Heavy Object-Volume 4, Prologue

It happens once every few years or every few decades.

Surely you have heard that near-urban legend that is announced again and again.

Yes.

I am talking about the idea that the Earth’s resources will dry up in the near future.

But so far, it has never happened. In fact, humanity would fall into ruin if it did happen. The only question is how it would happen. Would people continue to evenly divide everything up until the storerooms were empty so everyone starved together? Or would wars break out over the last remaining resources causing humanity to destroy itself before the resources actually ran out?

So why is it?

Talk of resources running out is quite common. It even has a certain credibility to it. The Earth is slowly producing resources even now, but the rate of consumption is clearly greater. There is no avoiding the fact that the resources will “eventually” and “surely” run out, but for some reason it has not yet happened.

Even with the wars being waged using those ridiculously huge Objects, the resources have yet to run out. I am sure you know just how plentiful resources are and how constantly they are being consumed. The resources never seem to run out and yet it is clear this planet we call earth has a limited capacity.

So let me ask again.

Why?

Do these plausible announcements that keep coming actually have no basis in reality? Or do we keep conveniently finding a new mine of resources just when the current resources seem like they are about to dry up?

What I want to know is...

What do you think?