Last time, I discussed one of the issues involving the Middle East--oil. We consume so much petroleum that the world's largest producer of crude oil is, not without reason, the most observed region on the planet. However, as we develop more advanced methods of energy production--and we really are--it becomes less of an issue, and thus less of a reason for us all to bother caring about the future of that area. Why then does everyone care so much about the Middle East?
For that matter, why do I care so much about the Middle East? I doubt this will be the last time I post about the area, for as long as Google News features headlines about a topic, I will be interested in it. And I think my interest is related to the reason it appears in so many news articles. And that reason is far more complex than "we want their oil."
Our species is quickly approaching the next stage in its development; a global society. You know how in any work of science fiction where they discover alien life, they are always referred to as the inhabitants of their planet? Ever since I was little, I was bothered by the fact that every alien spoke the same language, dressed the same, and thought of themselves only as members of their species. I was skeptical that any planet could essentially dissolve international borders and set aside their differences with other people. Over time, I came to believe that what actually happened was that the presence of an alien race (us) allowed them to unite against a common opposing force (even if we got along with the aliens, they could still easily group themselves separately from us, thus leading to global unity). However, I have since learned that that is not necessarily the case.
The aliens had reached what is known as a "Type I" civilization. That is, they had reached a stage where they could harvest and utilize every bit of energy available to them on their planet. A Type I civilization uses a lot of energy, but they also produce at least enough energy that energy is not even a concern for them (as long as they keep their civilization contained within their planet). I theorize that in order to reach that stage of global energy efficiency, we need a global culture.
What is culture? It's simply the way a group of people behave in certain situations. For instance, every November, Americans gather their families, have a feast, reflect on the good things in their lives, and maybe watch some football or the Thanksgiving parade. That is a unit of American culture. In the early, formative days of humanity, culture was very important. It involved the passing of know-how from generation to generation. The ability to transmit knowledge is what separates us from animals (or is it???). An example of a piece of practical culture--Jews wash their hands before a meal. They have done so for thousands of years. The rest of Europe, who scoffed at those neat-freaks, died by the millions at the hands of the Black Plague, while Jews were largely unaffected. The modern cultural equivalent? Washing your hands after using the bathroom.
Now, why did I bring that up? To show that culture, which governs our everyday life, is the driving force that can guide us to optimization. If we have a culture that supports high-technology, (which industrialized nations obviously do,) we will use that culture to push us toward higher technology. And since there is only one best way to achieve anything, there must be one best culture.
The problem arrives when people assume that their culture is the best. We are aiming towards a homogeneous culture, where everyone agrees on the codes of conduct, but that doesn't mean each civilization should vie for dominance. What is happening now is the perfect situation. Today, we can see many examples of multiculturalism. Memes, or cultural units, are being accepted by the innovators of each nation. People are becoming more and more enamored by foreign societies, and so many more people live abroad nowadays than ever before. Borders are blurring, and nations are becoming less distinct. Hooray, right?
I think I lost my train of thought. I'll pick this up on Wednesday, when I remember my point.
