[Ayame]

I just don't understand my familes attitude to peak oil. I can't understand humanities' either. I must have really overestimated the intelligence of our species by around a trillion percent.

You would have thought that the imminent peaking of a resource that is essential to our way of life would have caused more of a stir within politics etc. but it just gets clearer and clearer that no one cares and that any political response will just be too late and knee jerk.

My father's view of peak oil is to do absolutely nothing. He says that he will happily die along with the masses. He says he doesn't care. I know that this is a complete lie as he gets anxious if his dinner is late. I can't see him happily starving to death or happily getting gutted by a machete wielding rioter/burglar. I think he really believes in techno-fixes.

My mother believes in techno-fixes because 'they will have to come up with something'. Don't ask me why this makes any sense but if pressed further I am told to 'stop bothering her with this shit'. I try to explain that the Romans didn't come up with a solution to their problems just because they had to and their civilisation failed but am just insulted again.

My parents often tell me to stop looking at peak oil stories. I feel like I am being told to put my head in the sand.

Personally I am getting so despondent that I am feeling that my best option would be to get a shotgun for a quick exit for myself if things get too heavy because even though I can try and explain the upcoming problems nobody wants to listen.

[DomusAlbion]

To me, most people are sheep. I don’t mean this in a disparaging way or an indictment of their intelligence. There is just a lack of forethought and only the present moment. All they see is the beautiful yummy grass that is before their eyes. When they do look up it’s only to a few feet in front of them where they see more delicious grass to munch on. Seldom do they look to the horizon where the forest surrounds their pasture. Almost never do they see the wolf lurking in those dark woods and they have no concept of the coming winter. There has always been grass; there will always be grass.

Oh look! There’s a lovely bit of grass over there!

[SeaGypsy]

Welcome to the club! You have been around awhile; why are you surprized by this reaction?
The 1st stage is denial, most people will stay there until reality knocks them flat.
Probably most of us wouldn't be here on this site if we had 'real' people who understood and could communicate with us about peak oil issues.
The world is full of lies and denial of obvious realities; doing yourself in wouldn't change that 1 little bit/ so DON"T!
Be thankfull for the little joys in life, they are still the most important things; as always.
Be glad you can participate in conversation with at least some people who understand the problem.
Develop your own perspective and mission.
Be satisfied with seemingly miniscule achievements while remembering the butterfly effect.
I agree as almost all would here; it's bloody sad that humanity is so blind.
Use that emotion, don't let it use you.

[Aaron]

Hang tough...

Sometimes the things we do which have the most impact on our world & the people in it, are the least apparent initially. The butterfly effect...

Don't forget that just like a retirement bank account there are severe penalties for early withdrawal... but it's those of us you leave behind who pay the penalty... not you.

Also remember that if you leave before the credits finish rolling, you might miss the out-takes, which are often the best part.

[cipi604]

Ayame, what you say is totally true. But... what whould be this world with all the people smart, smart enough to get it and react to it? It wouldn't be FUN! Get it? The Universe is meant for this kind of events.
You are lucky to live thru the most important event in our entire history, so hang on tight.

[Caffeine]

Most humans are deeply conditioned for social conformity within the herd and total obedience to their herd leaders. This tends to preclude independent thinking.

Think about it. If you invested in obedience to your herd leaders and conformed to what your fellow herd members expected of you (however dysfunctional and insane), you didn't get exiled from the tribe, burned as a witch, or otherwise killed off for being different/not fitting in. The herd might share food with you, or help defend you in the course of intertribal warfare.

Basically, most humans value total obedience to the dictates of the herd even over their own survival or the survival of their children. Who will risk thinking about environmental overshoot and collapse when the corporate media keeps telling them that business as usual will continue? If one believes that the current system cannot continue working in the face of depleting resources, that indicates a lack of faith in the system in which one has been forced to conform since early childhood.

[hardtootell-2]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ayame', 'I') just don't understand my familes attitude to peak oil. I can't understand humanities' either. I must have really overestimated the intelligence of our species by around a trillion percent.

[shortonsense]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ayame', 'I') just don't understand my familes attitude to peak oil. I can't understand humanities' either. I must have really overestimated the intelligence of our species by around a trillion percent.

You would have thought that the imminent peaking of a resource that is essential to our way of life would have caused more of a stir within politics etc. but it just gets clearer and clearer that no one cares and that any political response will just be too late and knee jerk.

[PenultimateManStanding]

We're not post-peak while we're on the plateau. It looks to me that we are a) just now starting to see a moving off the plateau and b) demand destruction is, for the moment, staying ahead of declining production. Things will get real interesting when demand destruction is limited and played out as a factor, i.e. the oil we use is vital, and nonetheless production declines continue.

[Windmills]

I think one of the best things you can do to overcome what you're feeling is to start preparing for a new lifestyle. Position yourself as best you can for what lies ahead. Do what's within your power to do, and let the rest fall where it may. Do whatever you feel is right for you, whether it's learning new skills, stockpiling supplies, moving to a better location, getting in shape, buying a bike, adapting your house to a low energy lifestyle, starting gardening, or connecting with like-minded people in your community. Even something as simple as having a few months worth of food and water in your pantry could make you feel better. Get involved in a transition town movement. It can feel satisfying to feel like you're making progress in dealing with the issue. If you do nothing or just talk, you're not going to feel any better about your situation. Real action will bring the satisfaction and an improved sense of security.

I remember feeling the same way initially. I was depressed and desperate. My family and parents weren't much different. My father is now on board with the idea, but not on board when it comes to taking action. The rest now believe, but don't want to talk about it. I had enough intellectual capital to expend, so I was able to convince everyone, but not to the point to get them to do something about it. I haven't given up yet. I still have a few more cards to play to get them to move to a better location in the country. Fortunately, at least my wife is 100% on board, including taking action. Find a best friend or partner that would be willing to move in the same direction with you. Having that partner who understands and is willing to take action can erase a great deal of the isolation and helplessness you feel when no one else seems to want to wake up.

[RedStateGreen]

You'll be lucky if you get one person who's in denial to kinda sorta say that maybe you might be right. On the other hand, you might find a whole lot of people right around you who totally agree and are working to prepare. Go somewhere like Meetup.com and search for "peak oil" in your area. Search "peak oil" on Facebook or any of those kind of groups and talk to people that live near you.
Start building a network of people nearby now, before things get bad.

When things DO get bad your family is going to need someone who's thought things through and is prepared. That thought alone keeps me going, because right now the rest of my family is not interested in teh doom at all.

[Ayame]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Windmills', ' ')Do what's within your power to do, and let the rest fall where it may.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ayame', '
')
I don't have much going for me, I suffer from mental illness, I get traumatised easily. I feel like the future is going to be one long trauma until I finally shuffle off this mortal coil.

[shortonsense]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'W')e're not post-peak while we're on the plateau.

[Rod_Cloutier]

Its impossible to stockpile everything a person could need over the course of the rest of their lifetimes. I can imagine people stockpiling weapons, clothing, essential equipment, generators, ect and then when TSHTF they have to move immediatly to somewhere stable where they have to farm their own food and leave most of their stuff behind in the city.

I've made previous posts here such as 'utilities are unprepared for peak oil' that deal with the same issue you have raised. I don't see any hope for anyone who's been 'bought' by the establishment, those who only think inside the box, and spend all their time chasing money.

Suicide is not the answer. In all fairness, because of the fact that you are among the people aware of the looming catastrophy, you will likely be among the survivors of the crisis! I look forward to a powerdown and a reduction in both the pace of life, and the stress and complexities of modern living. I can live without a phone, or a tv. I think everyone will be less overweight, more physically fit, and happier with a different 'powerdown' lifestyle.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('shortonsense', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'W')e're not post-peak while we're on the plateau.

[Auntie_Cipation]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('shortonsense', 'I') quoted various threads which thought peak was 2005, go argue with them about the technicalities. I was perfectly willing to go along with 2008 being peak, until I started finding out about all the oither ones.

[Novus]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'I') saw an Oildrum report that showed in the past 24 months going from an approximately 3% to 13% annualized decline rate. If this 13% decline continues then we are so screwed. And soon.

[Caffeine]

Ayame, maybe there's a peak oil/transition town/community gardening group near you?

Things you can do to prepare for collapse even if you don't own land:
1) Gain skills (there are lots of lists of things you can learn that might be useful in a collapse scenario)
2) Get in better shape/eat more healthily to try to prevent medical problems later in life
3) Meet people of like mind in your local area (do you know any organic gardeners? people who like to hunt and fish? peak oilers?) The SCA or similar groups can be helpful too, as many of them preserve the understanding of pre-industrial skills.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'M')y opinion is that people taking steps to survive will only buy themselves some miserable time before they too will die in the ruins.