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Product Description
Quill & Quire
For more than 20 years, Jeff Rubin has been known as one of Canada’s top economists, and a major voice for the energy sector. In Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller, Rubin uses that background to project what our world will look like in the near future, as oil reserves dwindle and global economies suffer. This book is not aimed at economists and money managers, though. It speaks directly to the average reader, and should serve as a dire warning of the severe consequences of oil dependency in our everyday lives. With its central argument that a combination of rapidly dwindling oil supply and ever-increasing oil dependence will cause a continuing cycle of worsening recessions and depressions, this book projects a bleak future. As transportation and environmental costs increase due to high oil prices and carbon regulation, Rubin argues, international trade will dry up and the age of globalization will end. The resulting fallout will force governments and businesses to create and support localized economies, and eschew international trade and transport. In the tradition of writers like George Monbiot and Sir Nicholas Stern, Rubin presents some difficult truths that readers may find intimidating. Dense with statistics pointing to the inevitable collapse of the world as we know it, this book may not be an encouraging read. Unlike Monbiot and Stern, who put forth a plan to slow the collapse, Rubin’s focus remains squarely on preparing readers for the kind of world that is coming, rather than trying to slow that inevitable outcome. In a world where consumption in developed countries shows little sign of slowing and oil usage is skyrocketing, we need someone with Rubin’s background to predict what the likely results will be. Rubin’s perspective clearly falls more into the realm of futurism than economics, but because he excels at taking complex economic data and applying them to the everyday lives of his readers, this book functions successfully as both explanation and warning. Rubin is sure to incite controversy with some of the central ideas in this book, but given that the world he envisions seems increasingly likely to materialize, Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller could turn out to be the exactly the book that readers are looking for, or that they need.
Review
"The book is a great read, and one that should be required for anyone with a long-term interest in Canadian energy, transportation, manufacturing or agriculture."
— The Globe and Mail
"Jeff Rubin is not your typical eggheaded senior economist.... And the controversy that has dogged his work is about to hit the boiling point.... So get set. If Jeff Rubin says something is coming, you better listen. Love him or hate him."
— Canadian Business
"Should be mandatory reading for all corporate executives."
— National Post
— The Globe and Mail
"Jeff Rubin is not your typical eggheaded senior economist.... And the controversy that has dogged his work is about to hit the boiling point.... So get set. If Jeff Rubin says something is coming, you better listen. Love him or hate him."
— Canadian Business
"Should be mandatory reading for all corporate executives."
— National Post
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Most helpful customer reviews
89 of 98 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now, this is what a wake up call looks like!,
By Lotta Read Rocket Hood (London, Ontario) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller (Hardcover)
As a student of international political economy and a retired journalist who knows how diligently those who benefit from consumption driven economic growth have tried to prevent "peak oil" from going mainstream, I cannot imagine a better introduction for the masses.
After a 20 year stint as chief economist for CIBC World Markets, Rubin is a figure in a position to know. The book is a searing indictment of the flat-earth stupidity that marks today's disciples of popular economic theory. He exposes a painfully obvious oversight: Conventional economic "wisdom", blinded by the dogmatic adherence to supply and demand thinking has overlooked one thing - MORE SUPPLY CAN'T COME ON LINE IN RESPONSE TO INCREASED DEMAND IF NATURE IS LIMITING THE SUPPLY. Theory falls when facts kick you in the teeth. We have been listening to economists when we should have been listening to petroleum geologists. With credit to Kunstler, Heinberg and other leaders who paved the way for him, Rubin is someone the suits will take seriously, if for no other reason than he was one of them. There is a lot of shame to go around among our academic, corporate and political leaders. Whether they are malicious, myopic or in denial, this book is going to make holding their noses high at cocktail parties a much sweatier and nerve-racking affair. In a tight, conversational style with substantial cheek, Rubin embarrasses a civilization with this book and begs them to explore rationality and begin preparing for a harsh dose of reality. The cheap energy binge party is over - we'd better get set for the hangover. Thanks Mr. Rubin
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrifying, Thrilling and Sobering,
By
This review is from: Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller (Hardcover)
I had high expectations for this book, and was not disappointed. Not only is Jeff Rubin an entertaining writer who knows what he is talking about, but he's also not afraid to take risks and go against some mainstream thoughts surrounding peak oil, energy efficiency, free trade, pricing carbon, spending money on failing auto industries and road infrastructure, and biofuels.
It may not be the most uplifting book, but its importance is paramount. Rubin first examines the global oil scarcity issue, and the economics of scarce oil and ever increasingly difficult and energy intensive oil production, and then he goes into issue surrounding environmental effects of oil, global trade effects, and transportation effects (which is, of course, tied with trade). It's a frightening read at parts, but thrilling as well. Rubin has some great ideas surrounding the implementation of a carbon tariff on imported items in order to level the playing field for home companies that are dealing with carbon taxes (in B.C.) and a soon to be carbon cap and trade policy. This would give the comparative advantage back to home companies as the carbon tariff on what was once cheap imported items would increase the price on those imports if they were made using cheap, but dirty energy. Couple that with high transportation costs, and home manufacturing will look a lot more likely. Not to mention better for the environment. The "Going Local" chapter is Rubin's speculation about the effects peak oil will have on our lifestyles here in the developed nations, looking at our food, coffee, electronics and a host of other items which are assembled globally. It is one of the only chapters that has Rubin playing futurist rather than rational economist, and so was, for me, the weakest of the parts of the book (however interesting his predictions were). In terms of style, Rubin had a tendency to repeat himself several times throughout the book, as if he thought readers would forget points made by him only 100 pages earlier, but this is easily overlooked.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Provocative if Simplistic,
By
This review is from: Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller (Hardcover)
Rubin is well known for his unconventional thinking, notably his accurate prediction of much higher oil prices at the turn of the last century. His latest book takes that essential premise---that oil prices must rise steadily over the coming years---and provides considerable elaboration of the supports for this thesis and the dramatic implications. One does not have to buy his entire argument to find his book very stimulating especially in bursting bubbles of complacency around energy prices and globalization. Worth reading.
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