Post Petroleum

Brief but Powerful “Post Petroleum” Manifesto

«Post Petroleum» was written in 2014 by the late professor John Urry, a pioneer scholar that conducted mobility studies in the field of sociology. This text contains Urry’s brief but structured analysis of the post-oil world, which is a real-life issue rather than a new problem. This is an experimental book, including images of predatory economy, chaos, and inequality caused by oil; the same content is repeatedly presented both in French (Korean in translation) and English throughout the book. The author begins with the history and role of energy (oil) as a background of social phenomenon and wraps up by asking us to consider how to build post-oil system. Each sentence in the book carries significance, emphasising that “black gold (oil)” supplies will be depleted within a few decades. The first sentence in the book, “[T]he cities exploded a whirlwind of looting.” accounts for exploitation and chaos over oil caused by hegemonic powers and capitalists. John Urry imagines what will become of disconnected societies in the form of four “post-oil” scenarios. The book consists of four themes such as The Magic Bullet Future; Digital Lives; Unplugging: A Post-Car Society; Warlordism in a World of Shortages. The author concludes that “[T]here is no solution.” However, he also argues that “We should find, develop and sustain an alternative resource system.” As futurist Buckminster Fuller put it, fighting the status quo cannot change anything; but instead, we need to “create a new model to make difference.” The book is helpful that we, as habitants on earth in the 21st century, are reminded of what we need to do in order to create a new system and social rules in a post- petroleum world.