The Crisis of Profligacy

Andrew J.Bacevich. Limits to Power. Metropolitan Books. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC Publishers since 1866

The Crisis of Profligacy is the crisis of extravagance, or the exceeding of appropriate limits, which in this case, is the exceeding of self indulgence. This chapter highlights the over consumption Americans are doing, resulting in the misuse of what it means to be “American”. The American people are free-spirited, self-less, and passionate people, or supposed to be. Bacevich states on page sixteen: “The ethic self gratification has firmly entrenched itself as the defining feature of the American way of life.” Due to the consumption of oil, America’s selfish greed will corrupt the nation causing a collapse in government as well as a collapse in our Earth as well. After World War II the use of Production and Consumption became a main priority in the lives of America. As a result gas prices went up, and there were many frequent “oil shocks”. In order to obtain more oil, The U.S. needed to invade Iran to satisfy the “needs” of the people.
Jimmy Carter, a former U.S. president, gave a speech that caution U.S. citizens of the upcoming crises that they would soon have to face. He suggested creating alternative energy and becoming less dependent on oil, but the U.S. citizens chose not to listen. This speech became the down fall of his presidency and allowed Ronald Regan to come forth. This type of reaction is similar to the film Collapse by Chris Smith. This documentary was about an author, and former police officer, Michael Ruppert. This video goes into depth about his ideology of how the world is going to “collapse” due the Peak of Oil. Ruppert mentions that there are three types of people. The ones that are a “deer in the head lights”, the ones who understand and are willing to work, and then the ones who are incredulous.
The American Society is composed of people who are incredulous and choose to ignore the facts. The Americans are reaching past the limits of self indulgence, corrupting our world all together.