The Need for a New, Clear Option: An In-Depth Analysis of Nuclear Energy

The goal of the research presented here will be to provide a comprehensive view of the nuclear industry today. Upon analyzing data from the last 40 years, a pattern of irresponsible, financially untenable policymaking begins to emerge, highlighting the growing disconnect between the general populace, which is most vulnerable to the benefits and pitfalls of the nuclear industry, and the elected officials who make the final decision in many countries regarding nuclear adoption. The primary context of this article will be concerned with analyzing opposing views of how nuclear power normally stands to benefit mankind versus the impacts of a worst case nuclear disaster, as occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. The author provides a brief, general overview of the theory behind nuclear power and its impacts before moving on to the benefits and drawbacks faced by adoptive communities. Next, an analysis of the financial viability of the nuclear industry will be offered, as well as a brief introduction of several means of generating electricity, and their general benefits and drawbacks. The author then offers an opinion on which of these options would offer the best alternative to nuclear power in both the short and long term. Finally, government patterns of dealing with nuclear power will be examined; it very quickly becomes evident that even in the most transparent societies, nuclear adoption encourages dishonesty from policy makers. In closing, the author will leave the reader with a troubling question: “Do we really have a say in our own future?” Author’s Note It is my firm belief that by examining the problems we face today from a holistic point of view, one where the interconnectedness of the world around us is fully understood and considered, we can create a better future for ourselves. I speak not only of the interconnectedness of the biological world, but that of the artificial world we have created for ourselves, that which we call “society”. Through the exploration and examination of how these two seemingly disparate fields are able to influence one another, the world can be made a much better place. It is a curious fact of the world that I have noted: when the world is looked at in a manner which truly captures the “big picture” of the moment, what we as a human race desire and need seems closely tied to the needs and desires of the world as a whole. Failure to see this tendency of the world is a failure born not out of ignorance, but out of society’s deception By examining the real truth of the nuclear industry from many points of view, it is my hope that you, the reader, will discover in yourself a desire to help the world at large, not just because it is the right thing to do for the world, but the right thing to do for yourself. The goal of a truly sustainable future is not one that serves all of humanity; there will always be those individuals in this world whose future is built upon the foundations of the past. For them, a sustainable future is one where they no longer hold the power. For the rest of the world, however, sustainability is freedom. It is with this belief in my heart that I thank you for your time, and submit to you the following, with the hope that you will gain some benefit from it.