[Revi]

This peak oil thing is like finding a racing form from the future. You know what horses to bet on. It seems like a lot of people would want this information, but I haven't found them. Everything we have done has turned out wonderfully, but almost nobody is following us. Right now the water in my shower is 100% provided by the sun, backup lights are running off of PV solar, the car that I bought when we shrunk our vehicles costs half what my old one did to run. What's the problem? We save over $2600 in energy costs every year. That's money to do things. Go to the movies, out to eat. The cost of energy has risen so we pay the same amount we paid 5 years ago, but at least we aren't paying more every year.

It seems like peak oil is the spur that we needed to change our lifestyle and save our household from financial ruin. I've tried to explain this to some of my colleagues, but they can't understand what I'm talking about.

[peripato]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Revi', 'R')ight now the water in my shower is 100% provided by the sun, backup lights are running off of PV solar, the car that I bought when we shrunk our vehicles costs half what my old one did to run. What's the problem? We save over $2600 in energy costs every year. That's money to do things. Go to the movies, out to eat.

[JohnLudi]

Simontey78-

Points taken...for the most part I have always tried to point people in a constructive direction...on the few occaisions people have actually paid attention and responded I usually send them to various prep/sustainable living sites, etc. Over the years it's only happened a handful of times. I have a pretty big list of various sources of "alternative information" on my site...hopefully some people are getting something out of it.

jdumars-

MSG is EVIL!!! And the stuff ends up in practically everything edible that comes in a box! They have found all kinds of ways of sneaking it in there!

keehah-

Just came back from the big Green Festival here in Chicago...it was packed and huge! That was pretty heartening, though it still smacks of too little too late. I got to hear a talk by John Perkins, the guy who wrote Confessions of an Economic Hit Man...nice to see that someone who spent so much time on the dark side can find altruism in his soul. Good presentation, it was.

I'm hoping to get on the bill for next year as a solo acoustic performer...maybe I'll get more attention then the guy you talked to if I start doing something like wearing full clown makeup as I sing my merrly little songs of doom.

Hey! I got it: John Ludi the Singing Mime!

Couldn't hurt...

JPL-

Yeah, that whole sacred cow of expansionistic capitalism does get people really defensive when you start trying to make steaks out of it. I think on a deep unconsious level most people know that the whole system is about to go "poof".

The thing I've noticed (and I'm wondering if any of you folks have as well) is that the level of denial seems to be commensurate with the level of risk: the higher the clear and present danger, the deeper the heads sink into the sand.

Gotta be some way of charting that, just for a giggle.

[NEOPO]

I dont think it is futile and I dont think it is hopeless.

Ask anyone of these people when something major will occur, some great ramification and they may say "I cant predict the future" yet ask them if there is hope and of course there is none.

Most of us still have hope for ourselves as in "my own ass to save" yet some of us dont even have that while others still have some hope for a peaceful transition I.E. hope for the unaware others.

I see these things as negative, neutral and positive energies.
Project what you would like to see come to pass yet please be aware that you influence people more with this then when you preach the message. Louder then words.

A good exercise is to think back to how you got here as once, you were the sheeple.

Hmmm guess I totally disagree as we spent my weekend at my aunt's house having fun, erecting several raised bed gardens, my patented leaning cucumber fence and a bean teepee which if properly cared for may save a family of four $1000 - $2000 this year alone and all that oil etc etc ad infinitum as is our impact upon the future.
Gardening is addicting and everyone loves the taste of fresh veggies so like she told me two years ago back when I held a family meeting and presented peak oil "you have planted the seed, now just give it time" and as we left this evening I heard them talking about "watermelons and strawberries and fruit trees" amungst other addictions to this humble beginning of a garden.
What kind of seeds are you planting my friends?

[Pretorian]

Before you waist your breath, remember of three things:
1) most people are dumb;
2) dumb people are easy to brainwash;
3) disputing about anything with brainwashed dumb people is , to put it mildly, silly at the very least, cruel at most;

Let them live in their wonderworld.

[SevenTen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', 'A') good exercise is to think back to how you got here as once, you were the sheeple.

[NEOPO]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SevenTen', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', 'A') good exercise is to think back to how you got here as once, you were the sheeple.

[SevenTen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SevenTen', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', 'A') good exercise is to think back to how you got here as once, you were the sheeple.

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SevenTen', 'W')e need to lower our expectations...The majority of people will not ever see the problem, no matter what...

[SevenTen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SevenTen', 'W')e need to lower our expectations...The majority of people will not ever see the problem, no matter what...

[waegari]

Taking part in a website like PO.com is in itself a way of admitting that there must be some use trying to spread the word now. Why else bother, why else the commitment, why else acting like the bait for all possible PO newbies, as all of us have been at some point in time?

[Bas]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('waegari', 'T')aking part in a website like PO.com is in itself a way of admitting that there must be some use trying to spread the word now. Why else bother, why else the commitment, why else acting like the bait for all possible PO newbies, as all of us have been at some point in time?

[Frankieboy]

It's not too late, people can still make positive changes. Indeed, not everyone will, it is up to them. Everyone of us was informed at one point or another, so why not share with others?

[killJOY]

Frankieboy, you're new at this, aren't you?

In any case, your optimism is heartening.

[Ebyss]

Nobody likes being preached at, no matter what the subject. I came to the same conclusion as most of you - the more you shout, the more people cover their ears.

I figure that if people want to stay blind to the truth when you try and help them, then so be it. If they die along the way, so be it. The world has about 4 billion too many people anyway; I figure it would be better to lose the stupid/arrogant ones than the "doers". So, I changed my tactics.

Now, I'm trying to lead by example. I've moved to the countryside, have 10 acres of decent land. I'm surrounded by pine forest and friendly farming neighbours. I'm far enough away from the "big city" to avoid swarms of zombies, and yet not too far to get to my friends and family on horseback if needs be. I know how to handle and care for livestock. I've signed up for archery lessons and hope to learn to shoot a gun in the near future. We have an abundance of rabbits and deer in the area. My biggest project is learning how to garden. Livestock is easy - but growing stuff? I tremble at the thought. So I'm trying to find someone who runs courses in permaculture to give me ahead start. I'm looking into putting wind power, solar, geothermal and wood heating into the property. It's a slow start, but a start nonetheless.

Though I've always tended towards an apocalyptic view of life, and yearned for a more "green" world, it was PeakOil.com that gave me a push to do all these things for real. So, to those who feel people won't benefit from what you have to say... well.. I did, and others have... so don't give up, just change your tactics. Go do all YOU need to do to prepare, and be ready to give advice and help to others when they need it. And they will. Keep your head down, practice what you were preaching, go about your business.

Equally, don't be afraid to leave the herds of sheeple behind, we need to reduce the population by a looongg way. If people are not willing to help themselves, well....

[Bas]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('killJOY', 'F')rankieboy, you're new at this, aren't you?

In any case, your optimism is heartening.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Bas', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('killJOY', 'F')rankieboy, you're new at this, aren't you?

In any case, your optimism is heartening.

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ebyss', '.')..I'm far enough away from the "big city" to avoid swarms of zombies...

[SevenTen]

There is use in trying to spread the word. But.

When talking to people about peak oil and its attendant demons, largely what has been tried isn't working. People have various responses, various denial attitudes. There is cultural inertia. There is a consensus trance.

All are problems that can be addressed, but next to impossible to address by one person only. We don't have the tools to address these problems.

But none of the tools we use today, from a well pump to the Internet, were created by a single person. They were group activities, and collaborative efforts.

We need the same collaborative effort here, so we can create some conversational tools, so people can more effectively address the issues when they come up.

Those of you not interested in giving up on getting through to people, please join me in the What Do You Say When thread.

[Pops]

I don’t really have much to add except to say I could count on one hand the number of personal acquaintances or relatives I have prompted to take even slight action and to agree with those who said this site has certainly influenced some. Otherwise, why would anyone who truly believes we in for trouble spend their precious few remaining easy days here bleating, instead of doing something?

When Dan first started this site I was hoping to panic a few people. Now I hope some of the bleating I do might help a few over their initial panic and spur them into some type of action.

Actually it just dawns on me how many people, especially around here and on some other boards I could name, take great pride in placing themselves above the "sheeple". Three years ago, on the surface at least, I would have fit the sheep description fairly well: big mortgage in Central CA, airball freelance advertising job (with a Hummer dealer as one of my clients in fact) lots of worthless hobbies, cars and toys, ect., etc.

Three years ago I had never pulled or cut or doctored and saved a calf, frost-seed clover in a pasture, raised a hog, sold anything I grew, ran hot-wire, built a corral and working chute, grew and bucked my own hay, shelled my own corn, hung a pipe gate, made lime pickles or wine, stored eggs in waterglass, or done and learned any of the hundreds other things - from important to trivial, from success to failure that I have in that time.

I guess my point is, don’t bet your future on the fate of the flock; they just might fool you.