[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', '
')Happiness and wellbeing is actually quite relative. We can descend quite far down the slope of declining resources and still be able to maintain the basics of food production, sanitation and transportation.

What we all perceive as a crisis, being the baby boomers that we are, may not even be defined as crisis for the generations emerging in this century.

So really this site, and other similar ones, is really more than anything a comforting place for worried baby boomers to come and share their anxieties. For the young generation emerging there is no crisis.

[Ibon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', 'T')he boomers are worried about their social security and medicare payments getting cut or the dollar losing value or gas prices getting so high they can't afford drive around in the RVs, but for the young generation-----not so much.

And young people are naturally optimistic and self-confident-----not only are they not that worried about the economic crisis, they naturally assume that no matter what the heck happens in the economy, it won't affect THEM. Somehow THEY will become an NBA star or make a great Rap record or invent a new ap or make a splash on American Idol or something similarly unlikely---but until they get dented a few times by reality, young folks have no doubts that each of THEM are SPECIAL and will succeed and rise to the top.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', ' ')
They want us competitive (with each other) fearful of our own futures, so we can be manipulated into hard work....

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'A')merican .... take home less money... than any other modern industrial nation.

[Newfie]

There is work, and there is mindless occupation.

There is very little useful work to go around. Mostly we are fighting over scraps of mindless occupation.

TV , Internet, etc. does roughly the same role as many occupations. It keeps one mininimally occupied, and brainless, in lieu of actually experiencing life.

This idea of meaningful work has really gotten out of hand, it is one of the great myths of our time. I suspect it will dissapear as the global society falls.

[dohboi]

Hi ho!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aYzXyo30XM

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Newfie', '
')
There is very little useful work to go around....

[Plantagenet]

Actually that photo is from a BBC news story about slavery...the photo shows how galley slaves were shackled in their spots.

------------------

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'T')hat is not an actual slave. No. He is doing a Slave Thing.

[Newfie]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Newfie', '
')
There is very little useful work to go around....

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Newfie', ' ') Digging the Bakken is not useful, unless your desire is to foul the air and ruin Earth for life.

Nor is being a medical insurance clerk, or 95% of the other occupations we busy our self with. Mostly we do "mindless occupation" which passes as contributing to the good of mankind.

Pretty much, unless you are a farmer, or otherwise involved in some non-threatening primary production, then you are just fooling yourself into thinking you are doing something good for society.

[Newfie]

What I do is take your tax money.

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kiwichick', 'd')uring ww2 governments round the world introduced rationing and that will be what happens post peak

[Subjectivist]

Total collapse means different things to different people. For the texting phone generation going back to voice communication might seem like a total collapse. For me if would be a return to "normal".

[ROCKMAN]

"Total collapse means different things to different people. " So true: given all the various definitions it essentially means nothing. Thus why are folks debating something that won't happen because one can't define it? Too much idle time on their hands I suppose. LOL.