TO THE EDITOR:
In the Sept. 11 letter “More discussion on fracking needed,” Robert George wrote “What we need …is not revolution or rebellion but a prudent ‘Energy Reformation.’” He then goes on to explain that solar and wind energy is the answer to our energy problems.
Dr. George is wrong. We do need a revolution. We need to ask ourselves what the root of fracking and the Atlantic Coast pipeline is — and without very long consideration we will plainly see that the root is our society’s technological values.
Technological society is defined as one that values efficiency, artificiality, and rationality. Since the Industrial Revolution, the world has been dominated by a technological way of life, and as a result modern man and nature have been reduced to cogs in one great, efficient machine whose operators are a small elite of technocrats and large organizations.
Technological values are social values, and simply replacing fracking with “green” energy will not be enough. In fact, “green” energy will only allow our technological society to carry on.
No, we don’t need a reformation. If we are to get to the root of the problem, we are going to need a social revolution — a radical change in the values our society is based on, a change to values that respect the freedom and dignity of wild nature and wild ways of life.
John Fleshman
Freshman
