the electric car

the electric car has been around for over a hundred years. i often wonder what the world could have been like if production and development on the electric car had just followed through. now, i am not naive to believe that there would be no war today if the electric car had beat out the gas models back in the day, because let's face it: humans suck. we will always find one thing or another to fight over. if it's not oil in the middle east, it's religion. if it's not religion, it's fresh water. if it's not fresh water, it's over farm land. and so on.

i can understand why governments and businesses were reluctant to push the electric car as well as other "green" initiatives such as the search for alternative fuels. i understand that ten years ago, it just didn't seem to be such a threatening issue. at least not enough to go to the polls over. but now, it seems the consensus is there that we should do something. and we know what we should do. and people say they are willing to sacrifice. but how much?

even if global warming is a natural phenomenon, and even if what we do doesn't matter, why not do it simply on a practical level? in a capitalist system that is supposed to spur competition and the development of new technologies, why not mass produce affordable electric cars? why not put money towards developing alternative fuel sources? why not put the time and effort to design that powerful catch-all fuel cell? after all, this is clearly the way the world is heading. why are some companies and people still so reluctant? this is our chance to be ahead of the curve for once.

i guess the answer simply lies in my original comment: humans suck. unless there is a clear and present danger, change rarely comes about. and i suppose businesses are always trying to subvert change, to hold onto the money and advantage as long as they can, thereby stifling development. the positive in this is that the general public is starting to care, and there is a push now to hold elected officials accountable for green promises, precisely because of the perceived notion that the window of opportunity for change is so small now.

in all honesty, i do think the earth can adapt and adjust to the things we're doing to it, but to a certain extent. i don't think we've passed the point of no return yet, so there's hope yet.

(source 1)