MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM – Modern civilization often prides itself as the pinnacle of human progress. Skyscrapers rise majestically. Artificial intelligence is celebrated as the future of the world. Smart cities are emerging in various countries. Digitalization is revered like a new religion. Yet behind all this brilliance, the world stands on a very fragile foundation: energy.
Without energy, the entire pride of modernity can collapse within hours. A power outage immediately reveals the true face of modern civilization: the internet goes down, payment systems fail, transportation is disrupted, hospitals switch to backup generators, data centers are threatened, industries come to a halt, and cities turn into spaces of panic without rhythm of life.
Energy as the Lifeblood of Modern Civilization
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Historically, no great civilization has risen without energy dominance. The Industrial Revolution was built on coal and steam engines. The dominance of the United States grew through oil and energy sectors. China rose as a global power through massive energy consumption. The rule is simple: whoever controls energy controls the future.
The Illusion of Progress in Developing Countries
Many developing countries still treat energy as a political prestige project. Power plants are inaugurated with great ceremony, megawatt figures are proudly announced, and infrastructure is presented as a symbol of power—while the systems themselves often remain weak. Modern buildings, roads, and industrial zones mean little if a single grid failure can paralyze large areas. Energy is not only about power plants, but also about grid security, distribution systems, emergency technologies, and crisis resilience.
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Energy as a Geopolitical and Strategic Battlefield
The world is moving toward "energy wars." Energy sovereignty today is not only about resource control but also about the ability to build resilient, modern, and crisis-resistant systems. Countries without strong energy structures remain dependent consumers of foreign technologies, despite having natural resources. Political leaders often prefer investing in digital projects rather than stable electricity systems, leaving civilization on fragile foundations.
Modern civilization exists through invisible cables, networks, and flows of electricity. A stable energy system makes nations strong, while a weak one can collapse even the greatest progress. Success in the 21st century will belong not to those who merely speak of digital transformation, but to those who can deliver reliable energy even in times of crisis. (IDNC)
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The author is the founder of Ethics of Care, a member of the Judicial Commission (2015–2020), and a lecturer at UMSU.
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