Several years back, I tried to inform selected friends and family about PO. They almost unanimously decided I was somewhere between loony and duped.
Lately, I have gotten into a few discussions about investments and have mentioned that I occasionally trade oil futures, invest significantly in oil and coal companies, and am dabbling in alternative energy. After revealing the kinds of returns I am getting, people get quite interested and ask why I am investing so heavily in the energy sector...
Which leads into my explanation of peak oil and the reasons why I believe energy is only going to get scarcer and more expensive.
Interestingly, people are quite willing to accept the argument and consider the situation from this perspective. If I said, "Over the next ten years, energy supply is going to fall far short of demand and our lives are going to change dramatically," people would dismiss me as a kook. On the other hand, if I say, "Over the next ten years, energy supply is going to fall far short of demand and most people are going to lose their shirts, while a few who have invested accordingly will profit," people are keenly interested.
People are willing to accept that their lives are going to change, so long as they believe they can profit by it.
