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WITH ARI MEISEL

Ep.154

Alex Epstein – The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels

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# Episode 154

**Summary:**

In Episode #154 Ari shares an enlightening conversation with Alex Epstein of _[The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels](http://amzn.to/1Q3w4KE)_. During this short but powerful interview, Alex explains why he believes the prevailing moral opinion of “fossil fuels are bad” is not only misguided, but flat-out wrong.

**Special Announcements:**

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**Time Stamped Show Notes:**

  • – 08:17 – Introduction of Alex Epstein, author of _[The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels](http://amzn.to/1Q3w4KE)_
  • – 08:34 – How Alex came to his very unique conclusions about the planet and fossil fuel usage
  • – 09:55 – The energy industry empowers us to do everything in our lives
  • – 10:30 – Fossil Fuel energy is _vastly _more efficient (right now) than using any other form of energy
  • – 11:41 – The concept of efficiency is not defined in most contexts and therefore not used well in most circumstances
  • – 12:43 – “The internal combustion engine is super-inefficient” but by what standard is that statement being made?
  • – 13:00 – The cost-benefit ratio of using an ICE (internal combustion engine) is far more favorable that the cost-benefit ration of any other resource
  • – 15:02 – It takes very little skill and equipment to take crude oil and convert it into usable fuel (gasoline)
  • – 15:25 – Only 3 forms of energy are cheap, plentiful and reliable—Fossil, Nuclear and Hydro-Electric—of the three, only Fossil is really scalable
  • – 15:48 – All 3 of these forms have 3 things in common: they’re naturally concentrated, they’re naturally plentiful and they’re naturally stored
  • – 18:14 – The “morality of bad”
  • – 19:03 – People foolishly latch onto things they deem “virtuous”
  • – 19:25 – Alex’s take on Global Warming
  • – 20:20 – We tend to not value energy in the many ways it deserves to be valued
  • – 21:30 – Yes, we are having a warming effect, but it’s very moderate and, in many ways in-line with normal atmospheric trends
  • – 22:10 – People are exaggerating the threat of global warming because there is this inherent belief that it is wrong for us to impact the climate, which – if you truly want to live your life beholden to that standard – means you should protest the existence of cities
  • – 22:29 – People “draw the line” at complete arbitrary places
  • – 23:25 – Anti-impact prejudice coupled with a fear of the new
  • – 23:35 – Center of Industrial Progress
  • – 23:51 – The Green movement is the Anti-Human movement
  • – 25:05 – Drawing the line at “are humans impacting things” – is the wrong place to draw the line
  • – 25:43 – Alex’s _Top 3 Tips to be More Efficent_
  • – 26:05 – Always have a purpose in mind—be able to ask the question “what is my purpose?” Know the answer
  • – 28:10 – You cannot upgrade the basic structure of your life too much
  • – 28:58 – Prioritize the structure over the work
  • – 30:04 – [IndustrialProgress.com](http://www.industrialprogress.com/)

**7 Key Points:**

  1. Fossil fuel is the cornerstone of modernity.
  2. When looking at energy consumption with a cost-benefit mindset, fossil fuel is the winning fuel sources hands-down.
  3. Only 3 forms of energy—fossil, nuclear and hydro-electric—are readily available, reliable and cheap.
  4. Global warming isn’t a lie, but the way in which it is being pi —

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