The turmoil that currently rages amongst the world’s citizens makes it seem unlikely that our species is going to survive. It does not appear to matter which continent you inspect or scrutinize, each has one or more countries ripe with anger, shortages, hardship. Even countries, which by right of stature, should have all their proverbial ducks in a row are fighting amongst themselves in a perpetual battle for equal rights, safety, or the simple privilege of having enough money for food and shelter.
Humans have made it tough for themselves. Lord Acton’s axiom “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” after some one hundred and thirty one years, looks, to have been proven to the point of becoming a physical law of human nature. You only have to watch the news channel to see the daily suffering inflicted on the common folk when leaders refuse to relinquish the smallest iota of power.
Nikola Tesla spent a good portion of his life trying to bring free energy to the masses. He dreamt of a world where people would not want for food, heat, light, or transportation. It has been alleged the powers that be, at that time, would not abide a technology that threatened their very fortune.
It seems that if we leave the responsibility of our independence to someone else, no matter how adamantly they postulate otherwise, the common citizen somehow always has to give up the most. If we let the government look after our needs, our energy demands, we then have to pay, suffering a substantial debt load in the form of taxes, both forthright and hidden; taxes that are freely spent for the gain of few, at the expense of many.
Daily scientist and researchers from around the world are publishing their
findings in the alternate energy field. They describe systems that can provide for our creature comforts and the supply of the basic human needs of food, shelter, and clothing. Many new and novel ways have been proposed that can alleviate the environmental issues of pollution, global warming, water shortages, famine, and unemployment.
As enlightening, and refreshing to the psyche as these new developments are, the world appears to have little time to revel in these new innovations. In the case of the majority, they are too busy trying to eke a living to stop those that intend on destroying humanity in the name of religion, or corporate entitlement.
With new efficiencies in photovoltaics, larger wind turbines, more effective means of energy storage, developments in hydrogen technologies, computing power, robotics, agricultural techniques, water desalination, and exploration of space, humanity could be on the cusp of abundance and peace. If these new technologies actually benefit the individual, the family, the small community, then maybe our struggle would ease.
If technology was allowed to benefit the masses, allowed them to stay home, feed their families, stay warm, and provide all their needs; free of an overlord, no matter their locality, maybe humanity would have a chance.
Lorne Oja can be reached at Oja lorne@solartechnical.ca