- Capitalism and Alternatives -

And responding...

In Reply to: even more responses to even more nonsenses posted by Gee on May 14, 1999 at 23:47:47:

: : We can't just "switch" away from oil like we would turn on or off a lightswitch. After about 2010, there will still be oil, it just won't be cheap oil

: Youve just explained why the switch wont be overnight, but graduated.

SDF: I don't see why there will be any switch at all. How can you be so sure there can possibly be an infrastructure based on other fuels? Gideon has already explained why oil isn't so simply replaceable. Furthermore, capitalist systems respond rather inadequately to future needs for energy in this regard, since firms operating under capitalist rules must first and last respond to the threat of immediate bankruptcy by boosting short-term profits, which today means continued dependency upon oil supplies. And why would any big oil company simply DONATE the oil humanity will need to use in order to convert to alternative energy (and a rather large amount of oil will be necessary, for instance to refit or scrap all of the oil-consuming cars for conversion to other fuels, to recycle their metals), if such a donation meant a loss in profits?

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