In this issue:
- How the fossil fuel industry can stand up for itself
- New talking points on “environmental justice”
- Upcoming Accelerator Call
How the fossil fuel industry can stand up for itself
The next two years will likely contain some of the biggest attacks on economic freedom, especially energy freedom, in our country’s history.
My philosophy on defending freedom is to always assume that there are better ways to make my case–and then work to keep getting better. That gives me optimism that tough battles can be won.
A few years ago, I watched a talk by philosopher Onkar Ghate, a long-time mentor of mine, called “Freedom and the Need for Business to Stand Up for Itself.” The talk some made brilliant points about how businessmen could more effectively fight for freedom if they made their freedom an issue of justice.
On this week’s Power Hour, I interviewed Onkar about how the fossil fuel industry can stand up for itself. Despite having thought about this issue for over a decade I learned a lot from the interview–and I hope you do, too.
Here are some of the questions I asked Onkar:
- Why is it so powerful to fight on grounds of justice?
- What should people in the fossil fuel industry consider unjust about the way they’re treated?
- What kind of justice should the fossil fuel industry demand?
- How should the fossil fuel industry act in the political world?
- How should the fossil fuel industry interact with the media?
- How should the fossil fuel industry act in the corporate/ESG world?
- What can we learn from Ayn Rand’s success in winning people over to the cause of economic freedom?
If you work in the industry I will say categorically that this interview is a must-listen. If enough people in industry listen to this interview and take its lessons to heart, the future of energy and freedom could improve significantly.
You can watch on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts.
New talking points on “environmental justice”
One of the big themes of the Biden administration will be “environmental justice.” Right now that movement is taking the moral high ground, claiming that Biden’s myriad terrible policies will help make the world a more just place for the impoverished, racial minorities, etc.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
But to make this clear we need effective ways to reframe the issue. And we need to give many examples of how destructive “environmental injustice” is for the people it claims to help.
Here are some high level messages reframing the issue of “environmental justice”
- Anti-development activists are trying to hide the destructiveness of anti-development policies by calling them “environmental justice.” But opposing the development of factories, roads, farms, and housing is a tremendous *human injustice*–above all to the poor and middle-class.
- Real environmental justice is the freedom to intelligently develop our environment–to build factories, roads, farms, and housing–including to accept certain side-effects when the benefits far outweigh the costs. And freedom drives innovation that reduces side-effects over time.
- Anti-development “environmental justice” activists focus only on the negative environmental impacts of development but not the far worse negative environmental impacts of non-development. People in undeveloped environments burn dung, have dirty water, and can’t cope with climate.
Notice that I am positioning “environmental justice” activists as anti-development activists.
I never like bad ideas and movements to conceal their badness with good-sounding names. That’s why I call “renewables” “unreliables.”
More talking points like this at EnergyTalkingPoints.com.
Upcoming Accelerator Call
On Sunday, January 17th at 2 pm PST I’ll be hosting an Accelerator Call to discuss strategy, share new insights, and answer questions.
In addition to sharing the latest on my book and on Energy Talking Points I will give a brief presentation “How to Change the Moral Narrative on Energy.” I have been learning a lot about “moral narratives” lately and am eager to share my latest views.
If you’re already an Accelerator, you’ll get an invitation.
If you’re not and want to come on the call, become an Accelerator at any level.
Note: For Accelerators who can’t attend I’ll make a recording of the call available for a week.
To Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Energy,
Alex