As you all know we are approaching the end of the oil age. Prior to mechinisation we had beasts of burden.One of these days we will have to go backto using beasts of burden.What about all the other non food products that we get from animals that has been largely been substituted by alternatives made from crude oil?
The argument could be made that, if machines disappeared, animals could not possibly do all of the work alone (indeed, some field jobs are impossible for animals--and someone has to drive those "beasts" as well) and we'd have to go back to using indentured servants or even slaves. Would this be a proper and acceptable? After all, much labor formerly done by humans is now done with oil-driven machines. I don't see the end of the oil age as going back in time to the 1700's. Modern humans still want their machines. They aren't going to be willing to pick up the pickaxe and the oxcart. They'll still have their machines, but they'll be powered by alternate sources of energy.
