Does the quality of life for the average person increase with increase in total petroleum consumption?
What I mean by total consumption is the input of petroleum for all activities, so not merely direct consumption such as to fuel one’s car, but for instance being able to get one’s food from other countries.
April 5th, 2010 at 7:00 am
From your specific question yes. As petroleum increases this signififes increased transportation and therefore increased trading of goods. This is why our gas prices are "low" now. Beacuse businesses are not shipping or recieving goods from across sea’s.
Also, total consumption increasing would signify that consumers are able to purchase gasoline and therefore have disposabl income. This would signify that they would be purchasing goods and services from local businesses. They would in turn be requires to make more goods and require more petrolium.
So you could argue that as the total petroleum consumption increases, the quality of life for the average person will increase beacuse it signals that consumers are producers are readily interacting in a healthy relationship showing that the quality of life will be increased for everyone.
April 5th, 2010 at 7:00 am
If it does, it would place America at the top of listings of quality of life. Which, IIRC, it isn’t.