[Zardoz]

We know that, of course, but this writer supplies plenty of data to prove it:

There will be no "soft landing"

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hrough our relentless pursuit of the American Dream and our blind adherence to our American way of life, we have become overextended -- we have exceeded America’s capacity to sustainably support our existing population at our current standard of living. That is, the natural resources and economic resources required to support our ever-increasing consumption levels by our ever-expanding population are simply not available; nor is the capacity of our habitat sufficient to assimilate the ever-increasing amounts of waste disgorged by our ever-expanding population...

...We must understand that our governments and corporations are not responsible for the fact that we have adopted an unsustainable lifestyle paradigm, our American way of life, as our means to pursue the illusory Amerikan Dream. Politicians and business executives are merely our elected representatives -- we elect politicians with our votes and business executives with our dollars.

If truth, our representatives are doing exactly what we have elected them to do; they are attempting to maintain at any cost our American way of life -- our distorted "reality" within which we can continue to live beyond our means and perpetuate our inflated lifestyles. And, they will do whatever they can on our behalf, as we do individually, to achieve this goal.

We are not the innocent victims of deranged politicians and corporate executives and their arbitrarily imposed policies and initiatives; we are the beneficiaries of their ecological and economic indiscretions on our behalf. And we have chosen these people to represent us precisely because they will continue to commit such indiscretions on our behalf.

[americandream]

Possibly the most insightful posting I have ever read on this site. History is a hard taskmaster and will dispense with us without even a blink. We will simply be consigned to the list of failed species...except that we had the sentient capacity to make objective decisions and failed...instead choosing to be led by instinct. Perhaps the veneer of intellect is much thinner than we care to admit.

[Blacksmith]

I might suggest that those who borrow heavily in a inflating economy are the wise ones.

http://www.fxstreet.com/rates-charts/usdollar-index/

[americandream]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Blacksmith', 'I') might suggest that those who borrow heavily in a inflating economy are the wise ones.

http://www.fxstreet.com/rates-charts/usdollar-index/

[Denny]

What happened to the last president who espoused conservation forecast tightening energy supplies into the future? Jimmy Carter.

He was dumped for Ronald Reagan, who, upon entering the White House, turned up the lights and tossed the solar panels. To this day, so many people rave about how good a president Reagan was.

I guess we can't handle the truth.

[XOVERX]

Every thought that any person thinks -- no matter how "rational" the thought is perceived to be -- remains fraught with elements of emotion.

The anterior cingulate cortex connects the prefrontal cortex with the ancient, instinctive, emotive limbic system deep within the center of our brains. The so-called "reptilian mind." Note humanity's irrational clinging to foolish religious dogmas, to its overall detriment.

And the ACC connection to the centers of "rational" thinking (the prefrontal cortex) insures that humans remain significantly emotional creatures no matter how one attempts to "conquer" the emotions. Note how difficult it is for one to change his mind, even in the face of contrary evidence, once the mind has previously made a "decision."

The PFC is a recent evolution, with significant evolution only within the last 100,000 years or so. And robust language has evolved only within the last 50,000 years or so.

Humankind's scientific technology (evolution by other means) has simply outstripped biological evolution. In other words, the human brain is not biologically "ready" to handle the choices presented by current technology. Technology has eclipsed biology.

Humanity, as a species, is threatened by its technological inventions. And, in appears, has overshot sustainability by ignoring realities associated with resource deplection, uncontrolled population, and so forth, as choices have been made as to the alternatives that technology has presented through the years.

Balance will always seek balance. And that is something that mankind must come to grips with. Or perish.

[billp]

Let's see what is going to happen.

http://www.peakoil.com/modules.php?name ... =0&thold=0

[WhatMeWorry]

And me working for an Airline in Las Vegas. I am a dead man!

[TommyJefferson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Zardoz', 'B')ullshit. It's all our fault. We're the villains. Everything that's coming will be our doing.

[aldente]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('XOVERX', 'T')he anterior cingulate cortex connects the prefrontal cortex with the ancient, instinctive, emotive limbic system deep within the center of our brains. The so-called "reptilian mind." Note humanity's irrational clinging to foolish religious dogmas, to its overall detriment.

[Johnvancouver]

Not sustainable? Dick Cheney has made it clear that the American way of life is non-negotiable. How can that be unsustainable? The writer is obviously mistaken. We have infinite amount of wealth as the FED can print as much money as we will ever need to sustain and further enrich the American way of life!

[Kaj]

Like everything, its a SYSTEM. Which means there are feedback loops going in all directions.

The American Dream affects certain actors, and those actors then feedback into the system.

Politicians and corporations who cater to the American Dream PERPETRATE the American Dream. They make (important) decisions and should be held responsible for them.

There is a shadowy cabal at work. It has been supported in part by the populace's passivity, but it also has its own agency and is therefore not blameless.

[seldom_seen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('XOVERX', 'H')umanity, as a species, is threatened by its technological inventions.

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', '.')..a culture like the US that has devolved into a state of infantile narcissism...

[Chesire]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Johnvancouver', 'N')ot sustainable? Dick Cheney has made it clear that the American way of life is non-negotiable. How can that be unsustainable? The writer is obviously mistaken. We have infinite amount of wealth as the FED can print as much money as we will ever need to sustain and further enrich the American way of life!

[Zardoz]

Kunstler's latest harangue on the subject:

America's New Religion - Part 1

America's New Religion - Part 2

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')o what we’ve got now in the US is a tremendous amount of delusional thinking, especially around the issues of energy, and especially around what we’re going to do in the face of a probable energy crisis. And this delusional thinking is joined by a second idea – many people think that the leading religion in America is Evangelical Christianity, but it’s not. The leading religion is the worship of unearned riches.

This religion has now become normative throughout America. But this is a bad religion. The reason that it’s a bad idea to believe this is because it’s based on the fundamental unreality that it’s possible to get something for nothing...

...“The long emergency” is going to produce a lot of economic losers and they’re going to be very pissed off. Because they were told by their leaders that the American way of life was non-negotiable. And I think that what you’re going to see is the rise of a new group of people called the “formerly middle class.” The “repoed,” the dispossessed, the people who made those unfortunate mortgage contracts. I think we under-appreciate the potential for disorder that this is going to bring.

[Plantagenet]

Gee....Kunstler outwitted an imaginary strawman argument he made up. What a clever dude....

[aldente]

To continue on XOVERX' post (and disregarding that it might seem like a parallel post packaged in one and the same thread): People behave like laboratory animals except when a behavior specifically involves the intercession of the cerebral cortex.
Mon Oncle

[Iaato]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('XOVERX', 'T')he anterior cingulate cortex connects the prefrontal cortex with the ancient, instinctive, emotive limbic system deep within the center of our brains. The so-called "reptilian mind." Note humanity's irrational clinging to foolish religious dogmas, to its overall detriment.

And the ACC connection to the centers of "rational" thinking (the prefrontal cortex) insures that humans remain significantly emotional creatures no matter how one attempts to "conquer" the emotions. Note how difficult it is for one to change his mind, even in the face of contrary evidence, once the mind has previously made a "decision."

[Denny]

I just noticed this and it looks like energy may not the first obstacle to the American way of life, but instead money. Globe and Mail: US consumers turning to credit cards for cash

Its pretty short:

"WASHINGTON — Consumers have boosted their borrowing at the fastest pace in three months, turning increasingly to their credit cards to replace home equity loans as a source of ready cash.

The Federal Reserve reported that consumer credit rose at an annual rate of 5.9 per cent in August, the biggest increase since a 7.9 per cent jump in May.

The increase was led by an 8.1 per cent jump in revolving credit, the category that includes credit card loans. Consumer have been using their credit cards more to finance purchases now that home equity lines of credit are becoming harder to obtain".

Wow, when the rate of credit card usage goes up, while the economic conditions deteriorate, I smell big time credit card defaults ahead. Better ditch those bank stocks.

And, just what kind of consumers are these that would be willing to carry balances forward on their credit cards, they charge berserk interest rates.