Jack, has it occurred to you that capitalism is the best way to keep the entrenched hierachy in power?

If you give the people a taste of what they want, as opposed to depriving people of it entirely, you don't end up with nasty revolutions and the ruling clique's heads in baskets.

Even better, capitalism, as well as keeping the masses on the consumer leash, works so as to allow the wealthy to get more wealthy.

Its a fantastic system for maintaining power.

Now, hand out that harness to the developing world, and watch your billions multiply.

Like I said, there is no altruism involved. Less people will die of famine and disease, but more people will be filling the environment with CFCs and carbon monoxide. Its pure power and money.

I don't believe for a moment that Shell, for example, really gives a shit about the environment or indigeneous people despite their enormous ad campaign (they learned a lesson about the hatred of consumers when they meddled in politics in Nigeria and then tried the trick with the Brentspar platform - the CEO was reported to have been warned by his in-laws that their neighburs regarded him as a criminal, and mamangement's kids were picked on at school). But, shit, they'd love those indigeneous people to buy a Ford which they could fill with Shell gas.

("Good vibe"? You act like you don't know who I am, Lildeath. Typhoid Dave: I've dropped the "typhoid" bit here.)