[Ludi]

I'm not sure how our (doomers') opinions of possible solutions affects whether those solutions exist or will exist in reality or not....it's not like we have magical super mind powers to affect reality or anything...

Some of us are quite interested in various technologies and are building electric cars, wind turbines, passive and active solar devices etc. Not all of us are off knapping flints and tanning bearskins...

[dinopello]

Well, Ted Kaczynski is a genius and people feared him. But, he was also a doomer. So, the question is confusing. Are you asking if doomers who are at or below average intelligence fear geniuses who are not doomers? I have no idea.

[Temperedoil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('lorenzo', '
')The question is: do doomers, who think of planetary socio-economic collapse, ever feel threatened by this under-the-radar presence of genius? Or do they just ignore it and repress it?

Because, obviously, it doesn't take that much for an invention to transform, for example, our energy landscape. And thus the entire doomer-framework would collapse. This doomer-narrative is weak; rational people know this. But the question is: do the doomers know?

[StuckInPhilly]

I don't fear geniuses, I've known a few and because they are few then they can accomplish very little on their own.

What I fear is the lack of understanding that having discovered an improved technology is not even close to having it implemented.

Development and implementation take a lot of people and money.

Science take it's time on these things while the media are filled with morons and announce technological miracles at the drop of hat.

Remember cold fusion?

[hironegro]

it would've been nice if you just posted the article.

[TheDude]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Carlhole', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dorlomin', 'S')uch as kids inventing energy sources in there back yard being taken as gospil before its been properly scrutinezed for its energy and economic value.

[Ludi]

I tend to leap to worst-case scenarios like the oil-pooping bacteria get loose and stink up the place by pooping oil all over everything, turning everything into oil.

"Fear"? Maybe. "Mistrust"? Usually

[DomusAlbion]

Yes, I fear geniuses. and clowns.

[retiredguy]

Nicely put, Dude.

[dinopello]

That reminds me, Ludi. I have always been a bit worried about "genetic engineering". I am an engineer and work with engineers who are tops in their field. But, they still make mistakes. A mistake that involves a living thing that can reproduce , mutate and interact with other living things that we might depend on for our well being is something to be concerned about AFAIC.

[ohcomeon]

Doomers are geniuses...

Why should we fear? They're one of us. It's the ones who don't know any better who scare us...

[shortonoil]

lorenzo said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')his doomer-narrative is weak; rational people know this. But the question is: do the doomers know?

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dinopello', 'W')ell, Ted Kaczynski is a genius and people feared him.

[ki11ercane]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Carlhole', 'Y')ou know what it is?
It's that the peak oil theory and this website distill out a particular kind of mindset as measured against ALL the people who learn of the theory. Those whose imaginations are titillated by notions of impending civilizational collapse are more likely to remain here and submit regular posts which assume the inevitability of Doom.

Those who can immediately see flaws in the Doomer perspective drift off elsewhere or they do not contribute. The Doomers, therefore, tend to reinforce one another's thinking on the matter and then it becomes a group dynamic - an Us vs Them thing where "We" are right and "They" are delusional.
It's called Groupthink. Groupthink has been studied in corporations and government because it stifles innovation and creativity. Don't tell me that the neo-Luddite contempt for science and technology around here is stimulating and creative!

It is just one example of many scenarios that put Doomerism to the lie. But if you post an article like this around here, it's bound to be disparaged in the most off-hand, smirking, juvenile way. It reminds me of a particular cafeteria lunch table I used to sit at in Junior High School years ago.
I think the whole Doomer notion spoils much of the excitement of the peak oil idea. I also notice that the adolescent minds that gravitate to Doom, seem to believe that peer-pressure will bring someone around to their way of thinking. Someone should inform them that peer-pressure doesn't work so well on grown-ups.

[yippleflipple]

wait a minute... somebody created oil pooping bacteria?

[yippleflipple]

nvm... just watched the craig venter video on TED.com.. pretty interesting stuff, so why couldn't CO2 eating, clean fuel pooping synthetic life save us?

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('yippleflipple', 'n')vm... just watched the craig venter video on TED.com.. pretty interesting stuff, so why couldn't CO2 eating, clean fuel pooping synthetic life save us?

[the48thronin]

maybe the real question should be are people who fear doomers really geniuses?

or Does being a doomer mean your geniuses are fearful?

[3rensho]

No fear of geniuses. However anyone stupid enough to believe in "the singularity" or "rapture for nerds" as it is often called gets laughed at.

[yippleflipple]

very well put 48thronin... it seems to me that most people who fear doomers are stuck on false hope and still depend on the construct of civilization.

on the other hand, i must admit that i was a bit of a doomer before i got into PO... I was more on the side of exponential technology and the law of accelerating returns and was prone to fantasies of Matrix-esque scenarios seeing life's inevitable outcome of mechanized forces eating up resources and energy and spreading throughout the galaxy, which I think will still happen, probably just not this time around.

although the singularity does have some appeal to it, i think i might just prefer a return to nature and embrace my inevitable death and return to timeless eternity