[tkn317071]

Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, but only slight. Ever since reading The Party's Over and reading through this forum, the nagging thought that humanity is doomed keeps creeping into my mind. I'm reaching out to the peak oil community for some strength and guidance for how to deal with this creeping depression. btw, I am already doing a small part to promote renewable (wind) energy but I'm wondering, given the realities of the world, will anyone with a lot of power take this issue seriously and do something about it? How can I maintain my hope and keep on fighting?

Thanks much all!

TKN

[Pops]

Hi TKN.

Couple of days ago I was feeling the same; war and rumors of war and all that.

Check out my two favorite threads here, Assessments and Plans and Anyone Serious?

When I feel that cloud over my head I try to dig up ways that I and mine can learn to be more independent of the oil powered machine.

You are the one with the power to do something about it! I’m not talking turning out the lights when you leave the room; I’m talking about preparing for the future as you see it unfolding.

As Matt says: deal with the future, or the future…

[TheSupplyGuy]

In my opinion, giving up hope is giving up to the problem. It seems to be the consensus here that really only individual actions matter. Like Pops said, work as much as you can to be oil independent. While I'm having trouble with it(due to my situation) I'm slowly getting there. Besides, what good does depression do for someone anyway? How many problems are solved by being depressed or angry?

[EnviroEngr]

As a resource for those willing to try an alternative method to relieving suffering, I offer Gary Craig's website:

http://www.emofree.com/

I offer this only because there are several people in my life combating trauma successfully with it and I am familiar with its efficacy.

[Aaron]

Words of hope...

You are quite correct to feel fear. We all have much to fear, in our lives and as a people. But remember that fear is just a feeling... a feeling cannot hurt or kill you. Despite our fears, the realities remain.

As Pops points out, (in numerous posts lol), the tangibles are what counts. I have the distinct feeling that the universe cares little for my feelings on a given subject. Events seem to march along oblivious to my personal concerns, form follows function, and the worm turns.

Healthy fear requires no justification... that's what makes it healthy. Another way to see fear is as respect. The fear many of us experience is entirely credible and even useful. It is at once our greatest asset and our biggest weakness. Fear is our sense of anticipation, manifest as emotion. Anticipation is what separates us from every other species on earth. Not that other animals don't anticipate, when obviously they do, rather that we anticipate and imagine unlike any intelligence we know. Thus the fear, but also the marvel. Can't have one without the other...

Our imagination brings us wonders and horrors, the dreams and nightmares of aspiration. But these are different sides of a single coin, and that coin is the currency of human excellence. Without our fears, we lose the very thing which brought us this far. So perhaps we should embrace our fears for what they are; the greatest power known to us... the power to imagine.

Pay attention to your fear, it serves you well. Just make sure, when it comes to fear, that you understand, who is serving, and who is leading.

[MrPC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('tkn317071', 't')he nagging thought that humanity is doomed keeps creeping into my mind. I'm reaching out to the peak oil community for some strength and guidance for how to deal with this creeping depression.

[Pops]

And MrPC, your profession is?


Or should I ask; your dosage is?

[Aaron]

Not enough I'm guessing...

[MrPC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'A')nd MrPC, your profession is?

[Pops]

Sorry.

[Cool Hand Linc]

LOL

Pops my dosage is not enough. I want to feel really good!

tkn317071, do you get depressed because you could die in a car wreck tomorrow? Because you could have a heart attack tomorrow or in an hour? Because you could get fired?

I do not believe the world will die off! I believe it will change! It maybe that the change will be good or bad and that could depend on ones view of what occurs.

If you are prepared then you increase the odds you will have a better life in the end. That your kids could be happy as could possibly be in the end. This does not have to be the end of the world but could be a new beginning!

Link

[Onyered]

I can understand fully what you are feeling. Try to make everyday memorable in some way. Try to look up at the sky everyday and enjoy a cloud, or notice the wind blowing. If you waste today worrying about tomorrow, it won’t keep tomorrow from arriving with whatever it may bring. The only thing we know for sure about life is that no one gets out alive. Everyone on the earth is “doomed” to die, not 90 % or 80% but 100%. Of course we don’t know when or how. So in that way nothing has really changed.
Don’t let the perfect defeat the good. Maybe in a “perfect” world there would be no problems but you and I will probably never see that world. There is some good in everyday, look for it. I am going to take my own advice. And for good measure I’ll throw these in:

Never take council of your fears.
No step for a stepper. (My late fathers favorite)
Keep a stiff upper lip.
If you can’t join’em, piss on ‘em.
Keep smiling.
Keep on Keepin on.
And that all time favorite:
Keep on truckin.

[Pops]

I don't know about TNK, but I feel better.

Keep on truckin'

[MattSavinar]

Personally I find picking up a new hobby helps immensely.

Heavy drinking works for me.

Matt Savinar
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net

P.S.

Just kidding about the drinking. I will be posting alot about this in the days and weeks to come on my site.

[JLK]

I have had problems with this as well. I have a tendency to fixate on negative thoughts, and reading about Peak Oil has given me plenty of ammunition to indulge this trait.

This is really a great thing to discuss. It helps to know that there are others out there who are experiencing the same thing and that there are ways to cope.

I am sitting here at my computer and I just realized that it's Saturday and it is a beautiful day outside. I think I am going to put everything out of my mind, go outside, and try to live in the present for a little while and enjoy the good things that I have right now.

[Joram]

My faith is in the lord who has everything in his power, the bible has foretold a time where massive die-offs will happen.
I think the end of times is definitely upon us. Maybe it's even closer then we think.
The hard truth about peak oil is that if you have no money or you're a student there is almost no way to prepare. I already accepted the idea that if it happens I’ll very likely die, that's why I’m not going to save my own life with stealing food and killing other people. I'll help other people who have no idea what's happening, for example old people.
If most of mankind has to die then so be it, you can't fight decease and food shortages. I find myself very different now, I used to look 5-10 years in the future when I would have a good job, girlfriend, house, car etc etc. Now I don’t care anymore. I live from day to day now looking around me and amaze how all those people live there lives. It gives me inner peace to forget about all those new stuff and things. It's strange to be one of a select group that now that our society is breaking down. Most ppl believe it will go on for indefinitely.

[Ardalla]

I remember a few weeks ago the media reported a survey to determine which country had the happiest people. The winner was Nigeria. I don't remember where the US placed; it was not high.

[tkn317071]

Thank you to all who responded to my post. Your words of encouragement are much appreciated. I definitely agree, sitting around feeling depressed is not a good way to live and I intend to do what I can, while I'm still here (on planet earth). I also agree that it is comforting to know that other people have had similar thoughts, even though that knowledge does little to address the problem at hand, it is nice to know I'm not alone. I guess it comes down to a simple choice, I can decide to live with hope, despite all the scary facts we face, or not, which isn't an appealing option. Maybe that's what they mean by having faith.

[Rasmus2]

Do not loose hope - we are just going from the oil age to the age of Renewable Energy.

As Amory Lovins have said : "The stone age didn't end because the stone ran out, and the oil age will be just the same."

Here is a positive spind on the problem:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/916492.stm

And you can also watch/listen to one former European energy minister, which have connections to the highest places in the EU:

http://gdp.videoarkiv.net/ida/oilconfer ... p?node=103