It has been so hard to understand the implications and enormity of all this.
And frankly it comes down to a couple of things.
1. It's not about losing material goods. Hell, it's not even about personnal comfort. It's about the final confrontation of human stupdity ,ignorance and greed. I don't think we are quite collectively mature to overcome this.
2. It's about the destruction of our world. We are fundamentally destroying the very balances and systems that make this world habitable. Even with a halt to all hydrocarbon buring today, we have done irreparable harm (at least, not reparable in our lifetimes).
It's so pathetic that our best scenario in all this still has billions dying...billions that should not be here, but are here nonetheless. Billions that will fight tooth and nail to stay here.
Billions of deaths.
And what of the survivors?
So we have the post apocolyptic doom of our relilgious wet dreams or some near astronomical scientific breakthrough on the horizon (assumining our biosphere's still hold up).
How the hell did we get into this?
It hurts knowing that my life is a parasitic waste. I am a faceless billionth of a stupid plague of apish babies. I may have the brain matter and genetics in common with all the good and brilliant that we can be but when it comes down to it the hook worm has a more meaninful and purposeful existance.
Damn...
PeakOil is You
Coping..
by Wildwell » Mon 07 Feb 2005, 22:03:08
Its starts off with the education system: The education system is entirely based on serving the needs of the military and/or business. Aspiration values start very young; babies and young children are given gifts that are later expected. Christmas is mainly about a commercial and childhood opportunity and parent’s bank balances. As the child gets older, she or he is told to aspire to be the best, make the best of their talents and rise to their highest station. They are taught to consider themselves important and study subjects which expand the ego. By the time they are twelve they are certain of ‘me’ and his automatic rights. Privileges few have ever had to really work at, previously earned and fought for by ancestors through hardship, revolution and war. By the time they are in their teens, instead of civil responsibility and self sufficiency; subjects like media and business are taught. Constant images of wealth in advertising, TV, film and in tabloid newspapers bombard them serving the corporate strategy of distant faceless boardroom executives, also brought up in the same system. The aspiration now is to learn to drive and get married and reproduce, anything else is considered a failure. People respect those that earn money and disrespect those that don’t, even though they are serving essential needs. Judgements are perception boxed by arguments serving the system and the self. Some things are cool? But nobody stops to ponder the real reasons or the rationale. All of which depends the images, perceptions and qualities that work to pre-defined and well tested strategy. Some is assumed art, the value of which is never discussed. Merely the pattern of 35mm film - juxtaposed elegantly and symbolically to represent deep seated values of self and society through coded norms, humour, stylised for deliberate detachment yet ultimately enslaving the recipient in its values and fashion. Carrying on, ever forward, until the next generation is born onto a small planet only a handful have ever left, yet feels so normal despite being in a vast empty loneliness, which no one will ever know where it started or will end, or its true nature, values or purpose.
In short it’s the system. Dr Al Bartletts lecture is an absolute must see, as it illustrates our system with clarity and insight. Despite my deliberate one sided description of it, most people aspire to raise their station. A few aspire to do selfless good or have humble existences, but they find they are fighting the system. Peak oil is an example where you have vested interests that don’t want to change and will defend their assumed rights until the very end because of these patterns.
In short it’s the system. Dr Al Bartletts lecture is an absolute must see, as it illustrates our system with clarity and insight. Despite my deliberate one sided description of it, most people aspire to raise their station. A few aspire to do selfless good or have humble existences, but they find they are fighting the system. Peak oil is an example where you have vested interests that don’t want to change and will defend their assumed rights until the very end because of these patterns.
Last edited by Wildwell on Mon 07 Feb 2005, 22:08:27, edited 1 time in total.
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by Wildwell » Mon 07 Feb 2005, 22:12:15
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SD_Scott', 'B')uy a motorcycle, and drink more alcohol. That's what I did.
Oh I'm doing the same, but there's nothing like typing out a bit of late night meaningless b*llocks on the internet either. lol
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by maverickdoc » Tue 08 Feb 2005, 00:17:34
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BAM', 'W')hy beat yourself up?
There's fuck all you can do to stop it
There's fuck all you can do to stop it
How about preparing?
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by Ibon » Tue 08 Feb 2005, 00:39:23
It's difficult to be a member of a social organism that has self awareness who realizes that the community and society that he belongs to and requires for his survival and spiritual well being is heading rapidly toward extinction.
I can't think of a greater existential crisis for any organism on this planet.
I can't think of a greater existential crisis for any organism on this planet.
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by NeoPeasant » Tue 08 Feb 2005, 00:40:33
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SD_Scott', 'B')uy a motorcycle, and drink more alcohol. That's what I did.
I bought a some more bikes and parts and started learning how to brew, ferment and distill my own.
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by Ibon » Tue 08 Feb 2005, 00:59:17
Sorry, I'll try that again....
It's difficult to be a social organism that has self awareness who realizes that the community and society that he belongs to and requires for his survival and spiritual well being is heading rapidly toward extinction.
I can't think of a greater existential crisis for any organism on this planet than what we humans have created for ourselves.
And yet it isn't too late to join together. How about building a new society? Not just a permaculture intentional community isolated in some valley but say a community of several thousand who come together, establishing a fully integrated society of farmers, doctors, craftsmen, etc. Creating a constitution based on a charter of sustainability and an economic system that is zero growth. The combined capital of several thousand people could equal the whole GDP of a small country. That's it. A new country. There are certainly enough souls out there who seem to be nearing the point where they are ready to jump ship on these last days of the Industrial Revolution and start something new? Isn't there?
Why wait for the survivors after the fall. How many of you would really abandon what you got today and be willing to join such a new society if presented the option. I think I would. And I think I would invest my capital and hard work into making this happen. But it's got to be bigger than just one isolated intentional community is some valley some where.
Any thoughts?
It's difficult to be a social organism that has self awareness who realizes that the community and society that he belongs to and requires for his survival and spiritual well being is heading rapidly toward extinction.
I can't think of a greater existential crisis for any organism on this planet than what we humans have created for ourselves.
And yet it isn't too late to join together. How about building a new society? Not just a permaculture intentional community isolated in some valley but say a community of several thousand who come together, establishing a fully integrated society of farmers, doctors, craftsmen, etc. Creating a constitution based on a charter of sustainability and an economic system that is zero growth. The combined capital of several thousand people could equal the whole GDP of a small country. That's it. A new country. There are certainly enough souls out there who seem to be nearing the point where they are ready to jump ship on these last days of the Industrial Revolution and start something new? Isn't there?
Why wait for the survivors after the fall. How many of you would really abandon what you got today and be willing to join such a new society if presented the option. I think I would. And I think I would invest my capital and hard work into making this happen. But it's got to be bigger than just one isolated intentional community is some valley some where.
Any thoughts?
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by TrueKaiser » Tue 08 Feb 2005, 01:23:05
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('maverickdoc', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BAM', 'W')hy beat yourself up?
There's fuck all you can do to stop it
There's fuck all you can do to stop it
How about preparing?
and be target number one when tshtf by all the people around you?
no offence it's just that to me this whole downfall cannot be prepared for physicly you can only do it mentaly.
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