It's obvious by now that little progress can be made toward sustainable energy, decreasing carbon emissions, improving personal and social health and enriching life styles, all toward a smaller footprint. The crisis is simply not serious enough, the elected government is still dominated by the institutions that guide and control our lives. Note that the problem is not the people, it's the institutions.

Rom Emmanuel said let no crisis go to waste. But so far there is no crisis sufficient to avert the cultural and ecological disasters in the near future.

For example, conversion to sustainable energy is technically easy. Progress is constantly making it easier and cheaper, but current technologies of wind, solar power and electric vehicles are at the ready should such a crisis arise - a gray swan.

Fortunately, we have many crises at the ready that can enable the radical changes so desperately needed, but are beyond the ability of our institutions. Be assured that crises of all kinds are well studied and prepared for. The Pentagon and other agencies have thousands of brilliant and dedicated people, armed with the best electronics and excellent organizers and managers, all devoted to anticipating every possible contingencies and the endless details required to ameliorating them.

It's encouraging to recall the magnificent transformation of the U. S. economy in the 1940's. In those old days conversion of the national economy to war was far more difficult then than converting to sustainable cultures now. The managerial skills and the popular support was excellent then, and can be now.

Scenarios

Imagine one of the infinitude of crisis scenarios would be war in the Arab world and the drastic drop in world petroleum production. Response to such scenarios are already highly developed and constantly being refined and upgraded by our government.

Of course, U. S. troops would immediately evacuate the region. The present military action can only survive as long as there is no significant enemy force. It's sad to see President Obama obliged to invert the truth when he explains that we must stay there because some people hate us. Staying in the Middle East to combating increasing popular hate can only continue if we are willing to revert to shooting little girls who might possibly carry bombs. It's not access to the oil, it's access to the profits of oil.

The greatness of the crisis must match the radicalness of the task of converting the American and world to sustainable cultures. Even a tiny nuclear war in the Middle East will trigger the elaborate and well planned scenarios now at the ready. Note that a nuclear attach would never come by missile or bomber, but rather by common carrier, oxcart, or simply assembled in a rented high rise office. Without knowing the source, the guilt can be ascribed to what ever source is next on the list to be bombed, as with the Iraq and Afghan war.

The institutions that currently manage our society will quickly be subsumed by the military. In contrast to the present managers of our society who are obliged by law to maximize shareholder profits, the task of the military is to protect and preserve the nation regardless of cost. This transcendent goal will displace the corporate complex for the new exciting task.

The brilliant and skillful managers of our society who are presently driving humanity toward oblivion can quickly apply there efforts to saving humankind in the conversion to sustainable cultures. The top managers who caused the current economic crisis need not be punished, but simply hired to do good work instead of evil.

The populations, so elegantly directed by our media brains, will enthusiastically join together for this great task, just as they support the common effort in the 1940s.

Like the 1940s, the conversion to sustainable culture will be accomplished in just a few years, to the great benefit of all humankind and the supporting ecosystem.

We could discuss the details of how this transformation is accomplished, but the scenarios are already elaborately prepared and ready for this overwhelmingly complex task. The details offer a delightful challenge for dinner conversation, but for those who take a more thorough approach, ample avenues are available.

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Last updated Monday, April 9, 2018 05:43 UTC