[MattSavinar]

A board member has accussed me of being "very nearly responsible" for him almost committing suicide.
http://www.peakoil.com/fortopic15548-0-asc-120.html
Figure you should all be forewarned: tell people about this information and you might be accussed of something near to perpetrating murder . . .

Ridiculous, but true.

Best,

Matt

[Aaron]

That's terrible Matt... makes me want to end it all.

So I guess you're responsible for one more.

[RonMN]

I never understood that line of thinking... "the thought of death scares the hell outta me...so i'm going to kill myself".

I mean WTF?

[LadyRuby]

I've never had that reaction! Usually the reaction is that I'm wacked, gullible, and that I must be prone to disaster/conspiracy theories (which I'm most definitely not). Guess I'm not as good at convincing people as you!

[gego]

I think there is a psychological need for confirmation of our thoughts. This is the basis for evalgelism both in religion and in things like peak oil.

None of us are absolutely certain of our thinking which is why we discuss our ideas with others for confirmation. If we were truly comfortable with the effecacy of our thinking then we would not need this conformation from others.

Evangelism in some areas of thought may be innocuous, but in peak oil, it is self defeating. Since there is room on the lifeboats for less than 1 billion, any forewarning you share with others lessens your chance of survival, so forget about causing suicides, and start thinking in terms of selfishness and personal advantage.

I think guys like Matt have done more damage than good. The idea that we collectively will reshape the inevitable future is wishful thinking. The power elite already know and they are taking the course that is best for themselves; there is no Manhattan project to save humanity, nor is one possible.

[MattSavinar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gego', 'I') think there is a psychological need for confirmation of our thoughts. This is the basis for evalgelism both in religion and in things like peak oil.

None of us are absolutely certain of our thinking which is why we discuss our ideas with others for confirmation. If we were truly comfortable with the effecacy of our thinking then we would not need this conformation from others.

Evangelism in some areas of thought may be innocuous, but in peak oil, it is self defeating. Since there is room on the lifeboats for less than 1 billion, any forewarning you share with others lessens your chance of survival, so forget about causing suicides, and start thinking in terms of selfishness and personal advantage.

I think guys like Matt have done more damage than good. The idea that we collectively will reshape the inevitable future is wishful thinking. The power elite already know and they are taking the course that is best for themselves; there is no Manhattan project to save humanity, nor is one possible.

[UIUCstudent01]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MattSavinar', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gego', 'I') think there is a psychological need for confirmation of our thoughts. This is the basis for evalgelism both in religion and in things like peak oil.

None of us are absolutely certain of our thinking which is why we discuss our ideas with others for confirmation. If we were truly comfortable with the effecacy of our thinking then we would not need this conformation from others.

Evangelism in some areas of thought may be innocuous, but in peak oil, it is self defeating. Since there is room on the lifeboats for less than 1 billion, any forewarning you share with others lessens your chance of survival, so forget about causing suicides, and start thinking in terms of selfishness and personal advantage.

I think guys like Matt have done more damage than good. The idea that we collectively will reshape the inevitable future is wishful thinking. The power elite already know and they are taking the course that is best for themselves; there is no Manhattan project to save humanity, nor is one possible.

[crapattack]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') think guys like Matt have done more damage than good. The idea that we collectively will reshape the inevitable future is wishful thinking.

[crapattack]

On the suicide thing... people coming off a drug are wacky. They'll lash out at the people trying to help them. You were right, that person needs professional help. I found out recently and my reaction is just a depression and feeling of dislocation - like I'm being sent back in time and viewing the last throws of a dying civilization. Weird. I don't give a damn about food processors, or new carpets and that's probably a good thing. Thanks!

[MattSavinar]

Let me be clear: I'm not saying I think the power elite have changed their plans based on what has been written here in the "wilderness of the internet", to borrow Kunstler's description of where all the Peak Oil discussion is taking place.

I'm just saying the possibility crossed my mind.

Here is an example I'm making up off the top of my head that I don't think is terribly unrealistic:

Let's say you're a billionaire (not Richard Rainwater) and you had all your money in financial instruments X, Y, and Z as of 2002. Likewise for the decision making office of a major institutional investment firm.

Then, beginning in 2003 you start reading about Peak Oil in the dimly-lit but highly informative corners of the internet such as HubbertsPeak, From the Wilderness and Dieoff. By 2004, you are fully convinced.

What are you going to do? Well, if it was me, I'd be putting my money in gold, silver, oil, and whatever else would do well.

If a couple of you're buddies or institutions did the same, that could begin to have major ripple effects across the markets.

Best,

Matt

[MattSavinar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('crapattack', 'O')n the suicide thing... people coming off a drug are wacky. They'll lash out at the people trying to help them. You were right, that person needs professional help. I found out recently and my reaction is just a depression and feeling of dislocation - like I'm being sent back in time and viewing the last throws of a dying civilization. Weird. I don't give a damn about food processors, or new carpets and that's probably a good thing. Thanks!

[some_guy282]

When I first found you site Matt, I very nearly barfed on my keyboard. So you almost had to buy me a new one. Consider yourself lucky!

[gego]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('crapattack', '
')
Matt is helping give people a fighting chance and I'm all for it. More damage than good? Bullshit. Knowledge is power and I'm all for giving the serf's the power. Lots of people are going to survive this and they will rebuild a society. whether you think the hrace is worth it or not, and they'll need some advance warning and survival skills.

[Ayoob]

Who was it???

I got two words for 'em:

WEBCAM

PAYPAL

Let's make some fucking MONEY!!!

Baby needs a new pair of SILVER BARS!!!

[okek]

<<Some of the power elite may look at my site, or this forum, or any of the other various PO outlets and think "Gee, I wasn't planning on releasing that bioweapon/crashing the global economy/"insert evil plot here" until 2020. But these peak oil people are persuasive enough that I think we need to bump it up to 2005." >>

Unfortunately, most of my family is in total fairyland when it comes to energy issues. THey seem to just assume technology will save us barring inserted evil plot.

Dh (dear husband) comes up for air only when he pumps gas into our (thankfully paid for) 98 Lumina and grouses about the cost. I recently convinced him to rid ourselves of our high-end Windstar lease and purchase a late model used Focus wagon, gets great mileage and is both functional and affordable. He hates the car now but I'll bet he loves it come next summer.

Oddly enough my peak oil talks have most effected our 17 y/o daughter who works 2 jobs (both of which she walks to) in addition to finishing her Sr year at HS. She just assumes she will walk or take the bus to where she has to go.

I will continue to gently introduce peak oil into dicussions with friends to try and get them at least thinking about it because I care about them. Don't know what else I can do.

[waegari]

My experience is that amongst my friends it's especially parents of young children that try to play down those frightening prospects that I ever so carefully try to sketch for them. I can understand that, sure, but their denial also poses a grave danger, if only for their own children. I mean, there's a whole generation growing up with the idea that they will be able to pursue the sort of life their parents got accustomed to, but will end up with a deep sense of bewilderment and possibly anger. I wonder how that would be vented. It's quite disturbing.

[Daryl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MattSavinar', 'L')et me be clear: I'm not saying I think the power elite have changed their plans based on what has been written here i

[okek]

waegari, that is exactly my fear.

[MattSavinar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Daryl', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MattSavinar', 'L')et me be clear: I'm not saying I think the power elite have changed their plans based on what has been written here i

[crapattack]

Well, my bunker got satellite internet and squirrel generated power. Runs on nuts.