[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', 'T')his is just a philosophical question I'm throwing out, but what is it about the Doomer issues that captivates us so much while we don't think twice about all the many boring but certain risks we live with every day.

[SeaGypsy]

The last thing I want is some puffed up over educated American agreeing with me.

I came to similar conclusions off my own blood sweat and thousands of hours study and I argue that everyone needs do their own homework regardless. My vision is one man's panacea another's holocaust. I do not want to pacify people or rationalize a total global catastrophe and encourage people to take it so light they play the futures accordingly or so heavy they gas their own family. Something in me as a very hardworking wiry woodcraftsman type despises this middleclass soothsayer psychobabble, even worse than the 'it's all over tomorrow' brigade.

[mmasters]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', 'T')he last thing I want is some puffed up over educated American agreeing with me.

I came to similar conclusions off my own blood sweat and thousands of hours study and I argue that everyone needs do their own homework regardless. My vision is one man's panacea another's holocaust. I do not want to pacify people or rationalize a total global catastrophe and encourage people to take it so light they play the futures accordingly or so heavy they gas their own family. Something in me as a very hardworking wiry woodcraftsman type despises this middleclass soothsayer psychobabble, even worse than the 'it's all over tomorrow' brigade.

[Expatriot]

I can't take anybody seriously who is as grossly obese as this woman.

If you don't have the self restraint and self respect to not carry 50 pounds of flab around on your body, you're not a person who can be taken seriously.

[ian807]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Expatriot', 'I') can't take anybody seriously who is as grossly obese as this woman.

If you don't have the self restraint and self respect to not carry 50 pounds of flab around on your body, you're not a person who can be taken seriously.

[Sixstrings]

This thread took an odd turn, people jumping on the peak shrink because she's overweight. That's neither here nor there.. lots of very smart fat people out there..

Colleen McCullough is one of my favorite writers of all time. She's an expert in ancient Roman history. A talented, darn good writer in multiple genres. She's also a big woman. I know doomers take a dim view on overweight people, but don't fall into outright prejudice -- intelligence has nothing to do with weight, if anything the smartest people are quite often physically out of shape and it's the lower IQ types who are gym rats.

Back on topic..

My criticism of the peak shrink is just that I think she's a newer doomer and may not have a good perspective yet. She may have gone overboard with Doom herself and is using psychology to justify her own obsession. That's what interests me here, how unusual "a peak shrink" is. If the average person goes into a shrink's office talking about all the oil running out and mad max doom and hyperinflation coming and volcanoes and global methane climate death.. this person will likely get an obsessive / paranoid / delusional diagnosis and walk out with a handful of scripts, no?

[Expatriot]

1. Virtually all fat people choose to be fat. The "metabolically challenged" obese person is the extremely rare exception.

2. Intelligence is not related to obesity, true enough, but I would never take advice from a person based solely on intellect, unless it was asking a math PhD a math question. Regarding life decisions, people who are obese lack self respect and restraint, and I would never take advice from a person lacking either. Obese people just make it easy to see that character flaw. Have you ever met an obese person who would not rather be less fat?

Harsh, but true. Sloppy with the body, sloppy with the mind.

[KathyMcMahon]

Thank you all for the interesting and provocative discussion and thank you, babystrangeloop, for posting it here and on Twitter.

@Sixstrings - I agree with you that mental disorders exist. The issue of what's "normal" has to include what is adaptive to your current circumstance. You have people deep in debt putting dried food on a credit card. That's not the best idea. Perspective IS important, but keep in mind that there are the larger MSM voices that are telling anyone who utters the words "Peak Oil" that they are "crazy" to worry about it. Those voices are loud and clear. My research asks the question "How is 'mental preparation' different than 'just acting mental'?" I wanted to know how a person responds when they got, really got, the idea of overshoot. Paradoxically, people seemed to worry less about whether they were going "crazy" when they found out that their reactions were quite typical.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hink about it, walk into a shrink or psychologist's office talking about how all the oil is running out and there will be blackouts and a World Made By Hand now what do you think the srhink would write down on their little notepad hm?

Delusional.. obsessive.. paranoid.. etc. etc.

[Expatriot]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KathyMcMahon', '@')Expatriot - Ouch.
Okay. Don't take me seriously. Take the thin broad who's on CNN seriously. My hunch is that you would never take advice you didn't already believe in, period. Fat repulses you. I get that. So don't listen to my next interview, or respond to this slop.

[BenjaminTheDonkey]

KathyMcMahon:

I’m a fan, and I like how you think
About handling our fall off the brink;
You’re the real deal
For helping folks heal,
So I greatly respect The Peak Shrink.

[basil_hayden]

I'd share a Ben and Jerry's Vermonster with you anytime, Kathy!

All they do here is attack the messenger.

We'll be around a month longer than them after the famine....

[Pops]

Hi Kathy, thanks for stopping by.

[KathyMcMahon]

@Expatriot -

I'd love to debate the merits of your fatphobia, but my mother taught me not to talk with my mouth full...

[MD]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Expatriot', '
')
It's not the fat. It's what the fat represents.

[MD]

So I have a bit of the mouth over-running dysfunction myself, what can I say?

I'm still just a Cynical Old Bastard.

[Slorisb]

@ Expatriate

I can't begin to tell you how important it is to me to know who you take seriously. I'm sure your opinion of yourself is very important to you.

I'm also waiting with baited breath to find out who is worthy to give you advice.

Your so incredible.

[Pops]

So much cooler online...

[SeaGypsy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KathyMcMahon', 'T')
@SeaGypsy - gotcha. I disagree with you. Except this part:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '.')..I despises this middleclass soothsayer psychobabble

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('KathyMcMahon', 'E')xactly my point. My site is for other professionals to recognize what is a "typical" reaction and not to pathologize the Doomer. That doesn't mean that those in the PO community can't get clinically depressed. Of course they can, and I write about recognizing the signs of clinical depression.

[KathyMcMahon]

@SeaGypsy -

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he last thing I want is some puffed up over educated American agreeing with me.