I’ve only ever seen it as a metaphor for the modern world.
One that played out in the United States over a hundred years ago, when oil speculators and robber barons duked it out over the industrial world’s most essential energy source.
It’s a story of brilliant but ruthless capitalists who use technology, instinct, law, and reason to pull the black fuel driving modernity from the very Earth herself.
And sometimes these capitalists must confront olde tyme fundamentalist, religious folk who own and live on the surface soil, and who must use their own powers of tradition, superstition, and belief to wage war against the powers of industry.
Thus, the battle of wills ensues.
Anyone else see something analogous to Western Nations and the Middle East?
No???
Then perhaps I’ve lost my mind!
