Why I stopped being a doomer

by **Cog** » Thu 03 Sep 2015, 21:16:37

Men are not turtles.

by **Ibon** » Thu 03 Sep 2015, 22:55:25

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', 'M')en are not turtles.

by **DesuMaiden** » Tue 22 Sep 2015, 16:53:32

I don't believe this civilization will last for much longer. Of course, I'm not depressed because of this. I know there will be survivors. I am learning how to grow my own food on my spare time. I am learning organic agriculture on my spare time.

I'm actually learning essential skills for surviving a post-oil apocalypse. I'm learning how to grow my own food. This is rewarding. It is more rewarding than the menial and pointless jobs most people do in industrialized countries.

You are better off learning how to live without modern technology rather than pretending that the prosperity brought by oil will last forever. Virtually all technology invented since 1860 (since the first oil wells were drilled) are dependent on oil in some shape or form.

Before the Internet ceases to exist (due to widespread blackouts), start learning how to grow food on any arable land within the city or town you live in. Don't panic once the supermarket shelves become empty of food.

If you are prepared, then you will survive. But due to the foolishness of most people, most people will react too late to the consequences of peak oil. Most people will probably still believe food will be delivered to supermarket shelves even when the supermarket shelves are completely empty.

Of course, you still have plenty of time to prepare for a SHTF (Shit Hit the Fan) scenario. Learning to grow your own food is probably the most important skill to have in a post-oil world because modern transportation systems (cars, planes, trucks and etc) will become obsolete without oil.

Either way, just prepare yourself for the worst case scenario. I wouldn't be surprised if the human race becomes extinct within the next millennia due to resource depletion. Given that all populations in overshoot experience a die off, the human race is overdue for a die off since our population is in overshoot.

Of course, in the best case scenario, a post oil world will be something akin to the Middle Ages or preindustrial era. This will be a feudalistic type of economy where most people exchange goods via barter.

Either way, it is obvious that a cornucopian society envisioned by people like Ray Kursweil will never happen because the Earth has finite resources. Such a society could only exist if the world really had infinite resources,which of course it doesn't. I HIGHLY doubt we will be exploring the stars and other planets some day because given that we can barely support life on this planet, it is HIGHLY unlikely we will be exploring other planets.

At worst, the human race becomes extinct (after damaging the ecosystem to such an extent that humans can no longer live on this planet). Most likely there will be a die off where a significant portion of the human population is wiped off. Of course, there will be survivors, but many people will not survive due to inadequate resources to support their lives. At best, everyone needs to accept a drastically lower material standard of living due to resource depletion.

Despite the grim future that lies ahead, I plan to live everyday to my fullest because I want to see my predictions come true (which of course they will). I will ultimately get the last laugh once the supermarket shelves become empty (due to the fact there isn't enough oil left for the trucks to deliver food to the supermarkets).

I'm still a doomer because I'm happy that I believe in the truth. I am happier believing in an unpleasant truth rather than a pleasant lie.

by **Ibon** » Tue 22 Sep 2015, 16:59:51

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DesuMaiden', '
')
Despite the grim future that lies ahead, I plan to live everyday to my fullest because I want to see my predictions come true (which of course they will). I will ultimately get the last laugh once the supermarket shelves become empty (due to the fact there isn't enough oil left for the trucks to deliver food to the supermarkets).

by **Apneaman** » Tue 22 Sep 2015, 17:45:04

Ibon be scared

by **mmasters** » Tue 22 Sep 2015, 17:49:16

I used to be a doomer too for many years but I did a lot of homework and I'm not one anymore. Nuclear is good. All the bad hype is from people that don't know anything. The modern technology is safe and we can get millions of years worth of uranium from seawater. Recycling can be huge and will be when resources start to become scarce. We have the technology and know how for mass recycling to make a difference. Electric cars can come in when oil starts to dwindle. There's tons of gas and shale reserves in the US which technology can now get at. Peak oil wont be a cliff it will be gradual with all the new reserves added and has been postponed 10-20 years. What will give in is the societies. The economy wont go away it will simply shrink. The future is going to be the haves and the have nots. Which in the US probably means Socialism will get voted in by the majority. This will make the country's debt much worse and will cause parts of the US to go downhill a lot. The infrastructure over the next 50 years will probably get bad in areas of the US. Just some thoughts on where the ship is heading. I don't see any doom in our lifetimes. Just a shit sandwich for those that lack skills. Oh and if money is short there's always the dollar tree.

by **Cog** » Tue 22 Sep 2015, 17:53:57

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Apneaman', 'I')bon be scared

by **jedrider** » Tue 22 Sep 2015, 19:53:05

Why would I NOT want to be a doomer? Just look at the lineup for the Republican Presidential primary. If that is NOT a sign of end times, than what is?

by **Cog** » Tue 22 Sep 2015, 20:36:23

Compared to a Democrat who is running a criminal enterprise called a foundation and a socialist who believes in unlimited free stuff for everyone?

by **onlooker** » Tue 22 Sep 2015, 21:16:50

Sorry to burst your bubble mmasters but that ship sailed off some years back. Oil is riding the undulating plateau before a precipitous decline. See the problem is we have an interconnected economy which is totally reliant on FF. Just replacing the fleet of cars with electric cars is an epic task. Shale, fracking, Tarsands are temporary as they are very energy intensive and ultimately will not yield that much energy. So basically we would have to retrofit the entire economy with a yet to be developed or built energy infrastructure and replacement. Nuclear by the way would rely on fossil fuels for further construction and maintenance. Now assuming we could pull it off, that would only allows us to extend the exploitation of Earth by 7 plus billion people continuing to deteriorate and degrade the ecosystems and life support systems of the planet. But do not take my word for it do your own research. Finally do not forget about global warming as it is beginning to create true problems for everyone.

by **onlooker** » Wed 23 Sep 2015, 03:10:53

Yeah, P, I do not know if he is is denial or a troll. Funny but I guess what unites us doomers is that no matter where it leads we like to know the truth.

by **Tanada** » Wed 23 Sep 2015, 08:43:03

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('onlooker', 'Y')eah, P, I do not know if he is is denial or a troll. Funny but I guess what unites us doomers is that no matter where it leads we like to know the truth.

by **onlooker** » Wed 23 Sep 2015, 08:57:58

Yes Tanada the truth is ever evasive and nobody has a monopoly on it. It is not comfortable knowing what many of us know on this site. It involves being honest with yourself and letting the information and data take you wherever it does. I appreciate everyone who has helped me to enlighten myself. I apologize if at times my posts have an aura of excessive certainty. In fact far from it. I am hoping to see signs that our civilization can extricate itself from the huge problems it confronts. Yet I prefer to take the stance at this time of being somewhat skeptical in so much as I believe in the main thesis of Limits to Growth which projected collapse should one or more of a set of circumstances prevailed. Well that is what we are seeing stresses upon both natural and man-made ecosystems and systems. I prefer to coin myself a realist rather than doomer as doomer to be implies an opinion or value judgement.