"Reality is bad for business; what's good for business is the fantasy."
It's common knowledge that fossil fuels are finite, but did you know that they will run out in our lifetime? After World War II, Americans invested their wealth in the suburbs where they could lead a peaceful life with their family, away from the noise and chaos in the cities. The suburbs are like dormitories, and there is nothing but houses for miles. In order to get to work or shop, people had to drive cars everyday to get to the city. This kind of lifestyle required cheap fossil fuels, and at that time they were abundant.
Decades later, resources are running out. We're passing the peak period of the best oil extraction, and we're going on a descending slope. But still, we're living the same as before, ignoring the fact that this can't go on much longer. Even though I'm aware that fossil fuels are quickly depleting, I've never considered what we should do when the day that we can no longer rely on oil and gas finally comes. No kind of energy can replace these natural fuels.
The thought that someday everything we do will have to become local is really shocking. If, for example, the US and China become competitors in getting hold of the remaining bits of fuel, then they will no longer do business with one another, and considering how many things are made from China ("from pants to underpants"), Americans will have to be prepared for a big change in their lifestyle. I couldn't imagine what life would be like if Taiwan had to be self dependent. A lot of the things we use are imported from overseas, including food and clothes.
Before I watched this documentary, I also never really focused on all the things that require natural fuels. The most common things that come to mind are mostly transportation and the like, but foods processed in factories need a lot of energy too.
If I was an American, I'd probably be even more shocked than I already am. As far as I know, there aren't many suburbs in Taiwan, but even so there are a lot of cars (and scooters) that use up gas. Taiwan is rather tightly packed and you can go to any place in a matter of minutes (no matter where you live, there are restaurants near by, shops nearby, etc).
Personally, I wouldn't want to live without imported products from other countries, just because I'm so accustomed to having them in my life. This fuel crisis makes me wonder about the future, how we will get around. Will traveling (especially by plane) become an extreme privilege? Will the world revert back to the time when the planet seemed bigger because it was harder and took longer to navigate? If things will become local, what kinds of new jobs will be created, and which ones will no longer be of use?
When we think about the future, most people draw up images of advanced technology, wondrous sources of energy, and diversity everywhere. With the oil age coming to an end, what will our next source of energy be?
Decades later, resources are running out. We're passing the peak period of the best oil extraction, and we're going on a descending slope. But still, we're living the same as before, ignoring the fact that this can't go on much longer. Even though I'm aware that fossil fuels are quickly depleting, I've never considered what we should do when the day that we can no longer rely on oil and gas finally comes. No kind of energy can replace these natural fuels.
The thought that someday everything we do will have to become local is really shocking. If, for example, the US and China become competitors in getting hold of the remaining bits of fuel, then they will no longer do business with one another, and considering how many things are made from China ("from pants to underpants"), Americans will have to be prepared for a big change in their lifestyle. I couldn't imagine what life would be like if Taiwan had to be self dependent. A lot of the things we use are imported from overseas, including food and clothes.
Before I watched this documentary, I also never really focused on all the things that require natural fuels. The most common things that come to mind are mostly transportation and the like, but foods processed in factories need a lot of energy too.
If I was an American, I'd probably be even more shocked than I already am. As far as I know, there aren't many suburbs in Taiwan, but even so there are a lot of cars (and scooters) that use up gas. Taiwan is rather tightly packed and you can go to any place in a matter of minutes (no matter where you live, there are restaurants near by, shops nearby, etc).
Personally, I wouldn't want to live without imported products from other countries, just because I'm so accustomed to having them in my life. This fuel crisis makes me wonder about the future, how we will get around. Will traveling (especially by plane) become an extreme privilege? Will the world revert back to the time when the planet seemed bigger because it was harder and took longer to navigate? If things will become local, what kinds of new jobs will be created, and which ones will no longer be of use?
When we think about the future, most people draw up images of advanced technology, wondrous sources of energy, and diversity everywhere. With the oil age coming to an end, what will our next source of energy be?
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There is another doc by the same team that came out recently -- 'Escape from Suburbia'.
December 4, 2008 at 10:38 PM
I could not imagine life without imported goods either. It's just a big part of our life. Almost everything we buy and use are imported.
I really like the way you questions our 'localized' future in the sixth paragraph. Certainly, there will be more jobs and improvements on our society and the environment. But I wonder to what degree can localization do us good?
December 4, 2008 at 10:45 PM