Warren Martin, Kansas Strong, joins Jason Spiess on This Week In Energy to give a movie review on how the movie series Mad Max reinforces the need for oil and gas in a modern civilization.
The Mad Max series, starting with George Miller's original 1979 film, is a stark portrayal of a dystopian future where the scarcity of oil and gas leads to societal collapse. From the perspective of an oil and gas advocate, this series serves as a powerful narrative that underscores the critical role these resources play in maintaining civilization as we know it.
In the original Mad Max, the world teeters on the brink of anarchy, with gasoline becoming the most precious commodity.
“We have fought wars over oil and wars have been dependent upon oil,” Martin said. “I mean, that is one thing that makes Kansas the most historic state when it comes to World War I, between 1915 and 1919, one county in Kansas, Butler County, Kansas, produced 9% of the world's oil. Not 9% of Kansas, not 9% of America, 9% of the world's oil.”
The film illustrates how the lack of a stable energy supply can destabilize societies, reduce mobility, and drive desperate conflicts.
“And that 9% of oil that was found in Butler County put the Allies over the top and led us to outlasting the Germans,” Martin said. “When it came to oil production and being able to fight that battle, so oil has been a part of our life for a long time and it's been a historic part, especially when it comes to wars.”
The sequels, particularly The Road Warrior and Fury Road, further amplify this message, depicting a world where entire communities are built around oil refineries and the pursuit of fuel dominates every aspect of life.
"You can't live without it, because the entire movie revolves around people trying to find oil that's left over," Martin said. "And you look at what they're wearing, they're wearing shoulder pads that come from football, helmets that come from hockey. They're wearing all this stuff that was made out of oil that they're having to recycle and keep on."
These films, though fictional, highlight the dangers of underestimating the importance of oil and gas in our modern world. They portray a future where energy scarcity leads to a breakdown of order, illustrating that access to these resources is not merely a convenience but a fundamental pillar of civilization.
The Mad Max series serves as a cautionary tale, reinforcing the necessity of sustaining and responsibly managing our oil and gas supplies to prevent the kind of societal decay depicted on screen.
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Movie Reviews: How Mad Max Reinforced the Importance of Oil and Gas to Civilization