The Pyramid of Power S02 E02 The Oilgarchy

The episode presents a critical narrative arguing that major oil companies (“Big Oil”) evolved from early monopolies like Standard Oil, and that powerful industrial, financial, and political interests shaped global energy systems in ways that suppressed alternatives and influenced governments, media, and technology development. It extends this idea into the present, suggesting that oil corporations continue to wield significant influence over climate policy, geopolitics, and emerging technologies, while framing environmental efforts as potentially conflicted or co-opted by the same interests.