[Kristen]

Let's face it, we live in an era of futureless times. Everyday there is a new report that gets released saying how screwed we are. They all sing about the oceans being toxic in a hundred years, terrorism, famine, massive death, chemical wastelands.. etc, etc ETC!!! It's negative news overkill! It's also very demotivating. What's the point in trying and getting ahead if your destination is going to be extinct in ten years? My mother and I have discussed this sort of rationale and she said "Kristen, you have to live as if everything is going to fine. You can't control what's going on in the world, so focus on yourself and don't worry about the big things." The big things make the big differences in life! I also told her luck favors the prepared mind, and she rolled her eyes. Do you think I'm being to pessimistic?

[Jellric]

Someone once said "No one here gets out alive." Of course he then proceeded to die but the point is that we are ALL going to die of something eventually. It's just a matter of how.

Personally I choose to look upon our current situation as a challenge. If I stare too long into the abyss or gaze at the immensity of the problem that does no one any darn good including those who will be relying upon me.

So yes, I think you are having a hopefully temporary bout with being overly pessimistic but the good news is once the pace of this thing picks up none of us will have any time to be down. We will be too busy trying to survive. And as a bonus you will never feel more alive than when you are struggling to survive.

We've got a front row seat for probably the biggest event in human history. Buckle up, baby- it's gonna be one hell of a ride! Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wisconsin_cur]

No I don't think you are being too pessimistic but let me redirect your mother's advice, "There is no point in being dramatic about the big things or the future." You quietly prepare as you are able and then you roll with the punches as well as you can.

Is there hope for the future? That depends upon what you value I guess. I value a quiet life of good labor. I value the joy of watching things grow. I value seeing my children take my place in the drama of life. I see all of those things as being sustainable into the future even if I do not necessarily know the form or place.

So Kristen, what do you value?

[ohanian]

There are plenty of things
you can do before you die.

[virgincrude]

Try a Zen approach: live in the moment. It usually works, since there's fuck nothing you can do about economic chaos ...

You just need to make some mental adjustments, forget your programming (nice house, nice car, shopping malls, nice holidays, nice TV, nice iPod etc. etc. ) and get a taste for nice home grown vegetables, nice safe surroundings, nice people.

Just take it one step at a time, try to keep an open mind about the future but remember you're living in the present ...

[kjmclark]

My wife and I were arguing about that very question last night. She wanted me to be darned sure not to talk to the kids about how bleak the future might be.

There is a NYTimes article about Jim Dale's reading of the last Harry Potter. In it, Dale says something about how people will be able to listen to his rendition 100 years from now. I said I have serious doubts anyone will be able to listen to his recordings. The books will probably still be around, but the technology to play the audio version may well be beyond us by then.

Unfortunately, I also finished "Home Safe Home", a book about home security, yesterday. The last chapter was about riots, and people tossing molotov cocktails, etc. That really threw her over the edge.

My take on it was that while it will be bad at times, it most likely won't be bad all of the time, and people who are forewarned, make preparations, and make good decisions will probably be OK. Regardless of how things work out, we have kids and it's our responsibility to get them through as best we can. I agree with Wisconsin_cur, think of some things you value, enjoy, and want to protect. I also agree with you, Kristen, preparation is worth doing. I agree with your mom that staying calm is important.

[jdumars]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kristen', ' ')Do you think I'm being to pessimistic?

[skyemoor]

Kristen, I will echo jdumars; consider what truly represents the treasure in your life. With me, it's love of family and friends. The people of developed nations, the US in particular, have become very soft over the last 100 years. There will be adjustments, and there may be much angst, but there will eventually be a point at which civilization recovers and stabilizes in the new reality. People in the 1200s would have looked at the lifestlyles of the 1800s as Utopia, so one's perspective simply needs to be grounded in anthropology with a dollop of expectation management.

[Roccland]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('skyemoor', 'K')risten, I will echo jdumars; consider what truly represents the treasure in your life. With me, it's love of family and friends.

[frankthetank]

Go to the Bahamas and go snorkeling. I did that once and want to do it again so bad! I also need to get out on the Amazon River with my fishing pole. Damn. I got to get going on this stuff!

[Boris555]

Is there any reason to hope?

What kind of question is that? The future will always be there and it will always be different. And it will be fine. It probably won't be the same as today, but today isn't the same as 20 years ago. Tomorrow may be more comfortable or it may be a little less comfortable. You'll adapt.

Can you imagine making the kids of today go back to how we had it 20 years ago? They'd flip out. Listening to music from 12" plastic disks with grooves that you had to turn over every 20 minutes? 90 minute cassette tapes that you had to turn over every 45 minutes? NO internet? NO cell phones? NO designer drugs? Only a few TV channels, even on cable? What will you DO?

No airbags in cars. Smoking allowed everywhere, so your clothes always smelled like smoke after work or going out. OMG! Unsafe playground equipment! All the children will die for sure!!! No child seats in cars! We're doomed! Toxic chemicals everywhere, legacies of the early 20th century.

And don't forget that just 25 years ago you could still be sexually harassed at the office with little or no recourse. You want that promotion, baby? On your knees, then. The "she was asking for it" defense still worked for rape a lot of the time. A joint in your purse could get you hard time. Pregnant out of wedlock? You slut, out of my house!

And we were also just about to run out of oil. Oh, and don't forget the imminent world-ending nuclear confrontation with the USSR!

Looking back, it seems we lived in a horrible, unsafe, lawless, boring place. But hell, we had a great time. Just as much fun as we do now.

So yeah, there's a future. It will be just as fun as now, and just as fun as 20 years ago...or 40 years ago. It will just be different.

[mgibbons19]

Yeah what the hell? Since when has life been easy? And you know how long the end has been coming for? Forever.

Ppl have lived through wars, famine, pestilence, genocide, recessions, depressions, everything.

The truth is we don't know what the future holds, and we are lying to ourselves if we ever thought it was going to be easy in the first place.

The proper approach to PO is the proper approach to life. Take your best bet, plan accordingly, and try to enjoy yourself along the way.

[Zardoz]

Think of it this way: You are about to embark upon a great adventure. The human race may be on the verge of entering the most critical period in its entire history.

The survival of the species may very well hang in the balance. If the worst-case scenarios come to pass, our continued existence will be at risk. At best, we face an era of profound change that will effect every aspect of our lives.

Look on the bright side: You do not face a boring future. Heck, your life may turn out to be something akin to an action-adventure movie script. Boredom, that most excruciating form of torture, will probably not be an issue for you.

However all this plays out, it will be fascinating to see, as both an observer and a participant.

[Cobra_Strike]

In the end, all that matters is that you have lived.

For me, this feels like it is the purpose of my life. All that I am suppose to do is live. At your most basic your still an animal.

Enjoy life.

[POAlex]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kristen', 'I')t's negative news overkill!

[Schneider]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', 'I')t will be fascinating to see, as both an observer and a participant.

[JoeW]

If you want reason to hope, take a good long look the next time you come across a parent with an infant or small child. I have two beautiful little girls myself, and if you think I am going to stand idly by while the world goes to hell, you're nuts. As far as I'm concerned, there is reason to hope, reason to plan, reason to try to make a difference and make this world a better place--even if that means doing our small part to make it a little less hell than it otherwise would have been.

Think about the generations to come. Humanity will likely survive whatever the future holds, but in what form? We have the power to shape the course of history with our every action...
Will we?

[Sys1]

Many years ago when i was back at university, i played a video game called "fallout", and i thought it was cool to live in a post-apocalyptic world. You should play it (as long as there's no blackout in your region), you'll like it!
Since i discovered peak oil, i watched movies like "Soylent green", "Mad max" or "1984".
Clearly, the future looks great.
Look! Everything is so boring today: TV adds, people listening ipods in the subway, modern artists creating nonsense crap, anorexic women driving SUV, sport and people information, money, money and money...
Well, ok, medicine, air travel, freedom, cheap food and water, electricity, internet... will go away. Bye bye industrial civilization! Welcome to the post petroleum prehistoric age!

[evilgenius]

You could be pro-active. If you think and take charge you will feel as good as possible.

If you don't live in a good spot for TSHTF, for instance, you probably ought to move. As far as I'm concerned anybody living where it gets seriously cold in winter needs to consider moving south or lower in elevation now. Moving now allows you time to ingratiate yourself to a community and not be treated like a refugee when the time comes. Even if you don't get to know anybody you will still get to know the routines of whatever place you choose. That knowledge could save your life.

Likewise you could make sure you know how to use as many tools as possible. You could study first aid. You could work out. Stockpile books. Figure out DC electricity. Face forward, in other words.