What’s the deal with fracking?

I was listening to the Today programme and they were discussing fracking and how Gid had lifted the moratorium on explorations for shale gas.

Some see fracking as the answer to our energy needs and point to the United States where it has resulted in cut price gas. But the US is possibly one of the worst examples to use as a defence, because of the reported cases of water pollution. In this country, fracking has caused 2 minor earthquakes in the Blackpool area.

The likes of Delingpole love the idea of fracking but then, he gets moist at the thought of left-wing activists being tortured to death by goons who can barely read and write. Such is the short-sighted nature of the frackers that they would put the health of millions of people at risk for a short-term, possibly negligible gain.

Defenders of the current capitalist system love to tell us how it is the only system that inspires innovation and rewards risks. I say that’s bullshit: the current capitalist system ignores the health and well-being of the people by its relentless pursuit of profit at all costs. Innovation can happen without this form of capitalism. Then there’s the capitalist’s short-sightedness that blinds them to the long term consequences of their actions. They prefer to make money quickly and let someone else clean up the mess, while denying they had anything to do with whatever catastrophe they’ve caused. That’s because the love of money means you never have to say you’re sorry.

Here’s an animation.