She was referring to the financial crisis. But the question applies to so many other related problems as well: global warming, peak oil, etc.
During a briefing by academics at the London School of Economics on the turmoil on the international markets the Queen asked: "Why did nobody notice it?"...
...Professor Luis Garicano, director of research at the London School of Economics...said: "She was asking me if these things were so large how come everyone missed it." He told the Queen: "At every stage, someone was relying on somebody else and everyone thought they were doing the right thing."
This is a clear question. Simple. We must ask ourselves why we could not have posed the same question.
He is asleep and she looks royally annoyed. Have we learned anything from this?
Now another British publication is asking about peak oil. The oil industry knew about this in 1956. No one doubted the science - and experts only quibbled about the date of the beginning of the decline. They placed it somewhere between 1973 and oh, say, roughly - now. And they continue to argue about the steepness and severity of the decline. It is deeply linked to our economy.
The fear is that panicky markets can cause enormous damage - panic-buying that prompts fights over resources, which in turn could lead to power cuts in some places and other such mayhem. But so far in facing this huge challenge, our political/economic system seems unable to cope with reality. We are forced to carry on living in an illusion that we have so much time to adapt to post-oil that we don't even need to be talking or thinking much about what a world without plentiful oil would look like. Reality has become too dangerous. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2009/nov/10/peak-oil-fear-economic-establishment
One job of royalty is to lead and demonstrate. Yet the peasants have chosen to remain ignorant. And our leaders refuse to act decisively. Perhaps this is the kind of problem best dealt with by a ruthless royalty.
This ignorance of our own ignorance labels us as either an unworthy class or a doomed species. Our very civilization is broken because "everyone was relying on someone else" and when a few organizations and political movements actively cultivated stupidity enough people "thought they were doing the right thing"Time to face the questions that connect peak oil, the economy and anthropogenic global warming.
Nice blog Richard. I'm getting to the point where I really hope my kids don't have kids of their own. For years I've just unthinkingly assumed that their lives would be as easy and comfortable and secure as mine, but now I can't see that happening. Global warming is inevitable, resources are limited, there are far too many people for the planet to sustain.
Thanks... And also missing from our future is the brave leadership required to guide us forward. That is why I am often impressed with British Royalty - they are better disconnected from most commercial and political interests. They can speak clearly to the obvious dangers. The Dali Lama is also starting to speak out. But it seems like most political leaders have corrupting influences that blind them to their obligations. Now this situation requires everyone to take a stand.