Complexities in America (if not the rest of the world)

President Dwight D. Eisenhower coined the Military/Industrial Complex.

What are some other examples of these good, “Industrial” and bad, “War” complexes continue today? *I use war instead of defense or military, because that’s a real outcome to the industry. Understand that we associate being industrious, and making things as a good productive venture. However, it is not to say these industrious elements have their shortcomings and in fact compromise the good of our environment and people (economic status, health, education). Keep in mind though; every defense maker has a facility in just about every state of the union. This secures not only their industry, but jobs. Every congressperson wants to be re-elected and will do anything to ensure there is a defense contract. In fact, someone close to me, who used to be a Navy pilot, worked in the defense industry, and is very conservative; called it the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex.

Here are some other examples to consider:

Education/Test– Consider the big industry of testing today. Some parents, most teachers and now colleges are opposed to the standardized testing. Testing is big business; preying on the fears that our children are not getting the education they need to compete in the world. This of course is not true and because of testing, we rank lower every year compared to other countries that don’t emphasize tests in their education program.

Automobiles/Oil– This relationship is impossible to break. These two industries have been working together for over a century and it seems like it will never end. There are technologies being suppressed by the oil industry, where automotive makers have in fact made extraordinary fuel-efficient cars or alternative fuel vehicles, which mysteriously never make it to market. There were battery-electric cars at the beginning of the Twentieth Century, and if they were developed the same as the internal combustible engine, we would have remarkably high performance cars running on some form of high tech rechargeable battery.

Which brings me to Energy.

Energy/Oil, Coal and Natural Gas– The worse part of this, we need energy to keep us warm, cool, freeze and cook our food, and give us electricity. The problem, all these fossil fuels damage our living environment. Energy is a good thing, as it enables us to be industrious and even save lives. However, the way we use these three main fuels, harm our own lives, even worse than good. People still burn oil in their homes for heat. Not all of the oil burns clean, and there are residual carbons being released in the home and the air as a whole. Coal is horrendous and burns the dirtiest, but this is the way we get most of our electricity. Look at modern day Poland:

http://pulitzercenter.org/project/europe/poland/environment-coal-burning-health-dangerous-fuel

Last, but not least, Natural Gas: Even though this burns the cleanest (there are natural gas cars) the damage is being done by how natural gas is found and drilled through fracking. Fracking not only creates air pollution itself, releasing unused gas into the atmosphere, it spoils the ground, the water beneath the earth and because of the shattered bed of earth, creating an unusual amount of earthquakes.

There are alternative energy resources present today that are constantly being suppressed by traditional energy companies; through lobbying and the free market (see politics below). Wind, solar and remarkably, hydroelectric plants are fighting an uphill battle to create marketable, sustainable and even profitable energy.   If clean air acts were in fact imposed or enforced through our laws, we would see a great shift to clean air energy.

Here is a list of many other things to consider as for the good, but bad at the same time.

Politics/Lobbying Complex

Christmas/Toys Complex (Plastic toys create billions of tons of plastic waste in our landfills. Plastics are petroleum base and leech chemicals back into the environment. Really think about how much your kids play with their toys)

Halloween/Candy Complex (Love sweets, but this is a bad recipe of overindulgent habits and actually increases our chances to buy more candy for the wrong reasons)

Grocery/Farm Complex (Think of the waste of food compared to those who are hungry)

Sports/Injury Complex

I would like to learn more, so if you can think of any complexities, please share.