[lbo-talk] the petro-thusians have their moment

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Thu Sep 23 07:14:02 PDT 2004


Martin:
> I don't know why you would be interested in damaging their credibility.
> If they are attempting to assemble solutions to problems caused by
> their system, using the tools that they are familiar with, shouldn't
> they be encouraged and commended?

Yes, if they were genuinely wanted to find a solution, but I doubt that.

For example, a quick perusal of their web site reveals that all they talk about under their transportation rubric is cars, more fancy, powered by more exotic fuels, but cars nonetheless. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the best way to improve transit and fuel efficiency is to increase the number of people per unit of energy consumed, and the solution to this is a no brainer practiced in all countries except the fucking United States (may it disintegrate into chaos!), and known as public transportation.

I understand that many (if not most) Americans are too stupid and lazy to figure out how to use public transit and too chicken shit to leave the cocoons of their cars, but would not you expect a bona fide expert supposedly trying to solve transportation problems to give a serious consideration? If they do not, there is a serious possibility that their effort is nothing but a PR effort to put some window dressing, a "human appearance" on the ugly face of the US capitalism.

Wojtek



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