[Lore]

I’ve been brooding over this question for sometime. Why is it that the discussion of Peak Oil and Global Warming seem to be suggested as a left wing conspiracy from the right? There is a rabid and almost desperately fanatical backlash from the right every time these subject matters are brought up in the media.

Surely you’ve noticed all the vitriol arguments from the right, especially the far right, having pointed out that these topics are nothing more than mere fear mongering by left handed political opportunists for their own gain. This lead me to the conclusion that “fear” and I mean the kind of fear used as control is really the crux of the issue. Who commands the most “fear” wins! Do the subjects of Peak Oil and Global Warming trump those fears of the right imposed on the populous for control of their minds and hearts?

As a strategy, conservatism mixed with fear has proven to be a great formula for social and political power. To maintain that brand of control, the driving political force must not let their own use of fear be subjugated by any other.

Let’s compare the fears. Whereas the right keeps reinforcing the fears of Terrorism & Economic Security, Immigration, Pro-life, Gay Rights, Flag Burning etc., people from the left are speaking to some of the same issues but most importantly also about Global Warming and Peak Oil.

While the rights worries can be kept at a reasonable boil, the Peak Oil and Global Warming dilemmas are end of the world scenarios if taken to the extreme. The kind of stuff science fiction movies are made from with unthinkable consequences that brings out deep primal fears in all of us. Those kinds of fear surpass all others and demand salvation while everything else takes an immediate back seat.

So to paraphrase Mr. Churchill, the right really has nothing to fear but fear itself!

[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Lore', 'S')o to paraphrase Mr. Churchill, the right really has nothing to fear but fear itself!

[greenworm]

Rogerhb,

You outdo yourself with every post!

That was some funny shiite!

[PenultimateManStanding]

Hey don't forget the strong antipathy of many of the GW folks against the PO arguments. That was probably a lot stronger a couple years ago when I first did all my really serious research into PO. (I long ago quit trying so hard to verify it, it's just a given for me now). GW folks didn't want to hear about PO, regarding it with hostility as a distraction or nonsense.

[Doly]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'G')W folks didn't want to hear about PO, regarding it with hostility as a distraction or nonsense.

[MacG]

Darn interesting take on things! I think you have a point here. Fear mongering as one of the fundamental drivers of societies, and those who do the best job of fear mongering control society. Of course those currently in control want to keep new fears away since their old ones work so nice.

[green_achers]

Well, the term, "the right" is about as useful as the term, "the left," so I'd try to avoid them. What we have is the current US administration using certain fear issues that might be associated with some amorphous conservative camp to gin up their power base for electoral purposes. These people are masters of what they do, much more successful than the side if the political aisle more likely associated with concerns about energy and envoromental issues.

Don't worry, when the issues we're discussing here begin to have economic impacts on the average citizen, the current junta (or their heirs) will be quite capable of exploiting it to the max. You're already begining to see it in the rise of immigration as an issue. (Which is not to say that the uncontrolled immigration we have is not really a serious economic, environmental and social issue... it just didn't suddenly become one in the last year.)

Anyway, my point is that you can expect to see scapegoating and diversions of the people's anger, even as the truth of what we're discussing here becomes inescapable. I'm afraid Karl Rove is more likely to capitalize on PO and GW than is Al Gore.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Doly', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'G')W folks didn't want to hear about PO, regarding it with hostility as a distraction or nonsense.

[Gazzatrone]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')hy is it that the discussion of Peak Oil and Global Warming seem to be suggested as a left wing conspiracy from the right?

[untothislast]

The 'right-wing' faction, is the majority grouping of the human species. Basically, still primitive in both desires and world-view; mired in Maslow; and driven by simple-minded 'dog eat dog' 'winner takes all' ideologies.

A leading behavioural psychologist in the UK, has just identified the behaviours of Sir Keith Joseph (architect of Margaret Thatcher's uber-monetarist, 'there is no such thing as society' policies) as being symptomatic of Asperger's Syndrome - a strand of autism, characterised by a lack of empathy for the plight of others. One of his more infamous pronouncements, being that the poor shouldn't be allowed to reproduce. Interesting, if you accept that this would have deprived the world of individuals such as Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps then, natural right-wingers are similarly touched by autism - to a lesser or greater degree.

The 'left-wing' faction, is the minority grouping of human society - and therefore doomed to extinction by the concerted strength of the opposition, and its appeal to the eternal frailties of human greed and fear. Having reached a higher and more informed level of intellectual and emotional development, the behaviours of 'the left' are characterised by ideals of fairness, justice and altruism - and are naturally despised in turn by the right. However, go too far to 'the left' in a doctrinaire sense and - hey presto! - you mysteriously end up on 'the right'. Hello Hitler and Stalin.

Hope this helps . . .

[TommyJefferson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('untothislast', 'T')he 'right-wing' faction, is the majority grouping of the human species. Basically, still primitive in both desires and world-view

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TommyJefferson', '
')Or, one who holds that *all* men are born free and have to right to chose how they wish to live their lives?

[untothislast]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TommyJefferson', ' ')*all* men are born free and have to right to chose how they wish to live their lives?