Éric Pineault, professor of ecological economics at the Institute of Environmental Sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal, explains how the fires raging in Canada are a corollary of the paradigm termed Extreme Oil. He discusses various oil and gas projects across North America, as well as the Canadian government’s support for the Trans Mountain Pipeline project, and how terms such as “net zero” and “carbon neutral” are misleading and conveniently serve Big Oil’s aims.
His recent book A Social Ecology of Capital presents an empirical analysis of capitalist societies, which both builds on and enhances Marxist theories by accounting for the energy extraction and colonization of ecosystems, a characteristic of what he terms our “fossil-industrial” society. His conception of capitalist metabolism outlines extractivism, production, consumption, and waste dissipation, which leads to an absorption of surplus energy, capital accumulation, and profit maximization. Most importantly, how is this understanding of social ecology useful for furthering a project of emancipation?
Chomsky is a lot of things, all of them heroic. He sets before us an example of what a virtuous life can look like. As far as I can ascertain he is without vanity or the slightest hint of self aggrandizement. What a beautiful fragrance !
Since the presented interview, the President has been afflicted by coronavirus. How badly we do not know. His spokespersons, medical and otherwise – those who themselves are not afflicted – have not given the public a reliable, consistent evaluation. What seems true is that Joe Biden will benefit in the coming election from the President’s disability. Sen. Biden was not soliciting the Left for votes before Pres. Trump’s illness was announced, and he has no reason to do so now.
The case for voting for him made by Prof. Chomsky is less urgent now. People like me who find Biden unprincipled, a political opportunist, may now afford the luxury of voting for a minor candidate whom they would really like to see in the White House, even if that is next to impossible – the chances of a Trump victory seem to have been so greatly diminished.
Noam’s beard looks just like a wise man’s should.
Noam says we have to vote for Biden even in safe states because Trump’s contribution to climate change is incalculable. Obama’s rhetoric was different, but not his actions. On the contrary, he bragged about being the president under whom more pipeline was laid than any other. His regime granted unprecedented licenses for oil drilling. His Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar was responsible for approving the very kind of deep sea oil drilling that gave us Deepwater Horizon. “That was me who did that,” said Obama in the famous YouTube video of the US regaining its place as world’s leading producer of oil. And not even for domestic use. But to ship it overseas like one more ka-ching. We have Obama and the Dims to thank for Trump. What makes Noam think a cleverer Mussolini-like Trump won’t be the result of the regime of the senile Joe Biden? I expect Illinois to be double-digits Dim. In which case I’ll vote for the Orange Menace to register my contempt and disgust with the enabling Dims. Even if it’s close I would trust Biden any more than I do Trump to make things a shade better. I’ll vote third party.
More likely the October surprise will be that it becomes impossible to ignore Biden’s increasing dementia and Trump wins a second term. The Dims have put up two of the worst imaginable candidate to challenge the worst. You have to acknowledge the Dims for their unfailing ineptitude. And corruption.