The Collapse of Western Civilization A View from the Future - Assignment Example

Number] “The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future” Naomi Oreskes & Erik M. Conway Critical Analysis “The Collapse of Western civilization: A view from the future” is a collaborative effort of two highly competent authors Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conways. The two authors, former a History and Science Studies professor and the later Historian of Science and Technology; amalgamated their analysis of the future world due to the mistreated past. The authors have created a unique and unambiguous perspective of future generation (Scientists), who are trying to comprehend the unattended and ignored devastation caused by the past generation (Market Fundamentalist). The provocative article is a blend of scientific knowledge, industrial advancement, precise records from the history (climatic and industrial) and eventually it entails fiction in the form of the perspective of future generation. Ignorance and materialistic approach of the Wealthy and powerful around the globe became the root cause of the negligence and eventually, catastrophic climatic changes. The piece of writing is stimulating, comprehensive, and eccentric in its nature and effectively establishes the objective of the two authors. Their main stance is how the Western civilization saw decline in its natural climatic milieu and how it saw an economic rise through its technological and industrial progression. However, the authors in the article lay special emphasis on the fact that with the rapid rise in technology climatic changes became apparent, so were the fortified adverse consequences of it, despite the awareness; the ignorance to prevent such catastrophic changes (global warming) remained a non serious mater and also an unattended one by the liable authorities (Government and Industrialists). In the late twentieth century, authors state that the awareness regarding greenhouse gas emission became apparent to the West. Subsequently, Scientists and Environmentalists were also able to identify the detrimental impact of the green gas emission on Ozone Layer, which directly affected the climate of the Earth. The author implies that even though Scientists were equipped with the authentic reports of the changes in the climatic, but their declarations were met with diplomatic controversies of the industrialist, who did not want to reduce their production and profits (to control green house impact on the environment). These industrialists produced and consumed fossil fuels to attain financial, political, and social stability in the world. However, their short term profit disrupted the long term process of ecological system of the Earth. Thus, author also provides concise record of natural disasters in 2010, which took the lives of 50,000 people (Russia) and resulted in the loss of 15 billion dollars. Moreover, floods in Australia and Winter-less US faced extreme heat waves in summer with addition to the loss and damage to the livestock and standing crop. Conclusively, the World faced a lump sum loss of 500 billion dollars and along with it 500,000 lives (Oreskes and Conway, 42). The authors are providing ample evidence to stance their claim against the conscious ignorance of the concerned authorities. Concurrently, the authors have aptly interwoven the fact and figures in the article to produce maximum impact on the readers; that the article contains only accuracy in formulating its position (negligence towards climatic changes around the globe). The main reason for such devastation (climatic change) was the increased use of fossil fuels. The leaders around the globe knew that they needed energy transition, but little was done for the sake of environmental change. Hence, the authors are rightfully criticizing how scientists indulged in name producing aspects instead of stressing on the alarming situation of the climate. Even the international organisations responsible for addressing such climatic modifications became financially dependent for the aid of the wealthy communities of fossil fuel producers. This in turn determined the boundaries on how much scientists can study and what can they study (Ibid, 43). The author represents evidence in the form of 2012 US law ‘Sea Level Rise Denial bill’. Here, the authors focus on the the hypocrisy of the governmental policies, which restrict the scientists and their span of study for the national benefit, portrays that scientists are unreliable if unobserved and their study as a form of exaggeration. At the same time, the author infuses fiction, Penumbral Period of the future, where Scientists of the future were engrossed in the investigation of intellectual and cultural standards of the past. The most disturbing and illogical fact was the continuous ignorance towards the natural atmospheric changes and its disastrous outcomes. Hence, the authors have intellectually and meticulously crafted a hypothesis for the future scientists. In the olden times, societies entirely depended on religious preaching to formulate their life style and practices. And with the passage of time, religion also saw a decline and secularism (rationalists) community emerged, which relied on scientific knowledge to develop faith and understanding. Simultaneously, the authors have tried to apply the same theory here, when the intellectual level of the societies rose they underestimated their scientists and their findings, making it intricate for them to justify their stance and unfeasible to accept their findings. Hence, their discoveries and investigations were met with disbelief and they saw a rapid and immediate decline (environmental) (Ibid, 44-45). To the disdain of a rational individual, fossil fuel industrialist and media played a pivotal role in developing false propaganda against these scientists and also to their scientific findings. In 2012, with the rapid increase in the economic and fiscal stability the rate of carbon dioxide (in air) also increased by 38% (Ibid, 45). USA and Canada held the regime of fossil fuel industry and these countries were also liable for generating authentic reports on environmental decline in the international lobby. Therefore, a false dichotomy was produced by these materialist, they escalated the idea that natural gas (when combusted) generates less than half of carbon dioxide comparatively to coal. This theory gained popularity among politicians and economist, who equipped themself with shale gas dogma to promote their ethical stance (of going green) and to protect their esteemed profits. In the due course, the authors present a perceptual case of methane emission, which was left unattended. Hence, according to authors short term profit geared the long term sacrifice from the nature. Yet again, the authors paint a vivid and depressing picture of the future world (2040), which is a bi-product of increased green gas emission affect. The authors illustrate Malthusian drills as common practised way of life (for the consumption of food and water). Thus, droughts and heat waves were considered natural and unavoidable. Prosperous nations migrated to areas, which were tornado and hurricane free. However, deprived nations suffered undernourishment, poverty, and starvation, which in turn, raised the level of riots in these under developed regions (Asia and Africa) (Ibid, 46). The author predicts that shortage of natural resources in any region causes anxiety in the people and immediate and disastrous riots become unpreventable then. Hence, if adequate attention is not given towards the climatic changes and its cataclysm then people would see a future, which will bring lack of resources and abundance of challenges for its occupants. Yet, the authors predicted and inscribed in a fiction style that in 2041, with malnourishment and shortage of natural resources epidemics like yellow fever, typhus, cholera, dengue, and AIDS would reach to its maximum level. Here, the authors are warning the responsible people for atmospheric changes to pay heed towards the intensity of such diseases, which can kill thousands of people in one go. The imbalance in the atmosphere pessimistically affected living species like insects, plants, and animal life on Earth. Yet, in such catastrophic environment, Unity among nations is a pleasing aspect, which depicts that author embodies some intellectual and empathetic sense in leaders of the world. Moreover, the authors assume in 2041, with the decline in resources nations like US and Canada will be amalgamate and foundations like UNCCEP will start their Great Energy Transition and ICEEP projects (Ibid, 47). Arctic summer ice meltdown, collapse of ice sheet in West Antarctica, disintegration of Greenland ice sheet resulted in 5 meter rise in sea level, which dislocated 10 % of the people around the world in Penumbral period. Simultaneously, the authors in a fiction equipped fashion, formulate the comprehension of future scientists, who are unable to grasp the idea when the dire outcomes became known to the Western world, why the fossil fuel energy was not replaced by wiped out nations. Hence, concluding that Western world saw complete abolishment of population due to two theories of theirs, that is positivism and market fundamentalism, which disintegrated their link to fundamental needs of life (Earth’s stability) (Ibid, 49). Oreskes and Conway have efficiently generated a thought provoking scientific and fiction view of the global crises (climatic changes and its devastating outcomes). The readers can definitely benefit from the precise facts of the past and predicted future outcomes due to environmental decline, which are elaborated extensively to shed light on significance of its remedial. However, a common individual cannot comprehend the article immediately as it contains extensive and intrinsic details in technical language, integrated from past and future scenarios, social and political diplomatic strategies of materialism, positivism, and market fundamentalism theories. Such intricate aspects are not easily understood and recognized by common men, however, the authors have innovated an exceptional and realistic perception of the past, present and future West. Work Cited: Top of Form Oreskes, Naomi, and Conway. Erick. M. The Collapse of Western Civilization: A View from the Future. , 2014. Print. Bottom of Form Read More