Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Asha Hayes
ENGL 1302
Professor Croster
02.19.2017
The Problem Is Us
The problem is that the problem is too big. The problem is that different people
want different things. The problem is that nobody has real answers. The problem is
that the problem is us.
~ Roy Scranton
Global Warming has been at the heart of social and political issues since the turn of the
Industrial Revolution. According to Scranton and many other environmentalist, the continued
reliance on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emittance is what endangers our
civilization. At the end of chapter three of this essay, Scranton brings up a very valuable point
that explains why we still have not resolved the issue. The problem is that the problem is us. The
root of the continuation of the degradation of our planet is not only at fault of the hazardous
gasses, but is at primary fault of every person living on our planet. Our carelessness is slowly
killing us all.
Since the beginning of time energy has been the key to politics. Scranton explains that
since the turn of the Agricultural Revolution, beginning in 10000 BC, the working class was at
the root of a functioning civilization. . The Agricultural Revolution brought people together into
groups of different people with different talents and strengths. These people began to a have
social interactions and began to mix ideologies. These ideas were later turned into forms of
government in the broadest sense. People began to create rules for a functioning society, to
maintain operations and production to sustain life. Diverse systems of more sophisticated social
systems soon began to take shape. Feudalism and Caste systems along with other forms of
government became popular all around the world. With time came an enormous increase in
population and intelligence. These increases translate to a greater need for laborers and working
people. Without the hard labor of the working class, societies would fall thus returning to
Hayes 2
decentralized groups and nomadic lifestyles. Fortunate for us, our ancestors continued to evolve
and eventually reached a point in time when they needed to find a new source of energy, one in
which the now influx of people can survive and thrive from.
coal, started in Britain during the 18th Century and translated to other parts of the world. During
this time, societal dependence was removed form plants and other agricultural means and
translated onto coal. This new commodity translated into many new jobs and professions. With
the new form of labor came many social issues. The labor conditions that these hard coal workers
were in were astonishing. The influx of factories made the demand for workers incredibly high.
According to both David Emory Shi and George Brown Tindall in their book America: A
Narrative History, During the Industrial Revolution, The continuing demand for unskilled
workers by railroads, factories, mills, mines, slaughterhouses, and sweatshops (Pg. 545) was
what made the working class. Because of this influx of workers, wages were dramatically low,
and working conditions were, should I say, narrowly escaping inhumane. However, with these
conditions came the rise of labor unions, organized worker associations, by trade, profession,
gender, race, and sometimes age, formed to protect their rights. The bigger the union, the bigger
the voice, the bigger the influence. Some of the biggest unions, such as the National Labor Union
(NLU) advocated for better working conditions rather than an increase in wages. While the NLU
disbanded in 1882, it was very influential in persuading Congress to pass an 8-hour workday for
employees, and even helped in the repeal of the 1864 Contract Labor Act. (Pg. 648) This was a
time when regular people had voices, and fought for their rights. Had they known of the hazards
of carbon emittance, they would have fought for that as well. With the emergence and discovery
The final, and most recent revolution, The Great Acceleration, which began during the
20th century, removed the reliance of energy from coal, to a reliance on oil and natural gasses.
One of the biggest changes in this era along with the change in energy resources, is the change in
the workforce. Unlike coal based economies, oil and gas production is secluded to billion dollar
companies like Exxon Mobile and Shell. Because of this seclusion, less people are required in
the workforce. The realignment in the energy industry also adjusted the power that normal
people once had. This created an undemocratic society that was not focused on what society
needed or desired, and what society desires the most right now is to end global warming. The
energy sector has become so secluded and decentralized that normal people like you and me no
longer have a voice in this very important societal matter. Despite the many populist movements
such as the Peoples Climate March in New York City that Scranton mentions, there has still
been little change in the movement towards an eco-friendly global society. Activist like the
participants in the march are stopped by systemic restraints that alienate the energy bosses from
the people that suffer. We merely act as unwilling consumers in a problem that is beyond all of
our heads. But why do these energy bosses act as if the phenomenon that is global warming is
nothing more than a hoax. The simple answer to this rather complex problem is none other than
capitalism.
industry controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by state. Many fortune 500
companies in the energy field are booming with money from their crude oil and natural gas
production. An even bigger example of how money makes the world go round is through
international relations and politics. One of the biggest issues that come up again and again in the
many delegate meetings through the United Nations is that of climate change. Some of the most
Hayes 4
economically independent countries such as the United States, and China have hard times
agreeing with international policies concerning climate change because the energy sector is so
imbedded into their economies. For example according to David Klein, in Part 1 of his book
Capitalism and Climate Change: The Science and Politics of Global Warming, technological
solutions already exist, and the only barriers to implementation are politics. China and India,
countries that ae not major producers in crude oils and natural gasses are hue consumers of these
elements. These countries are always in the news for air pollution and countless health
detriments that come with their tremendous use of these greenhouse gas emitters.
Finally, we must realize how embedded in our culture it is to use these harmful forms of
energy. As Scranton points out, every time we do little things like tapping into our email, our
social media feeds, we harm our planet. According to ____________ in his/her book
________________,_____________________________________________________________
second are harming you more than you will ever know. These secrets are being kept from us.
TBC
problem, and it requires a man-made solution. Everybody must be on the same page, and as of
now, we as a global society are all on different terms. Once we realize that global warming is
bigger than any amount of money, or cultural value we have, we will finally begin the process of
making our planet greener. Citizen action is not enough, we must push passed the sanctions and
make our voices herd. Through fixing ourselves, the problem, we will have a greater
Works Cited
Shi, David Emory and Tindall, George Brown. In America: A Narrative History. 10th Edition.
New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2016. Print.
Capitalism and Climate Change: The Science and Politics of Global Warming by David
Klein, illustrated by Stephanie McMillan. Gumroad. N.p, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2017.
Scranton, Roy. Learning to Die in the Anthropocene: Reflections on the End of a Civilization.
San Francisco, CA: City Lights, 2015. Print.