[Buddha-l] Buddhism and capitalism

[jkirk]

Since Richard has just reminded us of the true religion of 
America--nationalism and flag waving and we are God's own country--I want to 
suggest some reading for those of you who are immune to the wizard of Oz's 
existential maya-- the maya of the prevailing offical US world view-- a 
reading that includes nothing about god or religion but says a lot about the 
elites of the world who as we speak are busy protecting their own butts, on 
the basis of what Michael C. Ruppert calls "demand destruction."
I hope that as Buddhists we can organize responses in our various 
communities to deal with the forthcoming problems, responses that will be 
useful and helpful because we believe in sharing and compassion. Every man 
for him or herself probably won't work.

So look over the website, read his forthcoming talk in (the first public 
conference of any magnitude on peak oil. which I will include here as I just 
subbed to his research service) to be held in the NYC UU hall on Oct 5th. 
Hope this is not too long for the server to entertain.
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/     http://www.petrocollapse.org/
Joanna
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Begin talk:

GOVERNMENT, FINANCIAL, AND POLITICAL AWARENESS OF PEAK OIL PRIOR TO 2005

FIVE RULES FOR SURVIVAL OF THE COMING COLLAPSE

(A Speech for the New York Petrocollapse Conference - October 5, 2005)

by
Michael C. Ruppert

© Copyright 2005, From The Wilderness Publications, 
www.fromthewilderness.com. All Rights Reserved.  May be circulated, 
distributed or transmitted for non-profit purposes only.

October 5, 2005 (FTW) - NEW YORK -- Most people who have come to this 
conference; indeed, perhaps even some of the presenters here today, have 
come with a serious misconception. That misconception is a belief that there 
is an urgent need to somehow make key decision makers and leaders of 
American and global life aware of the immediate problems of Peak Oil and 
Natural Gas.

Nothing could be more off base. The world's key decision makers have been 
aware of and planning for this crisis for years.

In fact, by understanding clearly that political, economic and business 
elites have been aware of Peak Oil and its deadly implications, we can see 
that remedial actions designed to save lives and minimize the effects of 
collapse can and will only be initiated by individuals working through and 
as part of local communities.

There is a record - much too long to describe fully here - that official 
awareness of Peak Oil and its implications has been a distinct and 
well-articulated part of US political and economic thinking going back at 
least to 1977. I will give you just a few brief examples to make the point. 
Many of these examples are included in my book "Crossing the Rubicon: The 
Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil" (New Society, 
2004). If you listen closely to these few examples you will understand that 
even though the term Peak Oil is rarely mentioned, it is exactly what is 
being described.

In the same vein, it is foolish to believe that any governmental preparation 
for Peak Oil will be publicly labeled as such. Most preparations, so as to 
avoid panic and/or political risk, have been carefully concealed in other 
documents and legislation such as the PATRIOT Act and the Homeland Security 
Act. In my earlier presentation and throughout the day today, it should be 
growing clear to you that official preparations for Peak Oil have been 
underway for some time. And - as I document in "Rubicon" - they include the 
attacks of September 11th, 2001 and all US government foreign policy 
initiatives since then.

[deleted-- his history of how long ago and who knew and reported on peak oil 
and consequences.]

We are witnessing government response to Peak Oil now. In my earlier 
presentation I have made it clear that that response will include only 
measures which protect the financial elites and major corporations. They 
include:

1. Rationing
2. More Coal and Nuclear - Emphasis on Fisher-Tropsch Coal-to-Liquids 
Conversion.
3. Suspended Environmental and Drilling Restrictions
4. Protection of Critical Infrastructure
5. Strengthening and Reinforcing Domestic Military Operations - Suspension 
of Posse Comitatus
6. Suspension and Relaxation of Labor and Minimum Wage Laws.
7. Changing and Tightening the Bankruptcy Laws Allowing Fewer Distressed 
Consumers to Discharge Debts.
8. Allowing and Facilitating Population Reduction through Famine and 
Disease.
9. Strengthening and Giving More Power to FEMA.
10. Destroying Demand Through Economic Collapse and Allocating Scarce 
Resources - by Force if Necessary - to Protect the Interests of the 
Wealthiest Communities and Interests in the Country.
Accordingly, I have developed five rules which should be used as a guide for 
all who understand Peak Oil, who appreciate both its imminence and 
significance, and who wish to do something to increase their chances for 
survival as our long emergency now begins:

1. There is no combination of alternative energy sources anywhere that will 
enable current consumption and growth to continue.

2. Even if there were, it takes 30 years and lots of capital investment to 
change an energy infrastructure. Peak Oil is here now. The current 
infrastructure will not be rebuilt or even well maintained. The return on 
that investment for the financial elites is "uncertain" and they will not 
spend any more than they have to on band aid solutions until the crash 
becomes apparent.

3. No government entity (federal or state) will do (or be able to do) 
anything to solve Peak Oil and energy shortages. The political system is 
utterly and irretrievably broken.

4. Until you change the way money works, you change nothing. It will be more 
profitable to let decline, starvation, wars, disease and famine occur than 
it will be to prevent them (Disaster Capitalism).

5. All real solutions will be place-based, local and originate at the grass 
roots, independent of government. What saves you and your family will be 
determined by what and who is in your own neighborhood and what kind of 
cooperation has been achieved there.

These are stark and harsh words, I realize. But for many years now I and 
"From The Wilderness" have had an uncanny record - around 80% -- of 
accurately predicting future trends and events. We are today just weeks away 
from one of the largest economic crashes to ever hit the United States. It 
is a crash that has actually been encouraged for some time through reckless 
fiscal policy, soaring deficits both in Washington and in our balance of 
payments accounts, the unbridled and inexcusable inflation of the housing 
bubble, expansion of consumer credit and a negative net savings rate to name 
a few.

It is in this way that massive demand destruction will be achieved to 
maintain a degree of broader global stability as Peak Oil begins to claim 
casualties as it already has in Zimbabwe and Indonesia. With the United 
States consisting of 5% of the world's population consuming 25% of the world's 
energy output, it has been clear for some time that America was the only 
profligate spender which mattered and which needed to be "adjusted" before 
broader global desperation measures could be implemented.

With all of the sincerity and fervor I have; with every ounces of 
credibility I have established over these many long years of activism and 
painstakingly documented research, I urge all of you to take these warnings 
seriously and to take action now. Understand that the only productive 
efforts you can make are to look at your own lives and your own communities 
and to start taking the actions that will expand your options and increase 
your support bases there.

Because I assure you that there is no one in Washington capable, and no one 
on Wall Street with even the slightest bit of concern, about how you will 
come out of this, except as a crippled vehicle - perhaps a bankrupt 
indentured servant - to maintain an economic paradigm that demands infinite 
growth and the sacrifice of everything that is human and good to achieve it, 
even human life itself. Even with as little time as now remains before 
reality hits, there are steps you can take, and which you can determine for 
yourself, which may make a difference in how you fare through this. But the 
only way to begin that process is to understand that no one, except perhaps 
your neighbors and your family, is going to do anything to help you and that 
this, has been the real plan for many, many years.

Thank you.