In a capitalist society money is the score card. It serves as both the carrot and the cattle prod for the things we should and shouldn’t do. In the US, energy has been plentiful, and so the forces of supply and demand have made it relatively cheap for us to consume. Compared to other countries, we’ve taxed energy very little; further dangling the consumption carrot. As a result, cheap energy has fueled our economy, advanced technology, elevated our standard of living, and propelled our lives. It’s generally been good for us, or has it?