PeakOil is You
How will People React to our Dark Future?
How will People React to our Dark Future?
by mmasters » Sun 01 Jul 2007, 05:02:55
How will people handle the future? Declining Energy? Possibly another great war? How about class warfare? How will the media respond to the situation when things are clearly getting out of control? Will the fat people attempt to revolt? Will there be mega riots? Will families come together more or be torn apart more from the stress? Will people tolerate a police state? Will the word on peak oil and other events catch on like wildfire at some point? Will peak oil be a well known problem or will it be kept hush and we will have constant distractions, war? diseases? etc... Will people come together more and help each other out, or will they all screw each other chasing the dream? Who will win? Will there be mass murders at the pump? Will we make friends with the Mexicans? Will we do battle with them? How will Canada react when it gets merged into the NAU?
-
mmasters - Intermediate Crude
- Posts: 2272
- Joined: Sun 16 Apr 2006, 03:00:00
- Location: Mid-Atlantic
Re: How will People React to our Dark Future?
by Tanada » Sun 01 Jul 2007, 05:14:19
The short answer is, it depends.
Slightly longer answer, most of the above list will be covered by someone because people are diverse and do diverse things. Only those things that require a group effort to cause/allow like Canada joining the NAU will be indeterminate.
Slightly longer answer, most of the above list will be covered by someone because people are diverse and do diverse things. Only those things that require a group effort to cause/allow like Canada joining the NAU will be indeterminate.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Alfred Tennyson', 'W')e are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
- Tanada
- Site Admin
- Posts: 17094
- Joined: Thu 28 Apr 2005, 03:00:00
- Location: South West shore Lake Erie, OH, USA
Re: How will People React to our Dark Future?
by wisconsin_cur » Sun 01 Jul 2007, 05:23:26
There is a saying in Epistemology, "where you end depends upon where you begin." Individual reactions will vary greatly depending upon who people are and the situations they are in. I can see some families coming closer together, especially those that are already close. The bogeymen living in people's closets will become all the more terrifying and that will cause others to lash out either politically or physically.
http://www.thenewfederalistpapers.com
-
wisconsin_cur - Light Sweet Crude
- Posts: 4576
- Joined: Thu 10 May 2007, 03:00:00
- Location: 45 degrees North. 883 feet above sealevel.
Re: How will People React to our Dark Future?
by mark » Sun 01 Jul 2007, 09:58:11
These are questions I’ve asked myself repeatedly for the last two years. Plus, the big one, will the US maintain it’s identity as a nation or will we split into regions or city states or feudal kingdoms.
A long, slow decline may not provoke a total breakdown of civilized society, but, that likelihood seems remote. A sudden shock sometime in that slow decline seems more likely which may create more chaos that we can handle. A nation as militaristic as we are, with massively destructive weapons on every continent, stressed beyond normal human limits – the mind quakes with the possibilities.
Or, will our human capabilities expand with the increasing demands of a dysfunctional civilization coming apart at the seams? Will we meet the challenges of designing a sustainable economic, environmental and soul satisfying life? What are the chances that we’ll avoid the most fearsome outcomes that we’ve all imagined and somehow gin-up the will to make good ideas work? There is no shortage of good ideas, simply the will to implement them.
What can we do to answer these questions?
A long, slow decline may not provoke a total breakdown of civilized society, but, that likelihood seems remote. A sudden shock sometime in that slow decline seems more likely which may create more chaos that we can handle. A nation as militaristic as we are, with massively destructive weapons on every continent, stressed beyond normal human limits – the mind quakes with the possibilities.
Or, will our human capabilities expand with the increasing demands of a dysfunctional civilization coming apart at the seams? Will we meet the challenges of designing a sustainable economic, environmental and soul satisfying life? What are the chances that we’ll avoid the most fearsome outcomes that we’ve all imagined and somehow gin-up the will to make good ideas work? There is no shortage of good ideas, simply the will to implement them.
What can we do to answer these questions?
Who is John Galt?
- mark
- Lignite
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Wed 01 Sep 2004, 03:00:00
- Location: chicago
Re: How will People React to our Dark Future?
by Byron100 » Sun 01 Jul 2007, 12:43:37
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Gideon', '
')
How about class warfare?
Certain. Most people are too petty and [adjective meaning "always seeking to blame others"] to be content with their harder working neighbors having more money/assets when things get bad. Very few people will correctly attribute their neighbor's success to their neighbor's hard work. Sure, there are exceptions, but, for the most part, hard work yields results, and very few slobs doing a crappy job for 40 hours a week and never doing anything to get ahead will agree that the neighbor who works 60 hours a week, saves money, and so on, deserves to have more.
This is, to me, the classic human failing - the belief that I work hard for everything I get and the neighbor is "lucky", "priveleged", or has everything fall in his lap.
')
How about class warfare?
Certain. Most people are too petty and [adjective meaning "always seeking to blame others"] to be content with their harder working neighbors having more money/assets when things get bad. Very few people will correctly attribute their neighbor's success to their neighbor's hard work. Sure, there are exceptions, but, for the most part, hard work yields results, and very few slobs doing a crappy job for 40 hours a week and never doing anything to get ahead will agree that the neighbor who works 60 hours a week, saves money, and so on, deserves to have more.
This is, to me, the classic human failing - the belief that I work hard for everything I get and the neighbor is "lucky", "priveleged", or has everything fall in his lap.
rant on
This is the kind of thinking that makes me wish Peak Oil had come 20 or 30 years ago, instead of now.
The idea that "anyone" can become wealthy simply by "working hard" is a myth that deserves to go the way of the dodo. Once upon a time, back when this country was actually making things other than condo towers, I would say that was true...a high school graduate could go out and a get a job on the factory floor and by showing initiative and willingness to "get the job done," his efforts would soon pay off as he was promoted through the ranks. Back in the day, people actually appreciated genuine hard work, and they appreciated fresh new ideas, too. The smart kid who could demonstrate a way to save money by doing things "this way" instead of "that way" was often rewarded quite handsomely, via higher pay and/or promotions to more responsible positions. That same kid today suggesting such a thing would probably be fired, due to the incipient threat he/she would be posing to their superiors. Sad but true.
Anyone that thinks that the "hard & honest work really does pay off" paradigm still holds true in the 21st century needs to get their heads out of the sand. These days, people get ahead by scheming, backstabbing, and pursuing all kinds of unethical activities to gain advantage in whatever field they may be working in. It's never about doing good, solid work anymore...it's about brown-nosing the boss and setting yourself up to "look good." Getting a good, high-paying job these days either involves great luck in the application lottery, or more often, "knowing the right people." No wonder why cheating and grade inflation is rampant on today's campuses...as people know it's "all about the numbers," as opposed to whether they would be actually be good employees to whatever company they're applying to. Not to mention stuff like people attempting to get ahead by duping people into toxic mortgages, or the 1001 other scams people are duped into each day in this country.
The fact of the matter is, most wealthy people DO NOT DESERVE IT. Just look at all the trust fund kids out there...the "idle rich" that have never lifted a finger for the money their daddy has made for them (most often by actually working hard). Look at all the fat-cat administrators in the public school systems that do almost nothing for their bloated salaries. Or the ruthless boss that gets promoted to the corner office by making the lives of his / her employees absolutely miserable - if they even have a job at all. Look at all those millionaire celebrities that mock the values of the rest of us by snorting cocaine and getting married and divorced every 5 minutes. The list goes on and on - you get the idea.
So yeah, the class warfare bit, I say bring it on, and bring it on now. I hope the American people wake up soon and realized that they have been sold a false bill of goods, and demand a refund. That's right, all those asshats out there that have gotten rich by the methods I mentioned above, they can damn well "share" their ill-gotten loot with the rest of us, and then some
.
Sorry for my jaded attitude, but I believe in reality instead of the Cult Disney way of thinking that most people in the USA seem to be still caught up in. The sooner the people wake up to this, the sooner we will be able to actually take on (let alone actually meet) the myriad challenges that face us and the rest of the world at this critical juncture of history.
/rant off
-
Byron100 - Tar Sands
- Posts: 973
- Joined: Thu 08 Sep 2005, 03:00:00
- Location: Atlanta, GA
Re: How will People React to our Dark Future?
by snowshoegal » Sun 01 Jul 2007, 12:49:31
I’ll try a few:
How will people handle the future? Declining Energy?
Many will simply whine a lot. Put their hopes in the next generation. Breed like mad. Pass the responsibility onto their precious spawn, who of course will invent wondrous things to fix all the scary parts of the world.
Possibly another great war?
Yes, with nukes.
How about class warfare?
Always been, always will be.
How will the media respond to the situation when things are clearly getting out of control?
More reporting on celebrity “news.”
Will the fat people attempt to revolt?
They’ll remain in denial, turn to theft, or just buy cheaper and cheaper calories to maintain their comfort zone. (Look, lard’s on sale!)
Will there be mega riots?
In the cities, during black outs.
Will families come together more or be torn apart more from the stress?
In my case, torn apart by borders, by generation, and beliefs. Because I love them dearly, I wish with all my heart that mine would move here to the countryside. They would prefer me to go where they are - an unsustainable city in an American desert. Ah well, we make our choices, no?
Will people tolerate a police state?
Most will, if the spin is done right. Many will even embrace it.
Will the word on peak oil and other events catch on like wildfire at some point?
Only in response to some cornucopian invention that claims to solve it all. Or if Oprah takes it on. Otherwise they do not want to hear it.
Will people come together more and help each other out, or will they all screw each other chasing the dream?
Kindness can be very rare.
Who will win?
Mother nature.
Will there be mass murders at the pump?
No. Lots of armed robbery/hold-ups for the gas being pumped.
Will we make friends with the Mexicans?
It depends on of the Americans consider them a conquered people if we experience a struggle over the NAU. One scenario is they will be put into rez style situations,
or ghettoized. 
Could happen to Canadians, too.
How will Canada react when it gets merged into the NAU?
Quebec will separate. BC and Alberta could merge and separate. It won’t be pretty. Fucking resource wars…
How will people handle the future? Declining Energy?
Many will simply whine a lot. Put their hopes in the next generation. Breed like mad. Pass the responsibility onto their precious spawn, who of course will invent wondrous things to fix all the scary parts of the world.
Possibly another great war?
Yes, with nukes.
How about class warfare?
Always been, always will be.
How will the media respond to the situation when things are clearly getting out of control?
More reporting on celebrity “news.”
Will the fat people attempt to revolt?
They’ll remain in denial, turn to theft, or just buy cheaper and cheaper calories to maintain their comfort zone. (Look, lard’s on sale!)
Will there be mega riots?
In the cities, during black outs.
Will families come together more or be torn apart more from the stress?
In my case, torn apart by borders, by generation, and beliefs. Because I love them dearly, I wish with all my heart that mine would move here to the countryside. They would prefer me to go where they are - an unsustainable city in an American desert. Ah well, we make our choices, no?
Will people tolerate a police state?
Most will, if the spin is done right. Many will even embrace it.
Will the word on peak oil and other events catch on like wildfire at some point?
Only in response to some cornucopian invention that claims to solve it all. Or if Oprah takes it on. Otherwise they do not want to hear it.
Will people come together more and help each other out, or will they all screw each other chasing the dream?
Kindness can be very rare.
Who will win?
Mother nature.
Will there be mass murders at the pump?
No. Lots of armed robbery/hold-ups for the gas being pumped.
Will we make friends with the Mexicans?
It depends on of the Americans consider them a conquered people if we experience a struggle over the NAU. One scenario is they will be put into rez style situations,
or ghettoized. Could happen to Canadians, too.
How will Canada react when it gets merged into the NAU?
Quebec will separate. BC and Alberta could merge and separate. It won’t be pretty. Fucking resource wars…
-
snowshoegal - Peat
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Tue 24 Oct 2006, 03:00:00
- Location: Canada
Re: How will People React to our Dark Future?
by PraiseDoom » Sun 01 Jul 2007, 12:54:21
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', 'H')ow will people handle the future?
Dunno. But 2 years ago, we were sweating it, and today is THAT future. How are people handling it? Still making stupid car choices and having a wasteful good time.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', 'D')eclining Energy?
According to the Prophet Duncan, per capita energy has been declining since the late 70's. So apparently declining energy doesn't matter much either.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', 'P')ossibly another great war? How about class warfare?
Been going on since America had a 2 party system. Nothing new here.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', 'H')ow will the media respond to the situation when things are clearly getting out of control?
Breathlessly and without a clear understanding of whats actually happening? Same as they usually do.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', ' ')Who will win?
The usual people I suspect. Step back two years. Ask yourself the same question. Put yourself in today. Ask what is really different, 2 years into a declining energy, post peak world?
