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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
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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.

The Industrial Revolution, marked by a shift in social organization from agriculture to

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

of new forms of energy, our power has been lost.

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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.

Capitalism is defined as an economic and political system characterized by trade and

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
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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

________________,_____________________________________________________________

_______________________________. These simple things that countless of people do every

second are harming you more than you will ever know. These secrets are being kept from us.

TBC

In conclusion, Roy Scranton argues a valid point. Global warming is a man-made

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

understanding of the power we possess.

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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.