[threadbear]

In my opinion, Clone, avid addicted consumers, are like other addicts. They're trying to fill some spiritual void with stuff rather than alcohol, or drugs. There's very little difference.

If you are providing money to a person like this, you are more of a dealer than a spouse. If you re-read my post with a little more thought you will understand that I'm trying to get to a very real truth here. Is it possible for someone in the throws of any kind of addiction to actually put another person before themselves, at least sometimes? And is this not a bare minimum requirement in a mate?

Please don't make me choke on the idea that "marriage vows are sacred". That is just the kind of sentimental nonsense that couples use to uphold the status quo because they're afraid to take action. It's amazing that "men" such as yourself can't see through feminine guile. Wake up.

[VinceG]

AmericanEmpire, ask yourself what is more important to you

1) Your wife, the person you've known for many, many years, who has become your friend and object of affection, with whom you shared the most important parts of your life, the one you consciously choose to be with for the rest of your life, the one person who you see, speak and go to bed with on a daily basis...

or 2) Peakoil, a controversial, fuzzy concept about upcoming economical, environmental changes that are caused by the greater demand than the actual production of oil, resulting in higher energy prices and more expensive consumption goods, which is a mayor threat to the Westernized way of living, which is based on economic growth...

If you seriously consider the concept of peakoil to be of more importance than your wife...you are, IMHO, a total idiot...

My girlfriend and I have had some discussions about peakoil, and although we have very different opinions about it, I would never even CONSIDER leaving her just because she doesn't see things the way I see them and doesn't fully want to adapt to my lifestyle...

[Guest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', '
') Please don't make me choke on the idea that "marriage vows are sacred". That is just the kind of sentimental nonsense that couples use to uphold the status quo because they're afraid to take action. It's amazing that "men" such as yourself can't see through feminine guile. Wake up.

[OneLoneClone]

err that last post was me I forgot I ws logged out.

American Empire: you may be able to just stop talking about peak oil while still planning for it. You sould start food gardening without attaching it to the peak oil concept, other stuff like that.

I was a closeted believer in peak oil for a while. It wasn't until Katrina that my wife became more receptive.

[threadbear]

One lone clone, Vince G, You're projecting from your own experiences here, which sound like loving ones and I'm projecting from mine. We have NO idea what American Empire's relationship is like. What I'm trying to get at is, perhaps he loves his wife, but does she actually love him, hold him in high esteem? If she does, why doesn't she knock off the shopping? He's making a valid request, whether we're heading for peak oil, or not.

By the way, am a woman myself and think a lot of young guys put up with way too much. They're just whipped.

[perplexd]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('VinceG', 'A')mericanEmpire, ask yourself what is more important to you

....

or 2) Peakoil, a controversial, fuzzy concept

[Phil]

Women, again more than men, don't like bad news.

{edited for inflammatory comments directed at women by MQ}

[threadbear]

Well, I wouldn't go that far, Phil. If any vague generalizations can be made about women it is that they are more foccused on the subjective and glean information from their immediate environment. Someone who is ill at ease in the larger political arena can be very adept within their immediate social and political sphere.

It's all a matter of what lens is being used. They can be broadsided by a matter like peak oil until it's repercussions hit within their sphere, but once that has happened are amazing at networking and working around difficulties. Two different perspectives. Men, on the other hand will find it difficult to navigate socially when the sh h t fan. Women are the networkers par excellance.

[hooyeah123]

I kinda have a similar problem. My wife doesn't believe anything bad is going to happen, I've had a rotten feeling in my gut for quite a while now, and it's getting worse the more I read.

We have two small children, and we live in middle NJ surburbia.
She doesn't spend like a drunken sailor, as a matter of fact she's a pretty thrifty, but there are other problems...

Convincing her that maybe we should move out of the state to some acreage (at least PA) aint going over too well. She has a huge family living in the state, and she would never move away. We have some savings, but not enough to pay off our mortgage. She's alway looking at bigger McMansions in the paper.

I have applied for firearms permits (gonna pick up the id card next week), which I think she will not be too happy about when I tell her I plan on getting some 'protection'.

I'm thinking of buying that movie the end of suburbia and watching it with her. I don't know whether that would convince her or not though...

Any hints on persuading my honey we should prepare for the worst?

[Jake_old]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')She has a huge family living in the state, and she would never move away

[PrairieMule]

</q></q>$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hooyeah123', 'I') kinda have a similar problem. My wife doesn't believe anything bad is going to happen, I've had a rotten feeling in my gut for quite a while now, and it's getting worse the more I read.

We have two small children, and we live in middle NJ surburbia.
She doesn't spend like a drunken sailor, as a matter of fact she's a pretty thrifty, but there are other problems...

Convincing her that maybe we should move out of the state to some acreage (at least PA) aint going over too well. She has a huge family living in the state, and she would never move away. We have some savings, but not enough to pay off our mortgage. She's alway looking at bigger McMansions in the paper.

I have applied for firearms permits (gonna pick up the id card next week), which I think she will not be too happy about when I tell her I plan on getting some 'protection'.

I'm thinking of buying that movie the end of suburbia and watching it with her. I don't know whether that would convince her or not though...

Any hints on persuading my honey we should prepare for the worst?

[cynthia]

I have a partner who is not necessarily on-board with the concept of Peak Oil but he doesn't poo-poo it either. I share the most reliable and pertinent information with him but he doesn't say much about it.
Some of my female friends are really skeptical (and some, Ahem! have educated themselves on the issue). After Y2K (Of which I remind the, "I told you so-ers" that many people scrambled to work hard to fend off major shut downs that are controlled by computers) they are still skeptical. Disbelieving, actually. It's hard to get them to visit sites like this or to even have a coherent discussion, so I've stopped.
I also have not changed my life radically, but my purchases have changed such that I weigh the future importance and value of what I'm interested in buying.
Secretly, I look forward to a different world but in my mind's eye it's more utopic than I imagine it would really be if TSHTF faster than most humans are able to handle. Me, my life is pretty low key and I know how to entertain myself without (much) external input.

[AmericanEmpire]

Thanks for all the input guys and gals. This message board is the only place I can come sometimes without feeling insane. My wife doesn't want to listen, my parents don't want to listen, and my friends don't want to listen. I think 99% of the population is in denial.

Anyway there is no way that I am gonna leave my wife. That would be stupid. I love her and I decided to be with her till death does us apart. Thats a vow I'm not going to break.

Besides, no matter what happens the last thing I want to do is to go through something like peak oil alone.

I will say one good thing. The money she spends is cash that we have earned. Starting about 2 years ago before I even knew about Peak oil we decided it was a good thing to get out of debt and stay out of debt. We have payed the credit cards off and whats left is the student loans. She doesn't shop with a credit card and the money she spends is what she has earned not mine.

Still, I'd prefer no shopping at all unless its for items that might come in handy post peak oil.

[Liamj]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', '.')..By the way, am a woman myself and think a lot of young guys put up with way too much. They're just whipped.

[threadbear]

I'd never advocate anyone leaving a spouse who they love AND who loves them in return. I fail to see how ignoring someone's concerns is loving though.

Sorry, I also don't buy that marriage vows are sacred. Marriage vows do represent partnership, and in many cases, true partnership is EXACTLY what's missing. I think at least 50% of marriages can be divided into two camps. The first, virtual roommates with children, living together asexually. How is this sacred? Practical maybe, but sacred? Hardly.

Their lives are a living hell of work at work and work at home. They have no passion for each other, just see each other as utilitarian objects to help accomplish shared goals. Suggest they break up and you'll get the full sentimental schmaltz treatment, though. Rest assured, they will break up when their kids grow up so they should be actively cultivating friendships outside the home as well as having affairs, as they're going to end up friendless, spouseless and childless. That's the Mediterranean model and more unfulfilled people who are staying together for their kids should live this way.

The other marriage is the parasite, ennabler. One of the partners gives, gives, gives and the other partner takes, takes, takes. Sacred? No. Sick symbiosis? --yes.

Anyway, American Empire. Sounds like your wife's okay. At least she's not blowing your money.

This really is partly a peak oil issue and partly not. How do you want to endure economic hard times? Marriages without children that suck today, should be dissolved as quickly as possible.

[willjones4]

My wife believes in Peak Oil based on some of the things Ive shared with her. Problem is, she thinks that "they" are working to come up with alternatives and all will be OK. We even got into a shouting match this morning. She thinks I am wasting our money on the candles, lanterns, canned food, books, guns, etc and told me that Im not living in "reality". What to do??? We have a 16 month old son that this will affect and I feel Im being asked to "stand down" on the coming situation---which is something I cannot do...

{moved by Shannymara}

[TorrKing]

I have the same situation almost. Try to go slow with the spending and she may become a little nicer. Focus on developing a knowledge base instead. Learn yourself how to become self-sufficient on whatever level you think will be most useful.

Teach yourself tracking and wild plants. Or start farm your backyard. Hoarding such stuff will not keep you going for long eitherway. There is a lot of free knowledge to be found on the internet.

By the way. I think you have good enough time to buy those candles a little later.

Try to indoctrinate her a little at the time. Not all at once. People need time to digest the truth.

Torjus Gaaren

[Revi]

My wife is not all that convinced about peak oil, but she likes the fact that practically everything we've done has saved us money. Here's what we've done:

http://www.msad54.org/sahs/appliedarts/ ... /index.htm

All of these things save fossil fuels, which means they save money now. Click on the pics for more info.

[o2ny]

Why don't you buy some gold and/or silver, watch as the value skyrockets, and then see what she thinks.

[NeoPeasant]

When my wife thinks that I've lost it spending endless hours at doomsday sites, I just tell her "don't worry honey I've just been looking at porn."