AMAZING read about addiction which then homes in on the addiction to oil and consumption

Hagens thesis is that energy consumption can only be curbed when the mechanism of addiction is fully understood, when we understand how "ancient-derived reward pathways of our brain are hijacked by modern stimuli". He gives a clear and detailed explanation about addiction and habituation not to mention a wonderful sampling of Tocqueville's impressions of America. The graphs alone are worth the time.


Introduction by the author posted on The Oil Drum

Richard Douthwaite, Irish economist and activist, (and a fellow at the Post Carbon Institute), invited me to contribute it as a chapter in the just released book Fleeing Vesuvius, which is a collection of articles generally addressing "how can we bring the world out of the mess it finds itself in"? My article dealt with the evolutionary underpinnings of our aggregate behavior - neural habituation to increasingly available stimuli, and our evolved penchant to compete for status given the environmental cues of our day. And how,... we would be wise to adhere to an evolutionary perspective in considering a future (more) sustainable society.


A few snips of the lengthy but rewarding and entertaining read.


I am Human, I'm American, and I'm Addicted to Oil... by nate hagens


snip

Typically, in order to overcome addictions, it is usually not enough to argue about which year the drug supply is going to begin its decline. It's a better path to understand the addiction, admit it before one hits rock bottom, and either begin the cold turkey process or become addicted to something else.


snip


PEAK OIL AND LEAVING LAS VEGAS

I recently returned from a weekend trip to Las Vegas. On the plane home, full of disconsolate, exhausted zombies, it struck me that Vegas is a microcosm of modern society in several important ways.

1)On the plane ride to Vegas, everyone was giddy, sociable, even manic, anticipating all kinds of unexpected reward in the Babylon of 21st century. Once you get off the plane, its like you are on one extended 72 hour search for unexpected reward. Can't find it here. Let's go there. Craps, horses, poker, women, golf, swimming, booze, craps, massage, sleep, craps, women, sushi over and over. It's society compressed into a weekend. (that trip was my last).

2)I probably know more about the issues surrounding Peak Oil than 99% of people on the planet. Yet among the bright lights, freely flowing drinks, friendly company, and non-stop excitement, not only did I forget about our pending date with a global oil peak, but for about a 12 hour period, under influence from friends, Peak Oil actually seemed impossible. There is no way all this glitz and glamour could end - the vitality in the casinos was viral. The recency effect, and other psychological phenomenon are very powerful indeed to thus anesthetize a peak oil curmudgeon like myself. (2 hours back at the cabin reading the Drumbeat straightened me right out). My point is that few will believe until events force them too. I've known this for a while, but this little personal vignette sealed the concept.






http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3386

Reading a book won't do it.

Americans are used to 24/7 entertainment on cable, movies, casinos, shopping, eating, etc. And being addicted to entertainment often means moving around to the venues where they are entertained, hence the addiction to oil which propels them.

the large green plastic garbage bags. It is amazing to think that a family of six generated so little trash - just two medium sized trash cans and one small can. Even into the 60's there wasn't the amount of packaging there is now.

Here's the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LJQ27vkJhM&feature=player_embedded

focus.

snip

Hone in has appeared in dictionaries and is a widely accepted variant of home in, but most publications with high editorial standards prefer the original, more correct version. For example, these publications use home in:

Bone cancer is sometimes treated with radioactive isotopes that home in on the bone . . . NY Times

But they do reveal Dahl’s uncanny ability to home in on the darker reaches of human ingenuity. Financial Times

Producing a reliable high-speed, high-precision missile that can home in on a target in the atmosphere is extremely difficult. Washington Post





http://www.grammarist.com/usage/home-in-hone-in/

Particularly American Mania by Peter Whybrow. Fantastic read.