Very interesting. I do think that there’s still a question around what’ll fundamentally drive the creation of standards, be it regulation or industry utilities in private markets.
I agree! I think we’ll see standards begin to evolve around private sector initiatives (preqin/blackrock etc) but longer term I would not be surprised if regulation follows. I do think private markets allocators are generally interested in standardization, whereas regulators have a slightly different set of priorities
“The Pyramid of Power and the Coming Reckoning: A Psychological and Political Analysis of the Climate Crisis”
In the shadowed corridors of power, a quiet war rages—not one fought with armies, but with influence, obfuscation, and the controlled flow of capital. Oil and gas companies, and their bedfellows in finance—BlackRock, Vanguard, and their ilk—operate as the architects of inertia in the face of an accelerating climate crisis. Their strategy is as insidious as it is effective: buy the loyalty of political leaders, shape narratives through media control, and dismantle the democratic tools that might otherwise hold them accountable.
The Methodology of Control
From a psychological perspective, the mechanisms at play mirror a classic model of learned helplessness. By engineering systems of dependency—economic, political, and informational—these entities have conditioned the global population to accept a false binary: economic growth versus environmental sustainability. Politicians, rendered impotent or complicit by the lure of campaign funding and lucrative post-political appointments, become the unwitting (or willing) marionettes of a larger agenda.
BlackRock and Vanguard, with their unparalleled stakes in global industry, represent not just capital accumulation but the consolidation of power into a plutocratic elite. This elite, representing less than 1% of the population, wields its wealth not merely as a tool, but as a weapon. Climate change, for them, is not a crisis but an opportunity—a chance to privatize resources, displace populations, and profit from the chaos they have orchestrated.
Historical Parallels: Lessons from 1789
This dynamic, however, is not without precedent. History offers a chilling parallel in the French Revolution. When the masses—disenfranchised, impoverished, and ignored—reached a breaking point, their response was neither measured nor merciful. The guillotine became not only a tool of justice but a symbol of revolutionary fervor. Today, the psychological and economic pressures exerted by the 1% are creating a similarly volatile undercurrent.
The Anatomy of Revolt
The inevitable consequence of this systemic exploitation is revolt. As climate disasters grow more frequent and severe, the facade of control maintained by the elite will fracture. The masses, emboldened by a growing awareness of their exploitation, will target not only the institutions but the individuals responsible. CEOs and upper management of oil and gas companies, along with financiers who have profited from environmental degradation, will find themselves in the crosshairs.
This revolt will not be confined to symbolic protests or legal challenges. It will be visceral and direct, echoing the collective fury that toppled the ancien régime. The psychological tipping point—when hope is replaced by rage—will lead to an unprecedented challenge to the structures of power.
The Warning to the Elite
For the architects of this exploitation, there is still a path to redemption. Transparency, systemic reform, and the relinquishment of disproportionate power are not just moral imperatives but survival strategies. However, if these steps are not taken, the elites must prepare for a reckoning far beyond the reach of their gated communities and private security forces.
The psychology of revolution is clear: when the gap between the rulers and the ruled becomes insurmountable, the result is upheaval. The choice is theirs to make—but time is running out.
The people are awakening, and the guillotine of justice, whether literal or symbolic, waits in the wings.
Very interesting. I do think that there’s still a question around what’ll fundamentally drive the creation of standards, be it regulation or industry utilities in private markets.
I agree! I think we’ll see standards begin to evolve around private sector initiatives (preqin/blackrock etc) but longer term I would not be surprised if regulation follows. I do think private markets allocators are generally interested in standardization, whereas regulators have a slightly different set of priorities
“The Pyramid of Power and the Coming Reckoning: A Psychological and Political Analysis of the Climate Crisis”
In the shadowed corridors of power, a quiet war rages—not one fought with armies, but with influence, obfuscation, and the controlled flow of capital. Oil and gas companies, and their bedfellows in finance—BlackRock, Vanguard, and their ilk—operate as the architects of inertia in the face of an accelerating climate crisis. Their strategy is as insidious as it is effective: buy the loyalty of political leaders, shape narratives through media control, and dismantle the democratic tools that might otherwise hold them accountable.
The Methodology of Control
From a psychological perspective, the mechanisms at play mirror a classic model of learned helplessness. By engineering systems of dependency—economic, political, and informational—these entities have conditioned the global population to accept a false binary: economic growth versus environmental sustainability. Politicians, rendered impotent or complicit by the lure of campaign funding and lucrative post-political appointments, become the unwitting (or willing) marionettes of a larger agenda.
BlackRock and Vanguard, with their unparalleled stakes in global industry, represent not just capital accumulation but the consolidation of power into a plutocratic elite. This elite, representing less than 1% of the population, wields its wealth not merely as a tool, but as a weapon. Climate change, for them, is not a crisis but an opportunity—a chance to privatize resources, displace populations, and profit from the chaos they have orchestrated.
Historical Parallels: Lessons from 1789
This dynamic, however, is not without precedent. History offers a chilling parallel in the French Revolution. When the masses—disenfranchised, impoverished, and ignored—reached a breaking point, their response was neither measured nor merciful. The guillotine became not only a tool of justice but a symbol of revolutionary fervor. Today, the psychological and economic pressures exerted by the 1% are creating a similarly volatile undercurrent.
The Anatomy of Revolt
The inevitable consequence of this systemic exploitation is revolt. As climate disasters grow more frequent and severe, the facade of control maintained by the elite will fracture. The masses, emboldened by a growing awareness of their exploitation, will target not only the institutions but the individuals responsible. CEOs and upper management of oil and gas companies, along with financiers who have profited from environmental degradation, will find themselves in the crosshairs.
This revolt will not be confined to symbolic protests or legal challenges. It will be visceral and direct, echoing the collective fury that toppled the ancien régime. The psychological tipping point—when hope is replaced by rage—will lead to an unprecedented challenge to the structures of power.
The Warning to the Elite
For the architects of this exploitation, there is still a path to redemption. Transparency, systemic reform, and the relinquishment of disproportionate power are not just moral imperatives but survival strategies. However, if these steps are not taken, the elites must prepare for a reckoning far beyond the reach of their gated communities and private security forces.
The psychology of revolution is clear: when the gap between the rulers and the ruled becomes insurmountable, the result is upheaval. The choice is theirs to make—but time is running out.
The people are awakening, and the guillotine of justice, whether literal or symbolic, waits in the wings.
GQ