The Second Axiom of Energy Infrastructure
/The First Axiom of Energy Infrastructure is simple: Everything is Interdependent and Mutually Reinforcing.
The Second Axiom is just as straightforward: There’s No Such Thing as Magic!
Magic simply does not exist in the real world, despite how much our interactions with the wonderful world of energy infrastructure may sometimes feel like magic. To our ancestors, a simple flip of a light switch would indeed have seemed like a magical feat.
However, it is important to note that human fascination with magic and alchemy dates back centuries. Both involve the transformation of matter and energy, and both have been seen as mystical and secretive arts that only a select few could master.
In the past, people believed (or at least hoped) that alchemy could turn base metals into gold and create an elixir of life that would grant eternal youth and health! They hoped and believed that through alchemy, they could control the forces of nature, solve all human problems (especially scarcity), and essentially become gods!
When stripped of its Faustian tones, alchemy can be seen as an attempt to harness what we now know as legitimate science, namely, chemistry and physics.
Today, we know that some transmutation of elements is possible through nuclear reaction - a phenomenon that was once considered to be impossible. However, while modern nuclear physics may have accomplished some things that sound like alchemy, the fact remains that alchemy in its most fundamental sense is still a form of magic and is still impossible.
Yet, we continue to develop technologies that seem magical, and when we experience them without thought, they look and feel like magic. Electricity, wireless communication, and the internet are all examples of technologies that harness energy and information in ways that were once unimaginable, and their impact on our lives is incalculable and incomprehensible. It is crucial, however, that we avoid slipping into the alchemy heresy, the Faustian heresy, and the destructive world of “Let’s Pretend!”
We must remember that modern energy and data storage/retrieval is not magical, supernatural, or alchemical. Rather, it is the result of human ingenuity, scientific discovery, capital, hard work, time, trial and error, patience, perseverance, and ambition.
For people of good will and good faith, committed to human flourishing, transparency, and true sustainability (which must include financial sustainability), the mindset of “Let’s Pretend!” can be a powerful spur of innovation and imaginative discovery. Perhaps a better formulation would be “Just Imagine If...” rather than “Let’s Pretend!” This is exactly what George Mitchell and his engineers did. This is the the Wright Brothers, Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Michael DeBakey.
But “Let’s Pretend!” can also be a dangerous, intoxicating, and destructive delusion. Elizabeth Holmes, Jeff Skilling, Wells Fargo (fake accounts), and Volkswagen (emissions scandal) are all examples of individuals and companies that have hypnotized the public with incantations which fall into the category of “Let’s Pretend!”
The character of their fraud is less severe, but no different in kind than Chairman Mao, who duped much of the world into believing that he could fundamentally transform human beings into something better, if only they followed his dictates.
It bears repeating, especially when it comes to energy, that there is no such thing as magic. Modern energy infrastructure is the product of human innovation, scientific discovery, and hard work, not magic or alchemy. Only by keeping this in mind, we can continue to make progress and build a sustainable future.