[PEAKINT]

Hi folks. I was originally on here back in 2006 when Specops was still spamming the forums. Back in early 2006 I was at work and bored and surfed the Google looking for population overshoot issues and stumbled upon LATOC. Those were the Rubbert/FTW, Matt Savinar (lawyer turned soothsayer turned cuckoo psychic), and Krunstker (or whatever his name is called) rants days...

Back then I was about 24, now I'm closer to 30.

Had I known what I knew back then, how things would have turned out, I would have not hesitated to ride the gravy train and knowingly pretend that "the party was still going good"... because though Matt swear that he swore off riding in a car again ever since 2004, my question is why?

10^100000^10000000 years from now all will pass, everything will be gone and nothing will exists
10^100 years from now our local universe will die a cold heat death
100 trillion years from now all stars will be dead, the stellariferious era will be over, there will be no light in the universe
1 billion years from now our sun will start to red giant, life on earth will be over

20 years from now I'll be 50 and old and NONE of the above aforementioned will ever have mattered.

As long as society can more or less hold together for another 10 or 20 years, why do I care?

It is not, as they say, a subjective individual personal, "difference that makes a difference".

For people who get in a fatal car accident that is their TEOTWAWKI (and peak oil for them? please....)

The point is, we forget about the fact that Peak Oil, while a mathematical certainty, does not triumph our own peaks first if we cannot get ahead of the shockwaves for it to even really matter...

Case in point Simmons that died in a bathtub preaching Peak Oil End of the World when they could have spent that money on hookers on a tropical island..

As for me, Peak oil or not I've learned that what is important is to live life by frontloading it and doing all I want to do while I still can.

Prep I will not.

[Islander]

I think you have described my mentality quite well as I am 27 and reckon society will hold together in some form or other until I'm in my 40's or 50's. I found the best way to deal with Peak Oil is to accept that one day the economy will go into decline and as it does, I will just roll with the punches as it were and make the best of whatever life I have. If I die before I'm an old man, so be it, I've accepted that one day I will die and that thought doesn't scare me like it used to.

In terms of prepping, I've been making sure I get into better shape incase the future requires lots of manual labor, but that's all I've been doing.

[PEAKINT]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Islander', 'I') think you have described my mentality quite well as I am 27 and reckon society will hold together in some form or other until I'm in my 40's or 50's. I found the best way to deal with Peak Oil is to accept that one day the economy will go into decline and as it does, I will just roll with the punches as it were and make the best of whatever life I have. If I die before I'm an old man, so be it, I've accepted that one day I will die and that thought doesn't scare me like it used to.

In terms of prepping, I've been making sure I get into better shape incase the future requires lots of manual labor, but that's all I've been doing.

[Ibon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PEAKINT', '
')
This is why I'm spending every penny I make and not saving a penny for "retirement" in CD/ IRA/401k/ mutual fund, index fund, etc etc

[PEAKINT]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PEAKINT', '
')
This is why I'm spending every penny I make and not saving a penny for "retirement" in CD/ IRA/401k/ mutual fund, index fund, etc etc

[Timo]

Ahem........I am 50, and am very busily trying to save for my retirement because i expect to live for another 30, or even 35 years. Maybe more. I do not expect our current retirement systems to last that long. Therefore, i need to save every last penny i can NOW, and not live today like there is no tomorrow. There will be a tomorrow. And a day after that. And a day after that. And a day after that, ad infinitum, or at least until the sun fries all life off this planet. I'm also trying to figure out how to actually earn some income after i retire, precisely becauswe i do not expect Social Security to be in place, and because my job's retirement plan may not be there, either. Therefore, everything that i will have access to in the future to suppport myself and my family is up to me to provide for myself, and that means planning ahead. If i had children, planning for the future would be even more important because i strongly believe that is it the responsibility of every generation to provide a healthier, better environment than we enjoy today for future generations. Living only for today is incredibly, inconcieveably selfish. ME FIRST!!!!! FU*K everyone else, and all future generations! I have the courage to deny the responsibilities for my conduct in the here and now!

Complete and utter bullshit!

[PEAKINT]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Timo', 'A')hem........I am 50, and am very busily trying to save for my retirement because i expect to live for another 30, or even 35 years. Maybe more. I do not expect our current retirement systems to last that long. Therefore, i need to save every last penny i can NOW, and not live today like there is no tomorrow. There will be a tomorrow. And a day after that. And a day after that. And a day after that, ad infinitum, or at least until the sun fries all life off this planet. I'm also trying to figure out how to actually earn some income after i retire, precisely becauswe i do not expect Social Security to be in place, and because my job's retirement plan may not be there, either. Therefore, everything that i will have access to in the future to suppport myself and my family is up to me to provide for myself, and that means planning ahead. If i had children, planning for the future would be even more important because i strongly believe that is it the responsibility of every generation to provide a healthier, better environment than we enjoy today for future generations. Living only for today is incredibly, inconcieveably selfish. ME FIRST!!!!! FU*K everyone else, and all future generations! I have the courage to deny the responsibilities for my conduct in the here and now!

Complete and utter bullshit!

[Timo]

You're young, and seemingly invincible. The future means nothing to you today. If you choose to be a feeble, destitute 65 year old that has no means of self support, yet you continue to keep on living, being a burden on others, well, good for you. You'll be someone else's problem to deal with. Or, in the alternative, you can just off yourself because you don't have any regrets, and nothing further to live for. Problem solved.

In the mean time, living for today, like there is no tomorrow, has formed our world the way we see it today. It is a fucking catastrophe.

Thank you very much.

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . .

PEAKINT

What a clueless self centred fucking dickhead you are . . . I was about to paste a reply but Timo has said it all very eloquently so I'll let it go at that, sheesh. (shakes head in despair)

[ROCKMAN]

Timo - "...yet you continue to keep on living, being a burden on others...". I'm not sure that's a given. As we stumble down the PO path and if I were in my 20's I don't think I would assume society would eventually take care of me in my old age. And I'm not talking about SS or pensions. I don't think they would tie me to a tree for the wolves to feast upon. OTOH the vast majority of society at that future time (especially the younger ones) might not have any sympathy for the "needy". there's much in life beyond money that would see value preserved. I'm pretty sure that in 40 or 50 years if you ain't got "it'" very few that do have "it" are going to be willing to share "it".

[Pops]

Now, now, no need for insults.

When I was 20 I thought just the same, if I make it to 60 I'll be destitute anyway so why save?

I was right!

[Timo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ROCKMAN', 'T')imo - "...yet you continue to keep on living, being a burden on others...". I'm not sure that's a given. As we stumble down the PO path and if I were in my 20's I don't think I would assume society would eventually take care of me in my old age. And I'm not talking about SS or pensions. I don't think they would tie me to a tree for the wolves to feast upon. OTOH the vast majority of society at that future time (especially the younger ones) might not have any sympathy for the "needy". there's much in life beyond money that would see value preserved. I'm pretty sure that in 40 or 50 years if you ain't got "it'" very few that do have "it" are going to be willing to share "it".

[Timo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'N')ow, now, no need for insults.

When I was 20 I thought just the same, if I make it to 60 I'll be destitute anyway so why save?

I was right!

[Quinny]

Anyone who has looked at annuity rates would probably have a lot of sympathy with the OP!

[Paulo1]

The arrogance of youth is remarkable.

When I was in my twenties my Dad had the 'chat' with me, but not what you would expect. I was always trying to get ahead while supporting the traditional family, etc. He said that it was about balance...that one had to live for today but also plan for a future, and that one did not trump the other.

Fast forward. I turn 60 this summer. I have been 'retired' for 3 years. I just spent the morning reading on the riverbank waiting for the tide to come up so I can winch a log out that is stuck under my dock. If I don't do this I will tangle up my fishing line on 15-30lbs+ salmon due to arrive in a few weeks.

I am retired with a home I built myself with my wife helping as an equal partner. We have full preps and a full larder + good health, etc. I retired at 57, simply because I built my own homes and never went into debt. My kids are 31 and 35 years old. They also have their own homes and work hard. I expect they will do well and they will also inherit all my land and possesions. It is a good feeling to know one's children are doing well, fulfilled, and have a future. Besides, work can be fun. It doesn't have to be a drudge experience. There is no finer experience than building something and being paid to do so.

It is the ant and grasshopper story, and it never changes. My oldest brother lived the grasshopper life like the twenty year old posters on this site. He is now 68, almost 69 years old. He has no money and very few retirement prospects. His siblings have stopped giving him money, euphemistically called "lending". He is fucked and it ain't pretty. We told him he will have to ask his kids for extra money from now on. So, for all you grasshoppers out there don't expect relatives to willingly help you out when your sugar coated life starts smelling tired and worn. Don't look for 'the system' to offer a lifeline either, as all debts come due for everyone, even countries. Just look at Greece and Argentina. Venezuala? (That sounds fun). It seems like a joke, now, but it isn't very nice to grow old living in poverty with declining health. No one will feel sorry for you and there may not be any help in the future. If you want practice and a wake up, try food banks. It doesn't look that great to me.

By the way, I am a workingman who went to school at nights (corespondence and later online) to earn a couple of degrees. When the studying was over I had my drinks and wine. We lived a good life along the way.

The word is responsibility. It is what men (adults) are taught.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PEAKINT', 'W')hy should society spend millions of dollars to keep an 85 year old person alive for another few weeks or few months when they've already had a long time by any measure and won't live that much longer anyway? it is just insane to me.

[cappinhook]

I think a lot people are missing Peakint point. I don't hear him asking for a handout at 65 and I believe he is taking a Nietzsche approach to life. That in the end of time it all ends up being pointless. I do find it somewhat funny that this website is basically about the eventual fall of our current society within most of our lifetimes. So why would someone prepare for retirement in world that would, I think some on this site would agree, be dramatically different. Old mantra's might no longer apply. Many people think there will be a dramatic die off. Feel Like he might just be hedging his bet on being one of the fallen. Then again, I could be way off base. Also, I find it funny that I have stalked this site and the oil drum for many years and this is the post that compels me to comment.

[PEAKINT]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Quinny', 'A')nyone who has looked at annuity rates would probably have a lot of sympathy with the OP!

[PEAKINT]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cappinhook', 'I') think a lot people are missing Peakint point. I don't hear him asking for a handout at 65 and I believe he is taking a Nietzsche approach to life. That in the end of time it all ends up being pointless. I do find it somewhat funny that this website is basically about the eventual fall of our current society within most of our lifetimes. So why would someone prepare for retirement in world that would, I think some on this site would agree, be dramatically different. Old mantra's might no longer apply. Many people think there will be a dramatic die off. Feel Like he might just be hedging his bet on being one of the fallen. Then again, I could be way off base. Also, I find it funny that I have stalked this site and the oil drum for many years and this is the post that compels me to comment.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cappinhook', 'I') think a lot people are missing Peakint point. I don't hear him asking for a handout at 65