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Dont worry, be happy

General discussions of the systemic, societal and civilisational effects of depletion.

Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby yeahbut » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 06:35:12

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('spot5050', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('yeahbut', 'h')ow can the massive crash predicted by the doomers not be accompanied by a massive drop in consumption? Wouldn't they go hand in hand?

Yes they have to. By definition we can't consume more oil than we produce.

The part that you are leaving out is that we live in a growth based economy. Like an airplane, it has to keep moving forward or it crashes...
A peak oil induced recession/depression does not mitigate peak oil, or smooth out the downslope. It crashes economies.


Well, maybe it doesn't. Maybe it changes them. Maybe the very term 'crash' is just a word economists use to describe the fear they feel when they are forced to contemplate(however briefly), the actual, real, finite world. Perpetual growth is a logical absurdity, economic orthodoxy a child's fantasy of christmas forever. Isn't the enforced end to this madness to be welcomed? Some species are born sustainable, others have sustainability thrust upon them. Maybe the end of cheap oil and the massive drop in consumption that comes with it will be the time when we finally start living within our means...
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby TonyPrep » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 06:43:22

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('yeahbut', 'M')aybe the end of cheap oil and the massive drop in consumption that comes with it will be the time when we finally start living within our means...
Of course. The world, as a whole, will have to do that or get locked into a never-ending boom bust downward spiral, until our species goes extinct.

The problem is that it appears most societies don't want to contemplate such a future and, hence, a collapse is almost inevitable. The longer it goes on, the less likely it is that we'll have the resources to effect a relatively peaceful transition.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby spot5050 » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 10:33:04

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TonyPrep', 'S')o why didn't you pick 1987 to 2027?

I didn't pick that range because it doesn't centre around the peak.

If you want to show forward to 2027, then for balance you have to show back to 1966...

Image

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TonyPrep', 'W')hat do you think the effects of a slight decline in oil supply might be over 20 years?

I think the effects will be that we have a recession.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby Heineken » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 10:49:47

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('spot5050', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Geko45', 'A')nd when we zoom in on the relevant time frame we see:

Image

Interesting chart Geko.

It is flat at the top... which is exactly my point.

The "peak" isn't a peak - it's an era taking many years.


Yes, and most of those years are probably over.

You don't understand PO theory. At all.

We're at the peak now, and the oil price has doubled and tripled and quadrupled over just a handful of years. That's already an enormous impact over a very short period, and the consequences are just starting to be work their way through the system.

The "flatness" you're referring to is the plateau at the top of the peak. How long the plateau lasts is anybody's guess and has been endlessly debated here. The important thing is that, as population and demand continue to grow, the plateau is effectively turned into a downslope. Meaning that, for the first time in the modern industrial-economic era, there will be a shrinking total supply of liquid fuels, with disastrous consequences for this civilization.

So production can stay nice and flat and disaster will still happen quite soon. Flat is bad, not a time for a complacent nap. You're not going to have those comfortable 40 years you dream of.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby spot5050 » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 10:56:41

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', 'T')he part that you are leaving out is that we live in a growth based economy. Like an airplane, it has to keep moving forward or it crashes.

No that's a poor analogy. The economy is either expanding or shrinking, not expanding or crashing... unless you are a journalist of course :)

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('seldom_seen', 'W')hen the economy completely stalls, or actually starts to contract. All the "economic models" can be thrown out the window.

No the economics of recession are well understood. Governments and central banks will not throw their economic models out of the window at the first signs of recession.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby AirlinePilot » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 13:20:42

We produce a a planet somewhere around 85mb/day now

Most folks acknowledge that by 2020 we are going to need in the neighborhood of 120mb/day.

If we are plateaued now how do you make up for the 35mb/d or so shortfall between now and then?

That 3 dimensional graph above is a good visual for folks you might want to introduce PO too. I keep it on the laptop for just that purpose.

Have you studied what some of the experts who have been studying this think might happen? I suggest you read Simmon's and Deffey's books. They are readily available. Instead of a slow and manageable decline we may be in for much worse. 2-3% is a totally different animal than 8-10%.

At some point you either believe decline begins or somehow magically or mysteriously we increase oil production dramatically. We reverse decline or come up with some new technology for transport and turn around the way we do things very quickly.

You are in denial, snap out of it! The recession/depresssion due to the idea of energy source decline may never have a bottom. Especially If we are in or near decline. There is no reversing the decline, hence things go downhill forever to some unimaginable consequence at this time. It definitely does not mean business as usual.

This is a key example of the denial I have been talking about. It's going to take tangible and painful problems before many understand (if ever!) what PO is going to mean.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby TonyPrep » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 14:33:14

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('spot5050', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TonyPrep', 'S')o why didn't you pick 1987 to 2027?

I didn't pick that range because it doesn't centre around the peak.
Hold on, you said that you were interested in 20 years +/- of now. That would be 1987-2027. Now you are saying +/- 20 years around peak. If peak is now, that would still be 1987-2027. Your choice of dates implies that you think peak was in 1999. What evidence do you have of that? If you didn't think peak was 1999, then move your graph. Why do you continue to support the unsupportable? And you still don't explain what is so interesting about the last 20 years (even though you show the last 28 years).$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('spot5050', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TonyPrep', 'W')hat do you think the effects of a slight decline in oil supply might be over 20 years?

I think the effects will be that we have a recession.
And do you think the economy will snap out of that to get back to where we are now? If not, how do you think that overall decline will affect society in the long term (given that a recession in the short term will be bad, anyway)?
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby gnm » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 14:48:05

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('spot5050', 'N')o the economics of recession are well understood. Governments and central banks will not throw their economic models out of the window at the first signs of recession.


When have you ever seen a government economic model which planned for permanent and ever decreasing available critical resources and capital? I don't think you understand. This is not a recession it is the beginning of the greatest depression ever seen. And it won't get better until our activities have been forcibly scaled back to a sustainable level by constraint of resources.

Have a nice day....

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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby Twilight » Tue 20 Nov 2007, 15:49:28

Come back when you know how much oil the world produces right now.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby Keith_McClary » Wed 21 Nov 2007, 03:00:45

Don't worry, be happy BOBBY McFERRIN
"This song believe it or not has gotten me through alot of hard times. just listen to it a few times and it makes me forget about everything "

"i fucking love this song it makes me so happy. like no matter how mad i am if i listen to this song like 3 or 4 times i am happy. it is like zoloft in music form"

"This song makes me happy. Honestly its like you have no choice but to be happy."

"Who ever wrote dis song ...must be d happyieest of all."

"this song always makes me forget my troubles and it calms me down when i worry about school and other things"
Facebook knows you're a dog.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby spot5050 » Wed 21 Nov 2007, 20:34:14

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'T')he "flatness" you're referring to is the plateau at the top of the peak. How long the plateau lasts is anybody's guess and has been endlessly debated here. The important thing is that, as population and demand continue to grow, the plateau is effectively turned into a downslope. Meaning that, for the first time in the modern industrial-economic era, there will be a shrinking total supply of liquid fuels, with disastrous consequences for this civilization.

So production can stay nice and flat and disaster will still happen quite soon.
Flat is bad, not a time for a complacent nap.

I disagree. Flat is just flat - no growth, no recession. Economists produce figures showing how demand and supply will diverge, but it doesnt matter how much demand there is - supply is finite. Divergence between demand and supply is theoretical. In practice, there is just supply.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'Y')ou don't understand PO theory. At all.
You're not going to have those comfortable 40 years you dream of.

I'm happy to engage in debate, but please don't patrontise me.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby spot5050 » Wed 21 Nov 2007, 20:50:29

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('gnm', 'W')hen have you ever seen a government economic model which planned for permanent and ever decreasing available critical resources and capital?

Never gnm. Governments and central banks understand recession but only as a brief interlude in an ever growing economy. They don't have economic models for a long term shrinking economy.

After the peak they will develop those models. Unfortunately at the moment they don't know about PO.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby spot5050 » Wed 21 Nov 2007, 21:10:34

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AirlinePilot', 'I')t definitely does not mean business as usual.

This is a key example of the denial I have been talking about. It's going to take tangible and painful problems before many understand (if ever!) what PO is going to mean.

I haven't put my point across very well.

I'm not saying that the peak of world oil production is just business as usual. The occurance of PO is the beginning of another mini-era for mankind. It's a huge event. We've had 150 years of cheap fossil fuels, put men on the moon, become the most influencial animal on the planet.
But peak oil is NOT going to happen overnight. The peak will happen over years or even decades.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby Ludi » Wed 21 Nov 2007, 21:41:25

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('spot5050', '
')But peak oil is NOT going to happen overnight. The peak will happen over years or even decades.



I think there is good evidence for it happening quickly - 6% or so depletion per year.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby basil_hayden » Wed 21 Nov 2007, 21:56:09

Well spot,

I suppose it matters as to who you are. If you're poor enough, you're already feeling the pain, if you're rich enough you never will. But if you're in the middle like me, there's plenty of scenarios like this to contemplate:

Just wait until the Monday where they decide to use Wednesday's, Thursday's and Friday's food transportation fuel for Tuesday's military mission; and maybe when you reach the empty supermarket on Saturday, it will dawn on you that this is just a bump you'll have to ride out, whether your stomach is growling or not. Probably won't matter anyway since nukes will be flying by Wednesday.

It's a long, flat plateau up close, until it's not. Then it's a cliff. It's never a crash, until it happens to you, then it's catastrophic.
Most of us are probably worried about the inflection point; many of us realize it's the first quartile that will hurt the most. The angle of the slope changes as time proceeds. There will be side effects.

As often discussed here, but you may not be aware of, in the 1970s there was a 5% reduction of oil supply in the US. 5 lousy percent, for a few years. There were tremedous effects, I witnessed them. Imagine an average of 3% less than the previous year for every year over the 20 year span you propose, when the world was expecting to get 3% more for continued minimal growth.

Off to a new mini-era as you say. How will it make its entrance?
With a bang? You don't appear to be too worried about topics such as exponential growth of population coupled with exponential decline of resources or $100 per barrel (and climbing) price of the current basis for the numerous reportedly intelligent lifeforms on this planet, otherwise known as petroleum.

Why let any of that get in the way?

Hope your kids don't get drafted.

Don't worry, be happy.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby Heineken » Thu 22 Nov 2007, 00:19:07

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('spot5050', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'T')he "flatness" you're referring to is the plateau at the top of the peak. How long the plateau lasts is anybody's guess and has been endlessly debated here. The important thing is that, as population and demand continue to grow, the plateau is effectively turned into a downslope. Meaning that, for the first time in the modern industrial-economic era, there will be a shrinking total supply of liquid fuels, with disastrous consequences for this civilization.

So production can stay nice and flat and disaster will still happen quite soon.
Flat is bad, not a time for a complacent nap.

I disagree. Flat is just flat - no growth, no recession. Economists produce figures showing how demand and supply will diverge, but it doesnt matter how much demand there is - supply is finite. Divergence between demand and supply is theoretical. In practice, there is just supply.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'Y')ou don't understand PO theory. At all.
You're not going to have those comfortable 40 years you dream of.

I'm happy to engage in debate, but please don't patrontise me.


I can't apologize because I truly do believe you don't understand what you're talking about. So I meant what I said. But please bear in mind that my reference is to your opinions and knowledge, not you personally. You seem to be a very decent fellow, as evidenced by the patience you display with us PO rowdies.

Your comments about the graph make zero sense; they amount to a sort of word hash.

Flat oil production would and will be a disaster because demand for oil continues to grow, and because economic growth would end. If the oil isn't there to meet the demand, disaster happens. It's that simple. Just as the world economy is based heavily on oil, so too the world economy is based on growth. Economic growth is what has kept the debt from blowing up in our face. To avoid a myocardial infarction, civilization not only needs oil, it needs a rising supply of oil. Not a flat supply, a rising supply. Bear in mind too that 100,000 hungry new mouths appear on the scene every morning, net of deaths.

In any case the supply of oil isn't going to stay flat, it's likely to plunge, and soon. Read "Twilight in the Desert." You can play with the axes on your graph all you like, but that curve is going to be headed DOWN quite soon, if it isn't already.

"It doesn't matter how much demand there is---supply is finite." Can you please explain that? Demand for essential commodities always matters. Jane demands air, 10 or more gulps of it per minute. John demands food, water, etc. If the supply of these things falls short of the demand, Jane and John die.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby Narz » Thu 22 Nov 2007, 00:32:59

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Keith_McClary', '[')url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IERzx5Spic]Don't worry, be happy[/url] BOBBY McFERRIN

Ah, that's awesome. Thank you.

The mood that song is the musical antonym of peakoil.com :lol:
“Seek simplicity but distrust it”
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby TonyPrep » Thu 22 Nov 2007, 02:53:50

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('spot5050', 'B')ut peak oil is NOT going to happen overnight. The peak will happen over years or even decades.
But peak WILL happen overnight. That's the definition of peak. Just because there appears to be a gentle slope up close doesn't mean that the PEAK occurs slowly. We've already seen reducing inventories this year (and the EIA figures for 2006 also show a stock draw), so clearly production is not meeting consumption, never mind demand. Why do you think that is such a non event ("no recession")? We've already started to see the results of the peak and, in some countries, the decline has been sharp because they can't afford the higher prices.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby dohboi » Thu 22 Nov 2007, 03:59:52

Did any one else notice that the year intervals along the bottom of spot's happy flat chart are a little...funny.

Though appearing to be equal segments, they actually vary from six year intervals to seven, to nine, to...zero!!

Yes, spot, you have 1986 (if I recall correctly) twice along the bottom of your graph. I don't know if it was intentional, but it sure helps flatten out the curve!

I'm not sure who should be more embarrassed: you for presenting such sloppy work, or the rest of us for not noticing such a basic gaff so far. Or maybe the other posters were just being polite?

Your basic point has been made many times on many threads here--it is hard to know exactly how long and how flat or bumpy the plateau will be, but there aren't a lot of positive signs that I can see. Maybe you can apply you're graphing skills to chart the price of a barrel of light sweet crude from 2000 to now in (regular!) two year intervals. I believe you will find that it approximates an exponential curve. That is closer to the reality we are in than a deceptively comforting flatish curve.
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Re: Dont worry, be happy

Unread postby Narz » Thu 22 Nov 2007, 04:12:36

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dohboi', 'O')r maybe the other posters were just being polite?

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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