It seems that a disease is rampant amongst several who write letters to Voices. Many exhibit the same irrational thought processes concerning the energy problems. We’ll call it Failurous of the Comprehendis. In other words, they don’t know what they are talking about most of the time. One such letter appeared on July 6, 2008. He wondered where the conservatives have gone that were concerned with saving and national security. This conservative isn’t sure what he means by saving but if it’s junk, there is a shed full on my property. I’ve always been for saving. But as to national security I’m all for it, especially becoming oil independent to have security.

The writer doesn’t think that drilling will solve the problems since it will be several years before the fields produce. That is tantamount to saying that a new road can’t be built because it will take several years to do so. By the same line of reasoning, all of the factories built and advances that took place during the Industrial Revolution shouldn’t have happened since it took a lot of years to develop the technology in use at the time. It must be admitted that the advances of that time did put horses, wagons, and the ice man out of business several years later, not to mention the printer who made the yellow and black sign in the window that told the ice man how much ice was needed that day.

In spite of the current information, the writer insists that only five years of oil is available and oil companies don’t think it is worth the effort to exercise the leases they currently hold. Afflicted with Failurous Comprehendis as he is, he is blind to the fact that it takes awhile for the operations to begin. The oil companies are actively  pursuing the leases with steps necessary to begin drilling, but since the writer says they aren’t, they must not be doing so. Those type people think it is true; they say it is true, so therefore it must be true. The oil people who say they are engaging in the steps to produce oil aren’t paying attention to the proper experts.

But the disease of Failurous Comprehendis just becomes worse with each passing thought. He wants to know why conservatives want to burn all the domestic oil as quickly as possible and how doing so will enhance national security. Failurous Comprehendis has definitely gained industrial size strength by producing more illogical thinking. Conservatives don’t want to burn it quickly. Fact one: it can’t be burned quickly since billions of barrels are available by the writer’s own admission. Fact two: if we don’t produce the oil, our national security becomes worse with each passing day that we don’t drill. Imagine what will happen if our imported petroleum is no longer importable. It would put the horse and wagon people back in business, not to mention the increased profitability of broom and shovel manufacturers supplying the street sweepers.

He is concerned that there won’t be anything left for our children and their children. What good will leaving it in the ground do for any children? Oh, I know, they’ll get to learn how to drive a horse hooked to a buggy and deal with that pollution. He’ll think greenhouse gas reduction with horses running through the streets.   

Whether the writer is a liberal or not isn’t known, but what is known is that his logic and reason have taken flight, if he had them to begin with, which is doubtful. This is the type of person who becomes so locked in to an ideology that so defies reason that it isn’t explainable, except to say it has to be a disease that is contagious since so many writers express the same nonsensical ideas. But go ahead and confuse them with the facts, and sit back and watch Failurous Comprehendis become worse.

© 07-06-2008 DEC