Lost Cause, you ask a lot of good questions and make some good points, but you extrapolate to the point where we (Americans) are all doomed in the (near?) future. I can't agree with you to that extent. Fifty years ago, the communists were going to do us in, then twenty years ago, it was the Japanese. Now? The Chinese ... or the muslims. The doomsday predictions change ... but America continues on regardless.
The Gashole film (remember, the original topic everyone?) may be interesting … but it may just be another conspiracy film … like Moore’s
Roger & Me which was amusing … but misleading. The biggest problem with oil/gasoline/energy is that North Americans have allowed themselves to become addicted to vast quantities of cheap energy, specifically liquid fossil fuels. It’s our own fault … not the government and not some star chamber of oil executives. I have driven a 4-cylinder car all my life (by choice) but most members of my family have V-8 powered vehicles … just because.
I am not particularly comfortable with the wealth distribution in the world, but every time a government tries to rectify the situation, they make things worse by killing off the entrepreneurial spirit of their people and locking most into a bleak, lower-middle-class rut. Achievement is punished, slacking becomes routine and corruption festers. Free-market capitalism isn’t perfect … it’s just the guideline that has provided the highest standard of living in the history of human civilization.
Along the lines of the things that
jamesqf has said, how's this for a conspiracy: We have a culture that has decided superficial, unthinking slackers with poor personal grooming are the “cool” people while doing well in school (especially in math & science) is for “losers” … otherwise known as geeks and nerds. Now that’s a recipe for national deterioration!
If money (wealth) is the opiate for the masses, please pass me the pipe! Part of the wealth distribution problem in the world is because it takes money to make money. Your theory seems to be that we will get so rich that it will be the end of us all. I just can’t quite follow the logic. Yes, materialism for the sake of materialism won’t make for a meaningful life … but no one says it does. Well, the superficial cultural nonsense you see on TV states this … but please tell me you get your values from a better source! The fact that a lot of Americans don’t is a large part of the problem.
Personally? People hear these nutty conspiracy theories about this group or that group having
the real power, believe them and then complain ... but are never inspired to actually
do anything because the conspiracy is so vast and powerful, there’s nothing you
can do to counter it. We all are just supposed to sit there and endure our woeful lot in life.
Actually, if I had to pick something, I’d say that conspiracy theories are the opiate for the masses.
