I kept an eye on the stories in my newspaper to see how long it would take for the BP PLC oil-spill story to move off the front page.
It took about two weeks before I saw a Page 1 without a BP story. Maybe that’s because the tar balls have not reached Kentucky — yet.
Yes — like the public consciousness — the oil spill jumps back to Page 1 frequently on slow news days and when something good (or more alarming) happens.
I know that in communities directly affected by the world’s largest oil slick, the aftermath of the ruptured pipe and its implications have not left Page 1 or the public consciousness.
The longtime scars won’t ever go away, I think.
So, one question that gets asked but rarely answered is “What will we learn from this?” Here’s what I am being told to “learn” based on what I read and what I watch:
- It’s President Barack Obama’s fault (or you can substitute any modern-era president’s name).
- It’s the evil corporate empire’s fault (or you can substitute BP's name or the name of any multibillion-dollar corporation) .
- It’s the environmental lobby’s fault.
- It’s the fault of anti-environmentalists.
- It’s God punishing us.
- It’s the American public’s fault for not using less oil.
Yes, it seems there is plenty of fault floating around — along with the millions of gallons of oil that conceivably might touch just about everywhere on the planet.
As a teacher, I’ve not gained a lot of traction by using “fault” as a learning tool. It does not equate to accountability — not even close.
So, is there a way we can set aside the fact that a “gusher” as they used to be called back in the day continues to spew on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico and try to focus on what to do about the future?
Is there a way we can look at the issue differently — take a step back from firmly entrenched “political” positions and look for some common and beneficial ground on which we can stand?
Options to oil consumption? Sure, but that is easier said than done.
Less oil use? Of course, but we have faced oil scares before (shortages, high prices and disasters), and we seem to quickly forget them.
And remember, many of the same questions-arguments that surround oil surround the use of coal, nuclear power, windmills and solar.
When it comes to energy consumption, perhaps at this juncture we should retreat to No. 9 on Benjamin Franklin’s list of 13 virtues: “Avoid extremes.”
When it comes to the “discussion” of energy consumption, how about Franklin’s No. 2: “Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.”
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