[arocoun]

(I didn't know if this belonged in open discussion or not, so I put it here to be safe.)

I believe that Peak Oil will lead to the end of our society as it exists today, and I think it's a good thing.

This isn't so much a debate as an opinion poll, so I ain't going to start a debate here. I just want to get a general number.

[Tank]

To planet earth the excessive number of humans must be like a bad rash. So from that point of view a massive dieoff will bring things more in balance.

Also consider that a much larger percentage of the human population has survived than would have without many of the modern "interventions" so the species has been weakened biologically. The stress of peak oil on population should have a tendency to weed out the weaker so in that sense it will also be good. Of course those given an exit ticket won't be too happy, but that is the way nature works.

[Riddick]

I think it will be a good thing. We've got to start living with Nature and stop trying to conquer it by putting our vision of a perfect world into motion. Our vision is anything but perfect and a lot of people do not understand that.

I'm getting tired of all of these people passing judgment on everyone else with regards to the amount of money you have, what clothes you wear, your favorite sports team, do you have the latest Gucci watch, shoes, etc. These are the unimportant issues and so many people are rapped up in them.

It's time "Survival of the Fittest" was brought back to its original meaning.......and by that I don't mean the amount of money in your IRA.

[k_semler]

I honestly hope that the consumerist society that has developed will come to a halt. I am absolutely sick of the constant bombardment of advertisement, and I long for the day when it no longer exists in its modern form. Eliminating television from my life has helped quite a bit in the reduction of the amount of advertisement I am subjected to, but there is no complete solace short of being blind and deaf. The average radio hour is only about 30 minutes of actual programming for domestic AM radio, with the remainder being taken up by the consumption promoting corporate drivel. That is 12 hours out of every day that is nothing more than advertisement. Television is even worse, there are even channels dedicated to consumerism such as ShopAtHome, and QVC.

Virtually the only media that is very limited in commercial content is S/W radio. In order to be subjected to advertisement on the shortwave band, I have to actively seek it. Not surprisingly, the two stations that I have found that actually do broadcast advertisement are located in the United States. It seems that the only solace that is within reach is the shortwave band. S/W also serves other benefits such as a variety of content from many different stations, as well as current news from around the world from a variety of perspectives. This allows me to draw the most accurate information regarding the matters current in the world news.

It seems that the bombardment of corporate drivel has increased in the recent years, and if it is not halted, our very society will become nothing more than a giant billboard for the corporate regime which has all of the rights of a citizen, but none of the responsibilities. If a corporate action results in the death of a few dozen people, the most that can happen is a fine, while if I fall asleep behind the wheel of my car and end up killing a person, I will be convicted of vehicular manslaughter, fined up to $120,000 and put in prison for up to five years. America used to be the "Land of the free, Home of the brave", While it seems lately that it has become "Land of the consumer, home of the debit" We no longer have a Republic, we have a corporatist empire. Welcome to modern America: where your body, mind, and soul are for sale to the highest bidders.

The end of corporatism is what I truly desire. I wish for the America of the past where it was not necessary, (and regarded as foolhardy), to be in a perpetual state of debit to maintain a quality life, and where "keeping up with the Joneses" takes place over self satisfaction and life fulfillment. If modern society must collapse in order to end the corporate domination of America, then I welcome it. Would I miss modern conveniences and necessities such as electricity, reliable communication networks, speed of travel, interior climate control with minimal effort, modern plumbing, pre-prepared foods, clean safe drinking water, easy to prepare foods, sanitation, and modern medical knowledge? You bet. I would be willing to have industrial civilization collapse with all of the modern benefits just so I would never have to deal with advertisement again. I would be willing to live as it was 1870 in order to save my sanity from the corporatist regime.

[smiley]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') think it will be a good thing. We've got to start living with Nature and stop trying to conquer it by putting our vision of a perfect world into motion.

[Sencha]

What I think about Peak Oil:

It is one heaping helping of B.S. (not that I don't believe it, I do, but it really, really sucks to know its going to happen.)

Come on, let's face it, there is NOTHING good about Peak Oil, its consequences or whatever.

Yes, consumerism sucks, big business sucks, our sickening reliance on technology, and oil, pop-culture trash etc., I'm not saying I wouldn't like to see that go. But think of the costs.

So, in order to ditch the likes of Britney Spears, grossly overpaid executives, actors, athletes, etc., excessively energy consuming and environmentally harmful industries and products, etc., we have to lose some five billion people in the process?

Peak oil would have been good, had we made ourselves aware of it along time ago. When it was not too late to ween ourselves off of oil, without causing a global catastrophe in some way shape or form. But we didn't, and now we have to have a living hell lingering just around the corner.

Oh, they'll definately be benefits to a world with oil dependence, to a return to simpler times, to more humble and natural lifestyles. Only thing is, we probably won't live to see it in our lifetimes. In fact, depending on how the future unfolds, none of us might.

[Sencha]

*without oil dependence I mean

[NevadaGhosts]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')t's time "Survival of the Fittest" was brought back to its original meaning.......

[NevadaGhosts]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')ill society be better? Well maybe in some twisted, esoteric, ethical type of way, yes. But from a 'fun' perspective it is definitely going to be a step down.

[arocoun]

Smiley, here! You were one of my inspirations.

Sencha, the fact that humans may undergo a major dieoff is about the only thing I think is really bad about peak oil. But think of things this way: Peak something has to eventually happen in a growth society. If it weren't for peak oil, we'd just have peak-something-else later on, when society is bigger and we have farther to fall. It doesn't make that aspect seem good, don't get me wrong, but it does make it seem not-as-bad when looking at it from that perspective.

Additionally, lamenting how peak oil only would have good had we weaned ourself off oil is a little naiive. The whole reason we use so much oil is because we need to to sustain our growth economy. There was no chance in hell that we would or could have weaned ourselves off it.

As I've said in earlier posts, peak oil has good and bad aspects. For me, looking beyond the scope of first-world, relatively wealthy humans, it seems that peak oil is good, over all.

[jesus_of_suburbia_old]

I agree with Sencha. I really don't like when people put people put a positive spin on this. A sense of humor is different, however.

There's a big difference b/t the end of the American Dream and globalization to mass starvation and rioting. I can live with a drastically reduced lifestyle. I am not that shallow as to the point where I wouldn't give up the luxuries of life, even if I knew it would lead to the horrible future we face. If I could have food, water, basic healthcare and insulin for my youngest brother post-peak. I would live in some straw hut and work 12 hours a day for the rest of my life. But there is at least one of those things that probably won't be available, you can guess what it is.

[jesus_of_suburbia_old]

what happened to the damn edit button? It was here for like a day.