[aswerfawf]

i wasnt sure where to put this topic, so here it is.

many of you, myself included, are already making arrangements for the end of cheap oil. i think thats great, but sometimes i think it can be framed too much in terms of peak oil. i saw a discussion somewhere that people said the don't talk about peak oil to just anyone so they dont come off as a loon. this makes a lot of sense to me and got me thinking that things like riding a bike to work or picking wild apples are great in themselves. one thing i started asking myself is would i be doing these things even if peak oil isnt a crisis? i certianly would! i like my life a lot better without a car, tv, radio and fast food resturants. it makes me real glad to read the "planning for the future" board and see people raising chickens in the city, learning how to do carpentry and re-learning the basic skills which my generation was never even taught. theres a lot to learn from the old ways and the old-old ways. certianly we are on to something, the simpler ways of living are much more fulfilling and richer. even if peak oil is a non-event, we have put the idea of progress in the trash can and found something better!

what do you think, if peak oil isn't a big deal would that change anything for you?

[ReserveGrowthRulz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('aswerfawf', 'w')hat do you think, if peak oil isn't a big deal would that change anything for you?

[emailking]

If there were no peak oil, I would probably still be an energy miser to save $$, but I certainly like all of those things you just said make you happier not to have.

[NeoPeasant]

The Peak Oil problem led me to think about how to insure for the minimum needs of my family, which led me to a lot of thought and reflection about what a person's minimum needs actually are. If you have lived in a society where you are used to having everything you want and need within reason, you never learn to understand the difference.

I have since studied things like voluntary simplicity and affluenza, and have come to the conclusion that what I really want, whether there is economic collapse or not, is freedom from wage slavery and freedom from the piles of crap I have accumulated in my life. Don't waste your life as the custodian of a mountain of stuff.

All you really actually need when you think about it is food, water, something to wear, a weatherproof box to sleep in, and someplace to poop and get cleaned up. And access to health care when you need it.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

If there were no peak oil:
I would not have given my car away and would still be putting it on the road 3 months of the year.
I would not have moved 600 miles out of a big city.
I would not have started learning how to knit socks and felt clothes.
I would still be container gardening in the city and would still be vermicomposting with my worms.

I would still have a monthly menu but not have a food storage plan.
I would still be recycling and trying to save energy but not worry about how to heat my home without electricity.
Life would be more carefree. My stress level would not be non-existant but it would be less. I would not worry so much about my childrens future but would still have the normal concerns.

[Kickinthegob]

aswerfawf, I gotta say this has been my frame of mind for the last couple of years. I have since got rid of my motor vehicles, changed my career to something more trade oriented and much more physical - working outside everyday is a nice fringe benefit, dumped most of my electronic goodies - most importantly the idiot box, and many more things but what I have found is that I am much happier. I could almost live without the great internets at this point
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReserveGrowthRulz', 'Y')es. I would have to go figure out the frequency of meteor impacts to argue with the people who are convinced that "Peak Meteor" is just around the corner and we should...

[Ludi]

No, I would be doing these things anyway because I feel it's a more appropriate way of living in a world with finite resources. Plus I find it all just totally facinating and fun.

[arocoun]

To be honest, I don't think peak oil has changed my life much at all. If I suddenly found out that an oil field with several trillion barrels of oil was built in a politically stable country, not much would change for me. I would still dislike cars, consumerism, overconsumption, etc. I'd still appreciate bikes, independent living, staying fit and healthy, etc.

[nth]

My life will change. I would not be doing as much as I do today.

[PrairieMule]

You know I think Peakoil is something different to everyone. To some it's demand exceeding supply, the end of prosperity, a return to a simpler way of life, reason for war, a final disaster of government. To me I see it as a disruption to Just In Time Inventory which anyone can have access to anything now. I see now our nation is not propped up by it's culture, innovativeness, or ideological freedoms but rather cheap abundant energy.

I have to say before I truly became aware I would have kept on consuming more crap and waste more energy and resources. I also would not have appreciated opportunities to help myself and a few others. Without the threat of peak oil, I would not have picked up my fence pliers and re-learn ranch skills again.

[Kfish]

Funnily enough, I came to my current position backwards.

Instead of finding out about peak oil and simplifying my life as a result, I started with the desire to simplify my life, distance myself from the consumer economy and give myself a measure of independence in basic needs. It was while searching for resources on this topic that I came across Peak Oil as a reason why many other people are doing the same thing.

So no, life wouldn't be much different for me if Peak Oil wasn't happening. I'd still be gardening, keeping chickens and learning how to do things myself because these hobbies bring me joy. I'd probably drive a bit more, though. I'm still trying to get my fuel consumption down.

Kfish.

[LX1]

peak oil is a huge deal...but it's unlikely that it will be as bad as some of you guys predict.

[seldom_seen]

Peak oil will be the most significant turning point in human history since the dawn of the industrial revolution. There's really no other way to slice it.

[Battle_Scarred_Galactico]

LX1, Seldom's statement was correct. It is you who needs to do your research.

My advice is to start with looking into economics, our monetary system and what happens during depressions.

[Battle_Scarred_Galactico]

Rather than rant, why don't you explain how we can continue economic growth with diminishing energy supplies and reduced industrial capacity ?

[LX1]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('uNkNowN ElEmEnt', 'I')f there were no peak oil:
I would not have given my car away and would still be putting it on the road 3 months of the year.
I would not have moved 600 miles out of a big city.
I would not have started learning how to knit socks and felt clothes.
I would still be container gardening in the city and would still be vermicomposting with my worms.

I would still have a monthly menu but not have a food storage plan.
I would still be recycling and trying to save energy but not worry about how to heat my home without electricity.
Life would be more carefree. My stress level would not be non-existant but it would be less. I would not worry so much about my childrens future but would still have the normal concerns.

[misterno]

PO changed my life thoroughly.

As soon as I realized that PO is real, I invested all my money savings, 401K, everything I have in energy stocks mostly in oil.

Second, I am trying to travel the world as much as I can. I tried to buy tickets long before I am flying but I found it is not possible. The most you can do is only 1 year ahead. But someday in the future, airline travel will be so expensive that it will be just a dream. So I am using all my vacation time to travel the world.

Also, moved to a small apartment with all utilities paid. My rent is so low nobody believes it. Although I don't drive much, I am trying to increase my car's MPG but found out it will be hard to accomplish.

[Last_Laff]

PO seemed like a huge deal, however I'd welcome it. My life hasn't change much anyway.

[Last_Laff]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('LX1', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('uNkNowN ElEmEnt', 'I')f there were no peak oil:
I would not have given my car away and would still be putting it on the road 3 months of the year.
I would not have moved 600 miles out of a big city.
I would not have started learning how to knit socks and felt clothes.
I would still be container gardening in the city and would still be vermicomposting with my worms.
I would still have a monthly menu but not have a food storage plan.
I would still be recycling and trying to save energy but not worry about how to heat my home without electricity.
Life would be more carefree. My stress level would not be non-existant but it would be less. I would not worry so much about my childrens future but would still have the normal concerns.