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Susan Jacoby on William Goetzmann’s ‘Beyond the Revolution’Posted on Apr 10, 2009
By Susan Jacoby During the past half-century, American scholars have tended to place more emphasis on the anti-intellectual and anti-rational strains in our national character and history than on the vibrant, cosmopolitan intellectualism that played such a critical role in the founding of the new republic and has continued to exert a strong influence even during periods of popular reaction against what the cultural right has now dubbed “the elites.” Since the publication of Richard Hofstadter’s “Anti-Intellectualism in American Life” in 1963, cultural analysts of widely varying political persuasions have mulled over, in voices ranging from sorrow to apocalyptic fury, a seemingly endless set of new examples of hostility to reason and an excess of knowledge (or what ideologues on either the right or the left consider the wrong kind of knowledge). As Hofstadter pointed out, many of these forces—from religious fundamentalism to suspicion of alien, “un-American” philosophies—are endemic to American culture, but they have mutated more expansively at a time when 24/7 video and digital infotainment mounts a continuous assault on the public’s attention span and memory. The eight years of George W. Bush’s administration, with its clear preference for the faith-based over the “reality-based” world, was the last straw, not the first, for those of us who envy Hofstadter because he was able to write about anti-intellectualism without having to study the content of cable “all-the-news-that-reinforces-your-views” shows, blogger rantings or the oxymoronically titled “reality TV.”
In “Beyond the Revolution: A History of American Thought From Paine to Pragmatism,” Pulitzer Prize-winning historian William H. Goetzmann provides a timely reminder that the undeniable anti-intellectual currents in American culture have always been opposed, with varying degrees of success, by a strong intellectual tradition, rooted not in the idea of American exceptionalism but in world culture. Although Goetzmann focuses on American intellectual history from the Revolution to the Civil War, his narrative seems freshly relevant at a time when the most anti-intellectual administration in American history has been succeeded by a president who campaigned on a promise to restore science and evidence to American policymaking. In his 1994 Pulitzer Prize-winning “Exploration and Empire: The Explorer and Scientist in the Winning of the American West,” Goetzmann—professor emeritus in history and American studies at the University of Texas at Austin—challenged Frederick Jackson Turner’s thesis that America owed its unique civilization almost entirely to the presence of a vast western frontier offering infinite possibilities for economic exploitation. Goetzmann’s narrative was both persuasive and exciting, and it began with Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s intellectual and physical daring in accepting President Thomas Jefferson’s commission to explore and provide extensive information about the new territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase.
Unfortunately, the intellectual history in “Beyond the Revolution” does not lend itself to a unifying narrative. Tracing the connections that link Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Ralph Waldo Emerson, James Fenimore Cooper, Margaret Fuller, Frederick Douglass, Walt Whitman, Edgar Allan Poe, Victoria Woodhull and John C. Calhoun is very much akin to an attempt to herd butterflies. Some of these people have a good deal to do with one another, in a historical as well as intellectual sense, but others can be connected only by straining to define each of them as intellectuals. If Woodhull, who started her public life as a spiritualist and ended it as a half-baked Marxist (with time out for exposing the adulterous adventures of Henry Ward Beecher, the most prominent American cleric of the late 19th century) was a serious intellectual, then I am the newest sensation on “American Idol.” Goetzmann’s strongest chapters are his early ones, in which he examines the intellectually gifted men who made the American Revolution. The author consistently emphasizes that the early republic was designed and run, for the most part, not by fools who saw themselves as independent of European thought and their own country as an unsullied Eden but by thinkers who understood and acknowledged their debt to the European, Scottish and English Enlightenment. Intellectualism and rationalism are not, of course, identical, but the United States was supremely fortunate that its most eminent Founders were not only intellectuals (a term not used until the 19th century) but had ideals that were rooted in Enlightenment reason. True to their Enlightenment values, they perceived no contradiction between the life of the mind and an active role in the world; they would have seen the aphorism “those who can’t do, teach” as utterly false. Yet in his eagerness to give American intellectuals their proper due, the author frequently fails to give sufficient weight to the anti-rational, anti-intellectual forces arrayed against those whose highest values were learning and reason. The book properly begins with Thomas Paine and his famous statement, “We have it our power to begin the world anew.” Paine, born in England in 1737, is the perfect example of the internationalist Enlightenment influence on the founders. He did not immigrate to colonial America until 1774, and he arrived in Philadelphia with just two assets—his writing ability and a note of recommendation from Benjamin Franklin, who was serving as colonial Pennsylvania’s representative in London when he met Paine.
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By Trithoverlies, April 18 at 2:38 am #
What does you Vitrolic hatred of the last 8 Years have to do with what this article is about? Bush for your Imformation did more to keep anymore terrorist attacks from happening, (not Man made desasters) as The director of Homeland Security called terrorist acts. Torture 3 top Terrorist were put through water boarding and thane Bush stoppped the program. As to sleep deprevation many more Americans survive on weeks of it while it was only used on thirty select terrorist and it is not torture unless you are one of the leftiost that doesn’t believe any socialist Country does this Stop ragging on the U.S.A. and get real about the true enemy of Freedom The Radical Facist Muslims and their wanting to bring Saria Law to a neighborhood near you and get made at the socalled Judges that say American Common Law can Live side-by-side when both are Diametrically opposed to each other. I have had it with the My Country is alway wrong attitude of the far left so if you want to criticize a Country for Human Rights Abusses why don’t you say someting about Iran where Homosexuals are being hung, or Venezuela where peoples property rights are being stolen by Hugeo “Oh” Hugo Cheapvest “Oh” I mean Chevez, and our darling North Korean starve your people to death dictator.
Report thisTrithoverlies/Truthoverlies.
John R. Bloxson Jr.
P.S. Paine died a pulper screaming begging for his life as the death angel came to take him away. He was not an Internationalist but a good rebel rouser, so good in fact the french used his writings to justify the murder of many innocent people by the Guillotine during the Aftermath of the French Revolution.
By DWIGHTBAKER, April 17 at 8:30 am #
FOR SOME THAT COMMENT ON TRUTHDIG
THE DAY-TO-DAY POLITICAL PLAY
THAT WE EXPERIENCE SEEMS TO BE BY HAPPENSTANCE
ARE YOU JUST ONE THAT HAS FALLEN INTO THAT TRAP?
The Robber Barons planed their moves to cheat lie steal and kill the American People decades ago. As seen today—-many sit back and say foolishly gosh what went wrong?
Then many others in the MEDIA VIEWS begin to mumble some untenable bunch of crap and at the end of the day WE THE PEOPLE are more confused than before they began to speak.
However many in America in the white collar working class joined ranks with the Robber Barons when they began to play poker with them on Wall Street. But to most dismal surprise the little bottom feeders have no way of getting much other than 2-3-4-9-8 in their hands. While the Robber Barons keep turning over Aces, Kings, Straight Flushes etc. WHY they have the cards marked.
So to the point at hand boldly as I can tell—- these terrors in horrors from the BUSH BUNCH MORONS were planned decades ago and their moves to mark the cards where all would loose but them has been planned out to the ‘T’. It all began when the CIA was created and Yale University was used to train the train robbers for the OLD LINE OF ROBBER BARONS. And since the creation of the SKULL and BONES secret society all has been going according to plans.
John Simkin (BA, MA, MPhil) Author and creator of SPARTACUS
CIA ROLE IN TAKING AMERICA APART FOR THE ROBBER BARONS
CIA OPERATIVE David Sanchez Morales was born on 26th August 1925
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKmorales.htm
http://www.namebase.org/main1/David-Sanchez-Morales.html
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/CIAmorales.htm
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/author.htm
TAKING DOWN TONY BLAIR
http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?act=Print&client=printer&f=209&t=6382
Some will say “conspiracy theory “ others will say “Baker give us a break who in the hell has got time to study these days,” if so then you have shown your ignorance. For if not History be our guide what then?
Dwight Baker We The Peoples Advocacy WTPA leading the way out of mediocrity to a new day with Rights of Life for everyone with Justice in Equity.
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By Trithoverlies, April 16 at 3:08 am #
One comment Faith Based is reality based because it works while your secular based leads only to recidavism so Secular Progressive you are on the wrong side in this Your ways brought us from 23% in poverty in 1967 to 37%in poverty in 1999 what a great record you have of straightening out the mess you and your social Scientist created starting with the war on the family removing the Father from the Home so the kids could eat was real smart wasn’t it. It lead instead to higher brith rates of unwed teen mothers no interaction and support from boys calling themselves men based on the number of kid they had fathered but weren’t supporting. So yes seculaism has realy worked in the inner city and in the rural towns as well, Secular Socialism is broken and can’t be fixed. It has never worked, and will never work so go live in Europe where secularism is destroying their countries. Live there for a few years and I believe it will be a mind altering experiance.
Report thisTrithoverlies/Truthoverlies.
John R. Bloxson Jr.
By OzarkMichael, April 15 at 1:48 pm #
Who believes we need a new strong emperor type...
Not me.
... that will as a majority of just one claim our rights to life as a people by taking full control of our military and set the stage for a refreshed America with a rejuvenated people?
Dont get me wrong, I like to feel as refreshed and rejuvinated as the next guy. Its the “new strong emperor type” that turns me off. Its a bit of a high price to pay.
But then again i am old school. A “majority of just one” that can “claim our rights to life” could just as easily use that power against our rights and our lives.
If that were so then who believes that President OBAMA can be that man if pushed along by us?
I believe he could be that man. So while you push him to be the emperor type I am gonna pull him back to being just a President.
Who has a plan that will provide a smooth bloodless change?
I assume you refer to the empowerment of Emperor Obama as the smooth and bloodless plan? OK, I approve of the smooth and bloodless approach. I hope your plan succeeds only on that point but in nothing else.
Keep it smooth.
Report thisBy DWIGHTBAKER, April 15 at 9:57 am #
eileen fleming, April 15 at 9:14 am
MY TAKE TODAY
The state of our union is not good. My Generation has let the USA down. But I have high hopes that all will ferret out well——if and when Barack takes back control of the Justice Department first then the Pentagon next.
And I have great doubtS that he will do that right now and that may bring a bitter end as a CHAMP as he has led people to believe he was.
Rob Emmanuel is a street fighter or thug and this last deal with the pirate’s smells of foul play by the CIA etc. Or as when the BUSH BUNCH OF THUGS was in power a useful tactic they used to divert attention while their games were played out in the dark away from the real NEWS while we heard VIEWS.
Now let me say that I have great compassion for our young today——remember eight long years ago——- when the wrecking crew came to power——-for the ones that were 8 years old then now they are 16 or so———for the ones that you spoke to they were about 13 then now they are 21. SO GO FIGURE need I say more.
Report thisBy eileen fleming, April 15 at 9:14 am #
“Soon after I had published the pamphlet “Common Sense” [on Feb. 14, 1776] in America, I saw the exceeding probability that a revolution in the system of government would be followed by a revolution in the system of religion… The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.”-Tom Paine
A few months ago, I was invited to speak at a university of supposed higher learning about what I know from my 6 trips to Israel Palestine.
Only 2 students knew Israel had nuclear weapons and NOT one student had even heard of Mordechai Vanunu’s freedom of speech trial, conviction and Supreme Court appeal fighting 3 months in jail for speaking to foreign media in 2004.
The 5th year of restrictions that deny Vanunu the RIGHT to leave the state and the RIGHT to speak to non-Israelis expire April 21, 2009.
A ROTC student in particular felt very threatened by the information I delivered.
I was accused of propaganda, but what I did was disturb their POV with Common Sense and truth; and the truth can only set one free, if one loves the truth.
States and Nations have obligations. Human beings have RIGHTS.
e
Report thishttp://www.wearewideawake.org
By John Harry, April 13 at 4:29 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Susan Jacoby, I love you (intellectually, of course).
I won’t buy William Goetzmann’s ‘Beyond the Revolution’ but I will look for more on Thomas Paine…..
Good work. Susan Jacoby is always a delight.
Report thisBy DWIGHTBAKER, April 13 at 1:22 am #
WHERE IS THE RAW POWER THAT EXISTS TODAY IN THE ROBBER BARONS RANKS ?
AND TO WHAT END IS THAT POWER MOST VUNERABLE?
Leadership rests on the shoulders of just a few. That is just the nature of mankind at the present. Can we all agree to those statements?
If so then what are the innate powers of the robber barons? And what must be done to rid them of that power?
Who has a plan that will provide a smooth bloodless change?
Who believes we need a new strong emperor type that will as a majority of just one claim our rights to life as a people by taking full control of our military and set the stage for a refreshed America with a rejuvenated people?
If that were so then who believes that President OBAMA can be that man if pushed along by us?
Then on another harsher choleric pragmatic premise——- is the rattling of swords the only way?
NEED TO KNOW
DB
Report thisBy DWIGHTBAKER, April 13 at 1:07 am #
WHAT IS THE NEED FOR MORE CRITICS AND WHO NEEDS MORE DEBATE?
COULD WE ALL AGREE THAT A CHANGE IS NEEDED NOW—-
I so then could all work together toward a goal for the common good implementation of that plan?
Is our Empire on fire? Could this be the last stage of the game when all is rectified or lost of our American way? Are more content to set back and stay trapped just being critics. Did we not get enough of that during the BUSH BUNCH REIGN OF TERROR?
Who will be the ones to Arise and Shine and take the fight to them and win while doing? Who are the ones that have a plan that is inclusive? Who are the ones that want to level the playing field between the great disparity that exist today in our rich and abundant America.
Report thisBy DWIGHTBAKER, April 13 at 12:54 am #
rollzone, April 12 at 12:38 pm
question
should science ever duplicate the id- beyond its primitive ego replications of artificial intilligence- this will be a lively debate.
Could you please explain more in detail your statement?
Also what are your recommendations for our change from what we have had——- as a people to where we need to go forward as a people?
Report thisBy rollzone, April 12 at 12:38 pm #
hello. i thought so i am in volume two. intellectuals inspire debate, and historical reference is choice. i was mistaken that this novel does not espouse an evolution of intellectuality, from our agrarian roots, and benevolent spy; Benjamin Franklin- to the present, sophisticated, cosmopolitan passenger of planet earth. should science ever duplicate the id- beyond its primitive ego replications of artificial intilligence- this will be a lively debate. the book looks entertaining.
Report thisBy geronimo, April 12 at 1:26 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
If Thomas Paine were alive today wouldn’t he be repeating his famous “We have it in our power to begin anew?” And this time around wouldn’t he be adding something like “What’s more, yes we can?”
Report thisBy P. T., April 11 at 2:27 am #
The unevenness of this book, ranging from fascinating stories combining intellect and adventurousness to stultifying attempts to pin the intellectual label on unsuitable donkeys, only reinforces the wisdom of the chestnut that every decent high school English teacher proffers to aspiring adolescent authors: “Write about what you know.”
Report thisTranslation: Write stuff that I agree with.
By Wilberforce, April 10 at 10:57 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I am so going to read it. The book sounds fantabulosa, with one exception. There is no such thing as biblically literal religion. It’s right name is fundamentalism. Fundys only claim to take the bible literally even as the cherry pick it to shreds and ignore its authoritative message. Don’t covet, don’t bear false witness, give to the poor, show mercy to the oppressed, replenish the earth, pray in secret, etc… They’ve ignored all that from day one, as well as the bulk of the prophets and gospels. And only a serious dupe would consider them to be literalists.
Report thisBy OzarkMichael, April 10 at 8:51 pm #
Thomas Paine finally saw a Revolution he dreamed of… the Revolution in France. Paine defended it, went out on a limb to vouch for its greatness. Paine went so far as to attack Edmund Burke’s “Reflections on the Revolution in France”.
Edmund Burke was unpopular in his home in Great Britain when he wrote in support the American Revolution because he realized it was a conservative/religious revolution so it was bound to succeed. He warned Britain not to fight America.
Years later he shocked everyone in Britain by writing AGAINST the French Revolution, when many in British society thought it was a great thing. He saw that the French Revolution was against religion and conservatism and warned it was a recipe for disaster.
Edmund Burke is, by Leftist wisdom, obviously not an intellectual, since he is a conservative who sided with many Americans who saw the French Revolution as folly.
Paine thought the French Revolution was an advance on the American one. Paine put his reputation on the line with his support of the French Revolution and his attack on Burke.
Paine would be disgraced. In his own lifetime the outcome proved him completely and irrefutably wrong. I am sorry to hear that he died a ruined man.
Ah, but Paine’s view is the forerunner of the Truthdig outlook. So Paine will be forever enshrined as the ‘intellectual’. And anyone who disagreed with Paine then, or disagrees with Truthdig now, is called ‘anti-intellectual’ and sometimes much worse.
Burke’s insight into the problems of France proved to be prophetic. Too bad Burke is an ‘anti-intellectual’ or more of you would would read him.
Report thisBy Goddamnathiest, April 10 at 7:57 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Living in the bible belt most of my life, I understand the “fear” of “intellectuals.” I see it as questioning things that people don’t want questioned. This in turn, causes people to “think” and question their ideas and beliefs.
Report thisLooking back on western civilization, it took almost 1,500 years for a “rebirth” or renaissance of scientific study and research to happen. Even then, such individuals as Galileo ended up under house arrest when they went against the “Church” by having his book released.
No longer was the earth nor man at the center of the Universe.
The results of educating “man” and letting them use reason, logic, and the scientific process threaten those whose “beliefs” they “threaten” by exposing them for what they truly are: simply beliefs. Beliefs based on simple explanations made in a much much more simpler time.
By Ivan Hentschel, April 10 at 7:42 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I haven’t read it yet (and probably won’t) but this sounds like a fair estimation. Time is thusly saved.
But who is Dwight Baker and why is he saying all these terrible things about life?
Report thisBy Inherit The Wind, April 10 at 11:47 am #
You know what, DB?
Sometimes you truly surprise me. I would never have thought that a radical fundamentalist like you would also be a liberal and understand predatory practices that ARE the failing of capitalism that Rand never accepted or understood.
Still, what you described sounded an awful lot like the plot of “There Will Be Blood”, based on a Upton Sinclair’s “Oil!”
These posts on drilling for gas are the most coherent and compelling things you have written here at TD—I congratulate on them.
BTW, you may be interested in trying to find an obscure Upton Sinclair novel called “They Call Me Carpenter” about Jesus coming again in 1922 in California. It’s long out of print but I think it’s available as an eBook. Sinclair’s message was basically he’d be crucified all over again in modern times.
Don’t worry—soon I’ll be ripping you to shreds all over again, but this time, you came up with a really interesting story. I wonder if it’s documented that the gas drilling of the late 60’s was deliberately killed by cutting off funding from the banks. Of course, T.Boone Pickens is now heavily into Texas and Oklahoma gas…..Was he behind it then? He’s in his 80’s now and that was 40 years ago.
Report thisBy DWIGHTBAKER, April 10 at 9:52 am #
SHOCKED RIGHT OUT OF OUR SHORTS SOLUTIONS
It is my recommendation that we request a moderator and I suggest asking Bob Scheer to reside as our chairman.
So let us all get thinking hard and long for the best plan at this juncture in our generation of life in our Rich and Abundant America.
I have not a clue how to do—- but I am sure many of you do, so I will await some response but best yet—- would be if Bob would let us know he would dedicate a section for this to begin and not end till an agreed on good and viable solution was voted on and put into action toward saving our nation not leaving any blood on our streets.
Dwight Baker We the Peoples Advocacy WTPA an old way to get our way done in DC today.
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By DWIGHTBAKER, April 10 at 9:39 am #
SHOCKED RIGHT OUT OF MY SHORTS #2 -A
Now who could ever say that all those things were not planed? To the exact day moving toward that evil and vile empire wanting to turn our nation into nothing more than their war machine? WHY, the spoils of war will always be given to the benefactor’s and/or called barons. So they can set back and brag who has the most hoarded money. The old-line barons think they have all aces in their hands right now their SHOCK DOCTRINE by the BUSH BUNCH OF THUGS seems to have worked. And now they are calling all bets in while we hold a hand of sevens, fives and fours. Has that NOT been the plan all along when the British Empire spit and sputtered around—- and new land grab awaited them to be stolen from our indigenous Indian folk then disbursed around amongst the Barons then, inhabited by workers [slaves] then after some time raped, pillaged then stolen? And has that NOT been the plan all along to leave us destitute and starving for our rights to life. While stealing from us our personal savings, and or communed held wealth and our duties owed to our posterity? Now who can deny that in our nation today that thing being done was planed at least thirty years ago?
NOW lets us ALL agree as individuals and a core group of confidants to work toward solutions then present in our forum for discussion and then agree—- by ALL a plan of action to proceed in unity by us commenting on TRUTHDIG.
Dwight Baker We the Peoples Advocacy WTPA an old way to get our way done in DC today.
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By DWIGHTBAKER, April 10 at 9:28 am #
SHOCKED RIGHT OUT OF MY SHORTS #2
Zack is gone now; he was killed when his car slid off the road in a bad ice storm in Oklahoma, famous for bad weather.
Zack knew first hand for he had taken some of the big boys on and won with his grittiness of being a TRIED AND TESTED OILIE OKIE.
I struggled with what he had said and tried to recall but some fuzziness was in place for maybe too much BLACK JACK. In the weeks, months and years ahead I had time to write patents, work on special projects, and try to keep enough money coming in to support all my employees, family, friends and kin best as I could when ask or seen by my family and me.
I read and studied many books, magazines for us in oil and gas and yes I studied out the history of a great, great, great, great - uncle of mine J.D. Rockefeller and found out he was as bad as a man could get. When studying—- Zacks word became clear. J. D. Invented or perfected the way to control markets long ago. Price commodities high-encourage others to get in to make a profit-When new production areas were found by wildcatting - then lower the price of the commodity - most would go bankrupt then step in a buy what was wanted at a bargain price. Accordingly the term used to describe such actions has been -It is far better to buy production than drill for it.
So the game of cards played with the big boys always has a loaded deck in their favor. For they planed what will happen thirty years ahead, and fools rush in every day to sit at their table and play most unknowing that there is no win for them no way.
Let us look back over the years of the BUSH BUNCH REIGN OF TERROR. Who can remember all the days that come about another huge need pushed on us to digest in record time and deal with best as we could? Were those things, matters and issues that come about just happenstance? Absolutely not, I suspect that Dick Cheney Karl Rove and others had notes books full of each day what they were going to do while in office and what was the plan of actions for that day, even down to the talking points for the media to mumble and stumble around trying to sell US on that plan of action. Then arrived FOX news they were real good at selling talking points [to the other less others inane to the political games] but FOX NEWS claim to fame has serious lacks today, yet MURDOCH still swaggers his swords as if he is HIGH KING and all must bow to his beck and call. Seems to me looking back that each day was like being in a foxhole with fifty caliber machine guns firing just over our heads with no end in sight for the blast that kept raging. Little to no civility from any of them or from any of their pundits or puppets, they all lied to Congress and got away with it. Gas Prices soured our money went away, housing took a dump, enters Paulson demanding big bucks he takes it and runs.
Report thisBy DWIGHTBAKER, April 10 at 7:28 am #
SHOCKED RIGHT OUT OF MY SHORTS
Between the years of 1976——-1980 I founded three companies to support the drilling through production needs for the producers of oil and gas in Oklahoma. Some will remember that there was an economic recession at that time so not much going on—on Wall Street. But there had been published the need for natural gas was ever increasing and some end line sellers of natural gas was offering long term contracts of $15.00 per cubic feet of gas produced from under drilling depths of 15,000ft. Just west of where I lived and worked about 45 miles is the Wichita Mountains. And falling eastward the mountain range slops to depths of 35,000 ft. Geologist had published that at those depths in the Anadarko Basin one day would be found unlimited resources of natural gas.
In record time oil and gas producers began to lease land east of Hwy 81 within five to ten miles of the peak Mt. Scott of the Wichita Mountains. Included in that leasing frenzy was the small town of Fletcher. Within a short time drilling rigs began standing drilling to depths of 15,000 ft or more. The Wall Street gang and many bankers in Oklahoma that had joined with other larger banks one in particular was in Chicago and had greeted the need for cash to make handsome profit to explore and produce natural gas. Each new day came with a sudden burst of needs sought for by the many needing this and that for work in our area.
One of our favorite places to eat was in Medicine Park Oklahoma just a few miles from the summit of the Wichita’s. Driving one night to Medicine Park my sons began counting the drilling rigs running within their view. It became a game for them as boys do and each time another tall [well lit-up rig] appeared in the distance they would chuckle and play grab ass in the back seat as boys do. At the junction to turn into the Indian Reservation most rigs within their view had been counted the number fifty-two. Each of those drilling sites was on 640 acre spacing or one square mile.
At that time rigs capable of drilling to those depths was in great demand and with that the price went up. Some of those new rigs built to drill in the deep Anadarko Basin cost upwards to $15 million each or more.
Then one day the Penn Square Bank in Oklahoma City got caught doing funny money stuff, does that sound familiar to anyone today? And the end came for all that drilling within weeks. WHY? Money stopped flowing from the partners back east and west supporting their individual payments made weekly for drilling cost. And on that day my Banker in Chickasha OK said all our lights and money needed to go on are out now. He said, “The drilling bubble has busted so do what you can to tidy up a bit and forget about”.
A good friend and neighbor of mine liked to come by sit and have a drink or two each night on the way home. One night Zack and I got a little tooted. He had worked in oil and gas all over the world starting very low on the rung of the ladder and had worked his way up rapidly, finally while in Nigeria starting his own companies.
I was just too pooped to pop and was glaring at all my loans- that were due but no money to pay buying the many things needed to sell and rent to those around in their drilling and production efforts. And to that end and was awe struck at what had occurred.
I asked Zack. “How in the hell did this all happen?”
Zack replied, “Bake big oil and gas guys makes happen today what they planned thirty years ago”
Dwight Baker We the Peoples Advocacy WTPA an old way to get our way done in DC today.
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By godistwaddle, April 10 at 6:36 am #
Herding butterflies. Not needing to herd to large barns of a Sunday to bleat their ignorance and stupidity aloud with the other ovines, intellectuals and rationalists often take advantage of solitude to think, write, and reflect.
Report this