It seems to me that artists exist in some kind of existential purgatory.
Anyone who considers themselves any kind of artist is constantly using art to make sense of the past and the present. To explain and elucidate, to bring some sense of order the universe -- to make stars into constellations.
At the same time, however, our forever temporal art is itself shaping the future of culture as it bombards society, bouncing endlessly through the insides of minds and countless other imaginations.
Art is paradoxical by nature. It both reflects the past and creates the future. It both orders and dis-integrates, and somehow, through the course of both, defies entropy.
Maybe that's what humans do, too: reflect and create.
Maybe that's why we need art so badly.
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Josh Allan Dykstra
Now that gas prices are "coming down" (yes, we feel just GREAT about $3.75/gallon... what!?) I don't sense the same urgency in the American populace to fix this problem that existed when it was $5. Of course, this placation was expected by most and predicted by many, but that doesn't change the fact that there is still a problem out there that was never solved. And we shouldn't be fooled: it's not fixed now just because we are ignoring it.
I fear we are addicted to foreign oil, and maybe just oil in general.
But in the words of the immutable LeVar Burton, you don't have to take my word for it! Please check out some or all of the links below.
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T. Boone Pickens, the founder and chairman of BP Capital Management (which manages over $4 billion in energy-oriented investment funds) has created the Pickens Plan, which aims to develop clean energy solutions.
Here's a great article from one of my favorite contemporary revolutionaries, Dr. Ron Paul: Big Government Responsible For High Gas Prices
Newt Gingrich has also thrown his thoughts into this discussion, and although I'm not convinced that more drilling will be a long-term solution, it does seem like a reasonable band-aid, considering our current economic challenges.
If you're a regular reader, you know I'm a big fan of Chris Martenson; he's a very level-headed proponent of financial literacy. Check out his very important explanation of what "peak oil" really is -- apparently, I had no idea!
In my quest for the truth, I came across a documentary called A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash. This film is so obviously targeted towards proving its premise -- namely, that there will be an oil crash -- that it's earned a bit of skepticism from me (as I'm sure you've noticed, it is increasingly hard to decipher truth from propaganda). Nonetheless, it is very interesting and quite well-made.
There's also an interesting intersection of the "climate crisis" with our oil addiction. Check out WE:
There's no question this is a complex issue with many moving parts, but I think we all know that it won't be solved by ignoring it. I know I'm not really offering many, if any, real solutions in this post, but awareness is a good start.
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There's no question this is a complex issue with many moving parts, but I think we all know that it won't be solved by ignoring it. I know I'm not really offering many, if any, real solutions in this post, but awareness is a good start.
//This is bloody genius. Enjoy!!
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