by Lore » Tue 17 Feb 2015, 23:45:25
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KaiserJeep', 'L')ore, the two billion who live are those who have more than enough today. The five billion who die have lower incomes. It used to be that 3rd world countries lived via primative farming and would not miss oil. But today mechanized agriculture has spread to the poorest countries, because it produces the cheapest food - and produces further overshoot population.
Without oil, India starves, China starves, Africa starves, and South America starves. North America, Europe, Russia, and Australia are left.
It may come as a surprise to you, but the vast majority of the US population is probably less fit to survive a crisis without oil then many a third world person who really doesn't have much of it right now anyway.
As for India and China, they will starve once again without fossil fuel, or because of it unless they opt to cease their growth and adopt alternatives while conserving what's left of their basic resources.
However, you never answered my question within the context of alternatives. Certainly people with less of a carbon footprint can more easily substitute alternatives if and when they were made available. It would be us here in the Western world that would be jonesing for our ICE vehicles, toys and conveniences. A smooth transition means less people go belly up.
Bottom line is, the human race can survive without oil. Maybe not as many of us as we once were, or as foolishly extravagant either with our thoughtless use of what we have left.
To bring us back on topic, I don't really think science has failed to point all the above out.
The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life.
... Theodore Roosevelt