Earlier today I was given access to a portion of an upcoming manuscript and then asked to comment on the same. I read the teaser and was taken by the acute discourse its author, Richard Heinberg, was able to craft. Moreover, I was struck by the similarities in our observations and a bit tormented by our respective departures in thought. Still, if the intro is any indication of the totality of his effort, I suspect for those who enjoy in-depth philosophical discussions, the compilation should be well worth the read.
With all of this in mind, I though you might appreciate my response, in perspective form. The following is an excerpt from the work itself and thereafter, my own response.
“Introduction: The New Normal
The central assertion of this book is both simple and startling: Economic growth as we have known it is over and done with.
The “growth” we are talking about consists of the expansion of the overall size of the economy (with more people being served and more money changing hands) and of the quantities of energy and material goods flowing through it.”
My response:
“A fine perspective and though I don’t press to the level of detailed as to the causal relationship as he does, The Blind Vision trilogy, particularly Volume 2 and partially in Volume 3, intimates extraordinarily similar trends. Here are but a few of what my own efforts suggest:
1. Fiat Banking/Monetary Policies require perpetual growth to be sustainable and the single most conspicuous force creating wildly unpredictable economic cycles.
2. As long as these Policies persist, so will the cycles, each, as the expansions compound, becoming progressively extreme.
3. Fiat Growth Based Economies trend towards self-economic-degradation by extraction/predation processes as they seek further fields from which to sustain their own (unsustainable) growth concepts.
4. I observe that “resources” are not finite at all, they are only in appearance, transitorily finite. In other words, let us express the point by the following enumeration: (1.) Their form changes by processes and through recycling or reformulation, versus left to waste/bi-product, are (or should be) made to become replacement resources. (2.) They are reproductive in nature (e.g., plant/biological growth). And (3.) They are replaceable in output form (e.g. coal/oil/natural gas can/should be replaced with alternate energy sources as part of the progenerative economic cycle, i.e., which is what should be the natural processes of an economy’s native drive to perfect itself).
No then, as to his perspective on “Environmental issues” (those occurring in form other than by natural earth-cycles), I would have to say that these are more likely the product of economic inefficiencies and/or biased economic interests and/or flawed scientific sources (e.g., that global warming is man made while simultaneously ignorant of Mother-Earth’s own natural processes) and like the notion that we can “save the planet” by driving hybrids or installing wind-farms is but a peevish, selectively- engineered, notion much like socialism, communism, Marxism and so on. They are all, in reality, unsustainable impulse driven neophyte-like drivel. However, that is not to say or suggest that alternative energy sources, well thought out and precisely executed (e.g., Fuel Cells, Integrated Solar Systems and perhaps even Compact Nuclear Power), are not peevish.
In the end the outcome, as we’ve seen historically and from which we will not be exempt, regardless of our respective observation will be quite similar. The system will (as we are witnessing) collapse not because of physical scarcity but because of a dearth in native/intellectual/reasonings and the discipline required to object to the unsustainability of the various regimes to which globalist presently cling.
Unless and until America emerges from its eco-muse, sports-obsessed, impulse-driven and self-indulgent stupor nature will preempt our course by ultimately enforcing its inviolable law upon us.
Intuitively, I believe we all understand one of Nature’s most fundamental ideals:
“One cannot take in excess of that which you are willing to give as Nature suffers not the fools appetite without a course reply.”
I believe this single ideal is the purist form of what is most scarce of all.”
My last thought on the subject, well at least for now:
“On shifting sands are written clear the words to calm approaching winds. Forget you not to keep these truths – as winds and shifting sands – do not record one thought in grains.”
Curtis C. Greco, Founder
