-- Posted Wednesday, 26 December 2012 | | Disqus
By Vincent Bressler
Since you are reading this, you are well versed about what is wrong with the world. The flood of bad news concerning how we are all screwed is non-stop and has become pointless. It's time to redirect our collective attention.
First of all, let's talk about why this nonsense has gone on so long. It's really quite simple. Most people are still getting by. Despite it all, we are not dying in significantly larger numbers now than ten years ago. When a small fraction of human activity is devoted to growing food, the economy can take a lot of abuse and still keep most people fed.
The bigger point here is that as long as people are getting by, it's not too expensive to keep them distracted.
It is quite possible that we in the USA will get through the upcoming financial mess without a catastrophic reorganization of our society. Yes, people will abandon the outer suburbs, give up on over-priced higher education, on their expectation of expensive life-extending medical treatment. People in poorer countries will not fair nearly as well.
Yet the fear of chaos will never be far away. Even now we are constantly reminded that chaos may come in the form of a currency crisis, a new world war, a terrorist attack, etc. Fear defines an economic depression. Instead of aspiring to improve their lives, people look to increase their security and independence. Gold and silver are nothing more than an mechanism to secure wealth, independent of the system.
Fear drives some people leave the country, others to buy their own farm. But there are technical developments coming on fast that will change the equation.
Cheap solar panels plus cheap, high power batteries will provide energy independence for families and/or small communities. The race for a cheap, high power battery is well under way, incremental benefits are being rewarded. This is the same process that has relentlessly driven down the price of everything related to computers.
Artificial photosynthesis will eliminate the need to pull hydrocarbons from the Earth. Even if we no longer need to burn hydrocarbons for energy, we will still need to use them to produce almost any product, including food. Fear will drive the development of food production from the products of artificial photosynthesis, rather from plants. This is the ultimate in independence, to be able to produce food without land, without even being connected to the grid, without digging hydrocarbons from the Earth, in a small space. Why do I think that this will happen? Look no further than the example of Larry Ellison. He bought an entire Hawaiian Island. I can think of no reason for someone in his position to do this except out of fear. He wanted an isolated patch of land to support himself and his community in a way that is independent of the system. The demand is there. What if anyone with a few hundred thousand dollars could do the same thing, with a very small footprint, anywhere in the world? How long would it take for the price to drop for that technology?
People have always been slaves to their own needs. During times of economic growth, we can afford to lose site of this condition. During times of depression we fall back into an intense focus on the inherent insecurity of our condition. But what happens when all we need is forty square meters and a machine? Add to that the internet with a much greater level of interconnectedness than we have today. This will be the end of our current depression and the beginning of a new era.
Vincent Bressler
vincent@missionctrl.com
-- Posted Wednesday, 26 December 2012 | Digg This Article
| Source: GoldSeek.com
