[JohnRM]

I think that what most of us mean when we talk about "slow" versus "fast" crash is the irrevocable failure of the global or national economy.

A fast crash is something that is going to happen suddenly and with very little warning. 2008 was a fast crash. Almost overnight, the world was a very different place.

A slow crash is something that is going to take years to occur. The breakdown of the fabric of our civilization occurs in stages, over a period of years rather than weeks or months. The fast crash of 2008 was, of course, part of a much larger global story and crash which has been playing out since, I think, the beginning of 1999, when oil prices bottomed out, started to increase, with the only price drops coming during recessionary or slow periods.

[peeker01]

2008 was not a failure of the economy, rather a failure of the regulatory function of government.
The interest from home loans has always been a stable refuge for banks and investors. The per-
version of the risk-reward equation cause by speculators with no adult supervision is what
brought you 2008.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'P')re, that is mean relativistic BS. You are no more the center of universe than you are an elite recruitment of the commanding general of the Roman army. You are a social primate forced by evolution and your DNA to care about others.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '
')As for your misguided claims for selfishness;

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', 'I') also consulted my DNA , and it explicitly told me that DNAs that care about anything but it's own security and continuation tend not to last very long, primates and not primates alike. So it mandated me to act accordingly.

[Loki]

The last few years here here in the US (arguably since the 1970s) is an example of a “slow crash,” at least economically. I like Dolanbaker's distinction between economic crashes and civilizational crashes. I think these concepts are often conflated by peak oilers, especially those with a Mad Max bent. Totally different time scales.

Short of a global-scale nuclear war or geologic/astronomic event (both exceptionally improbable), I don't see a fast crash coming to the First World in the lifetime of anyone posting at PO.com. Most of us will just get poorer and poorer, perhaps substantially so. Reduce your expectations, especially if you're in the working/middle class. But don't expect civilizational collapse any time soon (this will likely be on the scale of centuries; see John Greer).

As for the Third World, they've been screwed for a while. Their crash may be a little faster (famines, plagues, wars, genocides, etc.), particularly in Africa, which has been one long, hard, fast crash for quite some time.

But no worries for the Ayn Rand crowd, the fabulously wealthy will continue to be fabulously wealthy, First or Third World. They may have to sell a yacht or two, though. The injustice!

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Loki', 'B')ut no worries for the Ayn Rand crowd, the fabulously wealthy will continue to be fabulously wealthy, First or Third World. They may have to sell a yacht or two, though. The injustice!

[evilgenius]

I think to most people the slow part is when someone like me is ranting at them that something like housing or gold is unsustainable, but they can look around and see for themselves that I am wrong, and the fast part is when it becomes real for them in an obvious way. The slow crash is not obvious to everyone. The fast crash is obvious. During the slow crash people ignore what they ought to be doing for selfish reasons based mostly in preening themselves. During the fast crash people ignore what they ought to be doing for selfish reasons based mostly in survival.

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Loki', 'B')ut no worries for the Ayn Rand crowd, the fabulously wealthy will continue to be fabulously wealthy, First or Third World. They may have to sell a yacht or two, though. The injustice!

[careinke]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AdTheNad', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', 'I')'m glad you didn't have to mourn, but may I ask where in your opinion lays a difference between a useless eater and a highly skilled professional?

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('careinke', '
')
Holy smokes Pretorian, that could be a direct quote from Ayn Rand (a true patriot). Are you related?

[careinke]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Loki', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('careinke', '
')
Holy smokes Pretorian, that could be a direct quote from Ayn Rand (a true patriot). Are you related?

[Loki]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('careinke', '
')I think she truly loved the US, of course look what she had to compare it with. Adams and Jefferson were always at odds, was one of them less of a patriot because of it? I think not.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('careinke', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AdTheNad', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pretorian', 'I')'m glad you didn't have to mourn, but may I ask where in your opinion lays a difference between a useless eater and a highly skilled professional?

[Pretorian]

I also am willing to reconsider my "Go to hell" attitude as soon as world population drops to about 100 million or so

[Tanada]

Here you go crashers.

[ralfy]

Several fast crashes, as seen during the last few years, and part of a global slow crash.

[asg70]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ralfy', 'S')everal fast crashes, as seen during the last few years, and part of a global slow crash.

[Subjectivist]

The Slow Crash has been going on for 50 years but some people denand fast crash or nothing, so they can't even see it.

[asg70]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Subjectivist', 'T')he Slow Crash has been going on for 50 years but some people denand fast crash or nothing, so they can't even see it.