The “coal thief” was half-man and half-monster, with a beasty face, claws, wearing all black and with a bag of stolen coal slung over one shoulder.
The klokenklau was featured in a widely distributed propaganda poster warning against the waste of valuable resources like coal.
These days, we suffer from the pervasive disease of “conspicuous consumption.” We live in bigger houses, drive bigger vehicles longer distances, and consume energy in every form like it was cotton candy.
We’re fat (1/3rd of us are obese, and another 1/3rd are overweight), obsessed with layers of fashionable clothes to cover up all that flab – requiring vast amounts of air conditioning to be comfortable – eating fast food at drive-through restaurants 3 times a day – commuting to work, school, play, vacations, shopping, entertainment, church, exercise, social events, concerts – you name it.
We’re a nation of coal thieves, and proud of it.