I wonder what you think
At least four (Jenn, Eric M., Jeff, and Myself) of the contributors to the paxfellaship blog fall pretty neatly into a politically liberal categorization. As we have been the most vocal of the contributors, particularly Jeff, I would imagine that you come here expecting your daily dose of liberal agenda. That is more likely than not what you will continue to get. But I do want to point out that other members of our little brotherhood fall staunchly on the other side of the isle. So if you are reading this and happen to know us in the world existing outside of cyber-space, know that many of the opinions shared by us commie-pinko’s don’t necessarily represent the views of Jamey, Eric B. or Jake.
That was not exactly my point, though it was important nonetheless.
I want to know what you fine folks think of oil companies, specifically what you think of Big Oil: ExxonMobil, TotalFinaElf, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and BP. Do you see them as raping the world for fun and profit or are they working hard to provide for the energy needs of the world.
I happen to work for one of the Super-Major oil companies (not ExxonMobil, though they are going to be my example for much of this discussion). As such I am obviously biased in my assessment. But as I mentioned above I am also politically liberal. It has been a time honored tradition amongst the political left to label Big Oil as one of the major evil forces at work in the world. I don’t agree and I wonder if that hurts my leftist credibility.
I am of course writing this as ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell are posting record breaking profits for the third quarter. This happened while Americans were paying record breaking gas prices and preparing to freeze this winter because they can’t afford to heat their homes. So I am sure that at least some of you have some pretty strong opinions about this subject. I would also imagine that at least some of you who know me and care for me hate it that I work for who I do. I won’t try to dissuade you from your opinion.
Since I am really not trying to prove a point but rather just wanting to hear some voices, I am only going to offer one piece of anecdotal information. The one fact that I have to offer is simply this; Oil Companies are generally very very good to their employees. My dad worked for Shell. He basically started at the bottom with a two year associates degree as a welder. He retired this year with enough savings to not only live well but pay for mine, my brother’s, and my sister’s kids to go to college. I have only been with my company for a year but I have every reason to expect similar success as long as I continue to work hard.
My point is simply this; when ExxonMobil makes $9.8 billion in one quarter don’t simply think that Mr. ExxonMobil now has $9.8 billion dollars in his pocket and can now go buy a new Lamborghini Gallardo or possibly Italy. When ExxonMobil makes $9.8 billion in one quarter what that will ultimately mean is that around 70,000 XOM employees will have a really happy new year when they see their incentive bonus and their retirement savings.
I generally take every opportunity that I get to criticize Wal-Mart. I feel like they deserve the criticism because despite all of the money they make, a huge percentage of their employees are on Medi-Care. The same criticism cannot be leveled at Big Oil. Their employees are treated as their greatest asset. I believe this to be true across all of the Majors.
Of course not being “as bad as Wal-Mart” doesn’t necessarily qualify you for a Nobel Peace Prize. And oil companies deserve much of the criticism that gets leveled at them. They are “for profit” organizations and therefore do not act altruistically. The environmental consequences of a petroleum economy are dire to say the least. Part of the reason we all pay so much for gas is because oil companies haven’t felt it to be economically feasible to finally build an environmentally friendly refinery and have thus been stopped from building the old dirty refineries. Huge strides have been made by oil companies to “clean up their act.” More is needed. I am not trying to absolve anyone of anything here. I just wanted to share a little bit of my experience with big oil and to hear what you think.
That was not exactly my point, though it was important nonetheless.
I want to know what you fine folks think of oil companies, specifically what you think of Big Oil: ExxonMobil, TotalFinaElf, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and BP. Do you see them as raping the world for fun and profit or are they working hard to provide for the energy needs of the world.
I happen to work for one of the Super-Major oil companies (not ExxonMobil, though they are going to be my example for much of this discussion). As such I am obviously biased in my assessment. But as I mentioned above I am also politically liberal. It has been a time honored tradition amongst the political left to label Big Oil as one of the major evil forces at work in the world. I don’t agree and I wonder if that hurts my leftist credibility.
I am of course writing this as ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell are posting record breaking profits for the third quarter. This happened while Americans were paying record breaking gas prices and preparing to freeze this winter because they can’t afford to heat their homes. So I am sure that at least some of you have some pretty strong opinions about this subject. I would also imagine that at least some of you who know me and care for me hate it that I work for who I do. I won’t try to dissuade you from your opinion.
Since I am really not trying to prove a point but rather just wanting to hear some voices, I am only going to offer one piece of anecdotal information. The one fact that I have to offer is simply this; Oil Companies are generally very very good to their employees. My dad worked for Shell. He basically started at the bottom with a two year associates degree as a welder. He retired this year with enough savings to not only live well but pay for mine, my brother’s, and my sister’s kids to go to college. I have only been with my company for a year but I have every reason to expect similar success as long as I continue to work hard.
My point is simply this; when ExxonMobil makes $9.8 billion in one quarter don’t simply think that Mr. ExxonMobil now has $9.8 billion dollars in his pocket and can now go buy a new Lamborghini Gallardo or possibly Italy. When ExxonMobil makes $9.8 billion in one quarter what that will ultimately mean is that around 70,000 XOM employees will have a really happy new year when they see their incentive bonus and their retirement savings.
I generally take every opportunity that I get to criticize Wal-Mart. I feel like they deserve the criticism because despite all of the money they make, a huge percentage of their employees are on Medi-Care. The same criticism cannot be leveled at Big Oil. Their employees are treated as their greatest asset. I believe this to be true across all of the Majors.
Of course not being “as bad as Wal-Mart” doesn’t necessarily qualify you for a Nobel Peace Prize. And oil companies deserve much of the criticism that gets leveled at them. They are “for profit” organizations and therefore do not act altruistically. The environmental consequences of a petroleum economy are dire to say the least. Part of the reason we all pay so much for gas is because oil companies haven’t felt it to be economically feasible to finally build an environmentally friendly refinery and have thus been stopped from building the old dirty refineries. Huge strides have been made by oil companies to “clean up their act.” More is needed. I am not trying to absolve anyone of anything here. I just wanted to share a little bit of my experience with big oil and to hear what you think.
posted by Kile and Em at 12:29 PM
3 Comments:
Straight away! You buried by blog scoop!
More later on your post, although it's not from me that you hope to hear.
I will chime in, and let you know that I am in my heart of hearts a free-market capitalist type of guy, though I realize that Pure Capitalism (without restraints and regulation) is as oppressive as is the other end of the spectrum.
So...I have no problem with a company making a lot of money. However, if it is due to pressure these companies have applied on legislators, or due to unfair tax incentives they have taken advantage of, or control of alternate sources of energy to the point of being exclusionary, I have a problem with it. I suspect there is some of each of these going on, and I'm paying for it.
For instance, why are we not using alchohol from Iowa corn farmers to power more of our vehicles? Would this be cheaper than fossil fuels? Is it feasible and effective? Or how about hydrogen/hybrid cars? Why so late into the market when we've had the technology for so long? I know the easy answer is that gasoline was cheap enough to make it unnecessary or at least unattractive, but I also think there is more to it, and that BIG OIL is not necessarily free of guilt. I don't know all the answers, but it smells like just the type of thing that in the 20's spurred a bunch of trust-busting.
So that's what I think. Anyone who is more knowledgeable, or who can provide satisfactory answers would be welcome to me. I like to think that the people I'm dealing with are looking out for their own interest (the cause of the rising tide that lifts all boats), but not at the expense of someone else's interest.
Thanks for inviting the comments, by the way. I am not one of your fellaship, but enjoy reading and commenting. I think you are an extraordinary group of friends!
And by the way, I was very angry to read of the $500,000,000 in aid given to the oil companies because of refinery damage in the big Katrina relief package. I thought that was out of line, when profits are at an all-time high. I do not begrudge large profits because they are the reward for taking the risk. However, I also don't think the risk should be take out of the equation.
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