The Long Emergency/Collapse

Kunstler’s text highlights peak of oil, climate change, diseases and water scarcity. All of these factors tie together to form the Long Emergency, the title of his book. Long Emergency is a paradox because long contradicts emergency, but is used in a key sense to describe the oil crisis and how wars are formed based on that. It is a long emergency because for a long time oil supply has steadily decrease creating oil shocks in the 1970’s. “I predict that we are entering an era of titanic international military strife over resources” (Kunstler, 2). Kunstler’s assumption of war is correct because after the bombing of the Twin towers on September 11, 2001, U.S went to war on Iraq, mainly due to its oil supply, rather than Saudi Arabia, the country that is responsible for the destruction of the towers. “The decline of fossil fuels is certain to ignite chronic strife between nations contesting the remaining supplies. These recourse wars have already begun. There will be more of them. They are very likely to grind on and on for decades” (Kunstler, 3). Kunstler is stating that fossil fuel (oil) is the main cause for the wars, along with water, which he later discusses in his chapter. Since oil is comprised of almost everything, it is used to create the machines and vaccinations, and from vaccinations, diseases as well. Diseases that spread and mutate due to pesticides and antibiotics we invent, would become a contributing factor to depopulate the nation. Another real issue that is no longer a theory is Global warming. Since our earth is brutally damaged, climates are starting to change, altering ecosystems and biomes. Climate change is one point that caused the destruction of the Mayan civilization.

The chapter “Maya” from Jared Diamond’s book Collapse illustrates how the Mayans collapse based on four of our own points. Diamond states “They did damage their environment, especially by deforestation and erosion. Climate changes (droughts) did contribute to the Mayan collapse, probably repeatedly. Hostilities among the Maya themselves did play a large role. Finally political/cultural factors, especially the competition among kings and nobles that led to a chronic emphasis on war and erecting monuments rather than on solving underlying problems, also contributed” (Diamond, 159). These four points are similar to the issues that are taking place in the United States. Climate changes are taking place, and due to Deep water Horizon so, is the alternation of the water ecosystems. Deforestation is very common, and is essential in order to give Americans their “wants” such as shopping malls, and bigger complexes. Riots occurred due to oil shocks in the 1970’s, and since the world is running so low on oil, things are just about to get worst.

Kunstler , James Howard . The Long Emergency . New York : Grove Press , (March 2, 2006) .

Diamond , Jared . Collapse. New York : Viking Adult; 1 edition , (December 29, 2004).