we want to actually live in, conflict will only grow.

There are alternatives. The point of this blog is to offer a counter-narrative to the dominant discourse. By discussing Unpeople, I hope to do just a small part in making the world a more just and better place. Should everyone be exactly equal? I'm not sure that's even a good thing, much less possible.We should strive for a world where everyone's basic needs are met. Also, a world where everyone can live a full life with dignity. No one should live in garbage or die via drone. This is not a world I can live in, and do nothing. One blog, among millions, is not much. But if I can move the meter any toward a better more just place for all, I've done my job. If one person just reconsiders the state-sponsored mythologies that benefit the few, I'm happy.

DISCLAIMER...    

I'm a white guy American who benefits greatly from the current system. I cannot fathom how the Bottom Billion live from minute to minute day to day. The least I can do is try. I can also make others aware. I too am limited by the stories I hear and internalize. I have much to learn, and a long way to go. Will you join me?

-Thanks,

-Paul   

American Poverty

Shit Poor

Rule Number One... Non-Violence

Looking at the Worth A look Post, you may ask yourself what does peak-oil have to do with Unpeople. Everything. The Secret of the Seven Sisters is a really good series on Al Jazeera that gives a through look at the long dark history of the oil business over the last hundred or so years. They are not displacing happy white people. Everywhere oil is found and developed, conflict quickly breaks out. The Middle East, Africa, and even here on North America. It takes many forms; from wars, terrorism, thuggery, to unfolding slow-violence in the southern USA. See Dahr Jamail, one of the last true investigative journalists for more on this. The script runs pretty much the same. A company finds oil, buys off the local elites, shafts the locals, and leaves crushing poverty in it's wake. Let's not forget about the tiny group of rich autocrats and their associated goons either. I try to look for information on what's going on, and it's there on the internet. Sadly, these types of stories seldom make into the mass / corporate media's 24 / 7 news cycles. When they do, there is rarely any depth beyond who was killed, kidnapped or tortured. Seldom if ever, does anyone ask "why." The on-going coverage of the Niger Delta area on the nightly news just touches the surface. They have more important things to do like selling denture cream or pharmaceuticals. Here is something more in depth from Amnesty International on the Niger delta conflict. Most people are blissfully unaware of the true cost of driving everywhere, me included. It is one thing to read about such horrors, but another to live through it day in and day out. For the average western schmo like me, it is almost incomprehensible. Still, I want to educate myself and others. As a conflict Resolution practitioner, I wonder how will this all play out? It does not look good. 

We are using a finite resource as if it can go on forever. I have a feeling John Michael Greer is right. There is no magic technological bullet that is going to save us from the FACT that oil will run out. We are not facing this fact. Rather, we ignore it. I don't know when this will happen but it cannot be but so far off. Now, I'm not talking about some twisted Mad Max-like apocalyptic fantasy. Leave that for the movies. No, it will unfold over time with ever increasing costs in blood and treasure. Remember money drives the train. As long as there is financial benefit, expect more of the same denial of reality. Wall Street Consultant? That alone does not make him wrong, but I suspect his ideas are tied one way or another to his pay. I'm not a geologist. I don't know when oil will run out. But I know it will. The Earth is not making more. No amount of fancy charts and rosy projections can change this. Fracking, tar sands and super-deep sea drilling tell me something is rotten in Denmark. It is not getting any easier. It can only get more difficult and costly with the passage of time. The longer we pretend business as usual is fine, the harder and more costly the transition to a post oil world will be. Our current system of casino capitalism does not allow for long-term solutions that may run contrary to today's bottom line or shareholder expectations.

It may be worth reminding you governments are no longer independent (not sure they ever were) keeping your best interests at heart. Even the so-called democracies, are bought, and paid for with corporate cash. Corporations, by design, have only one goal-- maximizing profits. Anything that gets in the way of that goal is crushed; regulations, climate change science, and even people. The drive for profit is short-term, and relentless. Anything or anyone that questions capitalism or the profit motive, faces ridicule here in the west, and death in too many other parts of the world.Think "dirty" hippies in the Occupy Wall Street Movement and consider our unilateral policy of "regime change" when someone dares to not go along with Uncle Sam (read oil interests) as manifestations of those who ask uncomfortable questions. No, better check out The Seahawks or Justin Bieber to stay safe. The fix is in. The game is rigged. I don't think the current system is fixable. The tiny hand full of politicians who do have everyday people's interest at heart are too few and far between. The funny or perhaps scary part is, we all know it. I write about it here on this blog. People may bring it up after a few too many drinks. I don't know of anyone who likes to think too deeply past their own time here on Earth. It's too damn scary. What do parents think? "Oh, it will work out some way or another. The kids will be fine." I hope there are not many that really feel this way. That's some sad shit. I've listened to people say, "It's harder to rock the boat with kids." Personally, I cannot think of a more important reason to rock the boat. Tip that fucker over, and teach the kids to swim. They'll thank you in the long run. Do more than bitch!

I write and try to educate both myself and others. I try to play the game as little as possible. I drive a small car that's really good on gas to and from work. It's close. My car barely has time to warm up in the winter. No, it is not enough. Far from it. But if we each take a step, the outcome can be different. We don't have to passively watch the nightmare of ever deepening and growing conflict over oil unfold. Make noise! Raise hell! We are not alone. If enough people take action, the path to a world with much little to no oil can be less violent. A lot of people will disagree with me on this one but I say don't vote. Voting is only an illusion of a democratic process as long as corporations fund the elections. The only way to beat a rigged game is stop playing. Who would listen to a congress that only could muster a 2% turn out? Everybody would know that's bullshit. I'd say there's an outside chance this can be done peacefully. Violence is a big part of the rigged game already in place. Keeping things peaceful also is a game changer. Even the darkest regimes have a tough time killing off peaceful demonstrators. The do from time to time but there is a high cost that goes along with it. Ask Mubarak. Oh! He's dead. No, just unavailable for comment. Governments do violence-- people don't. Change the game. Make government play by our rules. Rule number one- Non-Violence. Remember you're not alone!  Check out the following:

Occupy Wall St Yes, they are still around. 

Idle No More Follow the link. Check them out. 

Americans Against Fracking You got it! 

Greenpeace Hell Raisers. But for the right reasons.  

Amnesty International Human Rights. 

Green Party If You still want to vote, consider Green. I'll vote for them as well. 

Musical Chairs on the Titanic II

The tighter one tries to hold on to something, the more it slips away. The wealthiest among us will try to hold on to power and status as our oil dependent economy slows and morphs into a post oil economy. How bat things will get, I think it is a question of how fast we move into an economy without oil as the life-blood. The slower, the more painful it will be. There will be more and more wars fought over scarcity and it is not totally impossible we will again see the use of nuclear weapons by some set of fools who thing they can “win.” Safe clean water will also become an ever-scarcer resource. So will food. Hang on! Looks like the road ahead may be a bit bumpy. Thinking about masses of desperate hungry poor people and an ever shrinking group of elites trying to cling to their lifestyle at any cost is not all of that pleasant. I believe we are seeing the beginnings of this now and it looks like it will only grow worse. Worldwide, there is already the so-called bottom billion. It may need to be changed in time to the bottom two billion. It looks like the fun is also starting here in the USA as well.

With the recession / depression (what ever you want to call it) showing no signs of ending desperation will soon start to set in here in the USA as well. The unemployment money has so far been just enough to hold things together but it is ending for more and more people each week. All the Federal unemployment extensions end at the end of the year (give or take a week or two). Given the current batch of lunatics in Washington DC, I'm not looking for any renewals this time. They have no interest in addressing the real problem of no demand equals no jobs. Mind you the people that fund the circus also known as campaign season are doing quite well. But I think this is temporary. More and more people will stop playing the game either by choice or by becoming destitute.

As more and more people stop playing the game, the current system will grind to a halt. With no jobs, there will be less and less to pay the big finance companies on mortgages, credit cards and other schemes. People may soon start to realize that this is indeed a one party state and the meaninglessness of Democrat or Republican. When this happens, they will opt out of the political game as well. What would happen if only 10% or 11% of us voted? Who could claim a mandate? But the winning tool would try. It looks like we are going to have to pass through a pretty dark time. Blogs, like this one, that ask important and uncomfortable questions may disappear. The freedom rhetoric we are so fond of on race day will still be there but people like me who ask why are there terrorists in the first place, will be silenced. Somehow, asking why there are terrorists will become support for terrorists. But this too will pass with time. Lying leaders don’t last long. Adolph and Pol Pot now know this. What comes next may be pretty cool if you can live without some of the toys (made into necessities). Okay so the entry is still pretty dark.

If we deplete all of the oil much faster than current estimates much of the bad stuff mentioned will still happen but people will figure out how to live on their own much quicker. Instead of depending on lunatics in places like Washington DC, distant finance companies and long distance truckers, they will learn how to be truly independent. Local relations will become the only relations that matter. Imagine getting to know your neighbors! We will have to get to know our close neighbors and trade skills like building, security and food production. Today, this seems like living on another planet but civilizations rise and fall. The Incas, Aztecs, Romans and Egyptians all found out. But but our civilization is so much more advanced you may be thinking but plain old human shortcomings are still with us. Our arrogance in thinking our American way of doing things is the best and only way. Our pride in our powerful military that we think of as undefeatable that drains the treasury and indeed loses wars from time to time. We may want to re-think “military solution.” Our greed that drives us to take resources from others and says to hell with you, we have a lifestyle to up-keep. Our ignorance is bliss attitude that ignores the views (and basic rights) of other peoples as well as science. Global warming could give two shits if you think it is real or not. There is no way around this simple fact our civilization cannot last. What else happens to the arrogant, the proud, the greedy and the ignorant? They collapse! The greatest technology in the world is no match for basic human failings.

I do not buy into end times or similar non-sense. The changes from an oil based economy to what ever is next is not world ending. People will do what they do best and that is adapt and adjust. We don’t need 200 cable TV channels, imported food and the latest gizmos from slave labor factories in China to live well. We really do not have to have cars. I think we will be getting back to basics. All we need for a good life are the basics, food, shelter, clothes, love and to be useful.

Or I’m full of shit… Let me know.

Further reading...

Doomsday addendum

Nah, I did not REALLY go finance a 2011 yellow ‘vette. That would take my wife Thu and I getting more jobs and she refuses and I’m too lazy. It is almost as absurd as some idiots paying for billboards all over the country picking a day for the “Rapture” (A concept / notion I have no belief in what so ever). I’m an agnostic. Who the hell am I to say god does or does not exist. If you believe he does, great! We are not a Christian country any more than a Muslim or Scientology country. There is NO official religion here. We are free to believe (or not) as we wish. Being free, we can spend hundreds of thousands on bill boards and other outlets as we wish to get across pretty mush any message we wish (unless it is about really helping or uplifting poor people). Why do so many believe in such a dark message? Do they think God is a mass murder who could make even Hitler and Pol Pot blush? Are things really so hopeless? I think for some, they are. This is the real underlying issue behind doomsday cults of all stripes. It is a kind of powerlessness. My life sucks. This world is doomed for its wickedness. I cannot do anything about it. It is in God’s hands (so I don’t have to do shit). Maybe it all is but what a lame excuse to watch others suffer while you do nothing.

If I were God, I’d be pretty pissed. Everything we need is here. There should be no such thing as the Bottom Billion. We carry on about helping the poor and giving to charity but fail to ever ask why there are poor in the first place. Religions can do great and wonderful things and at the same time help maintain the existing power structure (read inequalities). You’re poor because god wills it. Besides, the kingdom of heaven awaits you. (long as you behave as we tell you). So life sucks and the end of the world would mean no more bill connectors, food always in the fridge and no more worry about wars, famine, tornados etc. Some of these problems we can solve! Solve the ones around you! All the great religions call on followers to be active in making this a better place and not worry about how and when it will end. Lighten up!

I hope there is a god and an afterlife and all the fun that goes with it but I live as if there is not. This really could be all there is. We need to make heaven here. Enjoy each day and every experience to the fullest. There is somebody laid up in the hospital as I write this who would love to have my small problems. Enjoy working through the bad stuff as well. Am I getting too preachy? I just want to share what works for me so you can take a little or as much as you like. Only one thing is certain, no one gets out of here alive. So we may as well enjoy life and help those around us to do the same.

Enough Doomsday already! Get living people.