We stay in a golden age that far surpasses all earlier golden ages. Some name it the Industrial Revolution. Some say it’s the digital revolution. This correspondent refers to it because the petroleum age.
The price of firearms and ammunition, by way of labor, is close to an all-time low. .22 Lengthy Rifle cartridges will be had for underneath six cents a spherical, with free delivery, on the Web. The all-time low, in fixed {dollars}, can be about 5 cents per spherical, not together with gross sales and seconds, from 1993 to 2006. Nominal costs are greater, however prices in labor are a lot decrease.
A .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle will be bought for $150 or much less. A serviceable AR-15 sort rifle will be had for underneath $300. The price of efficient arms for the frequent man has by no means been so low. A number of, efficient centerfire pistols can be found for lower than $200, on sale.
Those that stay in golden ages seldom contemplate themselves to be residing in a golden age. To them, having been born in, and rising up in a golden age, it’s merely regular, what’s. Some, maybe after the golden age is gone, could replicate on what was misplaced.
The petroleum age differs from all earlier ages as a result of it’s the place we discovered to extract power from the earth and make that power obtainable to the overwhelming majority of individuals. The precursor was the age of coal. Coal had changed wooden as the first heating supply in lots of cities by 1850. By 1900, 270 million quick tons have been being produced in the US. That was 3.5 tons for each particular person in the US. However coal was not almost as accessible to most individuals as petroleum has change into.
Huge advantages accrued to many individuals in the course of the age of coal. The advantages are small in comparison with these introduced by petroleum. Coal remains to be vital within the petroleum age. Right now we devour 27 tons of oil and 1.7 tons of coal for each particular person in the US yearly.
The advantages accrued from the provision of low cost power have change into frequent within the golden age of petroleum. They embody:
Indoor plumbing and a clear, indoor, pressurized water provide.
Electrical utility service able to powering our many labor-saving units, together with protected, flame-free lighting, air-con, and communication units that work on the velocity of sunshine.
Recent, wholesome meals obtainable all 12 months spherical. Meals is checked at a number of factors to make sure the absence of parasites, germs, and toxins. Malnutrition is a rarity attributable to psychological sickness, drug use, or battle.
Garments are so low cost that many individuals hold massive closets filled with attire. Specialty sneakers, climate gear, and “sports activities” garments are frequent.
Medical care is obtainable to almost all for many illnesses. Quite a few illnesses have been conquered and almost eradicated. Many present illnesses are the product of prosperity. Weight problems is just not an issue in nations topic to famine. Weight problems was related to wealth, not poverty.
Improve in life span. The common lifespan has elevated from 48.0 years in 1900 to 78.7 years at the moment, a rise of 64%, or 30 years achieve in 125 years.
The flexibility to look and discover info 1000’s of occasions sooner than any library system that existed earlier than 1980.
Particular person-to-individual communication all through a lot of the world is straightforward, fast, and comparatively dependable, and low cost sufficient for the frequent man or lady. Translation at no cost on demand.
World commerce with the flexibility to purchase and promote between continents with ease.
Worldwide journey is obtainable to most, with intercontinental journey time measured in hours, not years or months or weeks, and even days.
The common particular person within the First World has luxuries generally obtainable that pharaohs, kings, and emperors earlier than 1800 might barely comprehend or dream of.
“Retirement” is obtainable to most. Between 1880 and 2000, outdated individuals “exterior the labor drive” grew from 22% of males over 65 to 82.5% of women and men over 65. In 1880, “retirement” meant a “few years of dependence on kids on the finish of life”. In 2000, “retirement” meant an “prolonged interval of self-financed independence and leisure”.
Within the 134 years between 1890 and 2024, the gross home product (GDP) per capita elevated from $3430 to $45,742, in 1996 {dollars}, or greater than 13 occasions as a lot. Practically all of this development has occurred as a result of we now have harnessed power that exists underneath the bottom to learn individuals at the moment. The US has accomplished this higher and extra effectively than some other nation on the planet. On this correspondent’s lifetime, the gross home product/capita elevated 4X!
Will the petroleum age finish? After all it can. The quantity of petroleum obtainable is finite. We have no idea how lengthy it can final. The golden age needn’t finish for a really very long time. Nuclear fission can provide power for a few hundred years, and nuclear fusion, as soon as harnessed, gives 1000’s of years past that, simply from assets obtainable on planet earth. Elon Musk is exhibiting we will entry the assets of the photo voltaic system. The Moon, alone, gives the potential of fusion power for 100 thousand years. Within the subsequent hundred or thousand years, we could discover a option to entry the celebs. As Elon Musk has famous, photo voltaic power in area is steady and dependable. The optimum orbit to harness photo voltaic power modifications continually with obtainable expertise.
This correspondent believes God, not man, is finally in cost. Maybe God’s plan contains utilizing humanity to unfold life throughout the universe. God has work for us to do within the new heaven and on the brand new earth.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a navy officer, was on the College of Wisconsin Pistol Workforce for 4 years, and was first licensed to show firearms security in 1973. He taught the Arizona hid carry course for fifteen years till the aim of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has levels in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Division of Protection after a 30 12 months profession in Military Analysis, Growth, Testing, and Analysis.
