[mrobert]

As long as there is someone else to blame and hope the problem will be solved that way ... people have no intention in admitting they are part of the problem.

[grampybone]

I have tried in the past to tell people about peak oil, but to no avail. No longer do I waste my breath talking to these people. We will see when tshtf who is better prepared for it.

[Rage]

I contemplated heading down to the iPhone line-ups and spreading the word, but just couldn't bring myself to be seen near that line-up.....

[Ayame]

When I first tried to explain peak oil to my father he laughed in my face as if I was an imbecile. Now as he sees fuel prices going up and up and up and with me still going on incessantly about the whole thing he has shifted his outlook somewhat, in the car he sometimes mutters 'back to horses I guess'. I have explained to him the seriousness of the situation we will face in the future and yet no preparations are made. My family is of the opinion 'we'll deal with it when we get to that bridge' unfortunately they will probably get shoved off 'that bridge' when shtf. I have this horrible feeling they will all turn to me and say 'so what do we do now?' at that point.

[CarlinsDarlin]

I tend to agree with Zeke. While I still talk to a few people, I'm not as "preachy" as I used to be. I figure the signs are everywhere for those who care to look. These days, I don't have to look for an opportunity to talk about peak oil. It comes up in everyday conversations. As I said, the evidence is everywhere.

That being said, I don't think I'd wave a banner and become the PO poster child. One, for the reasons zeke mentioned, and two, because everyone and their dog will be showing up at your house when they realize (too late) that they should have prepared and didn't. I don't have enough to help out everyone.
K

[BigTex]

Considering that it is a classic sign of mental illness to believe that one has special information that others don't possess regarding the imminent end of the world, it's probably wise to tread lightly around the uninitiated. I was thinking the other day about how I might describe to a therapist why I have been a bit sullen lately and the story sounded a little wild.

"You see doctor, I have recently become convinced that a dramatic die-off of the human population is going to occur within my lifetime. I also have reason to believe that the entire global financial system is poised to collapse any day. I also have reason to believe that everything the government tells me is a lie. I am also virtually certain that fossil fuel depletion is going to be in the vanguard of the calamities that will more or less signal the end of the world." I can just see the therapist taking a deep breath and replying: "So, BigTex, how long have you been having these feelings?"

[eXpat]

Unlike previous years, sheeple is about to be educated by another teacher, is call "reality". Reality is a harsh teacher and it doesn´t tolerate very much mistakes from slow students.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('allenwrench', 'T')o educate sheeple or not educate sheeple...that is the question?

[doodlebug2]

I agree with Mrobert. I think this whole thing is for a person or group to blame.
The sheeple want to blame enviromentalists that we are running out of oil. A person told me enviromentalism = communism.
Like the enviromentalist started peak oil.
No the sheeple will never learn anyway, they choose not to.

[VMarcHart]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('allenwrench', 'H')ow do you feel about educating the sheeple?

[allenwrench]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('zeke', 'I') have tried, and continue to try, to talk about this with friends and loved ones. In return, I've gotten anything from polite listening to ad hominem attacks. Now, I can live with all of that. My friends and family know that I mean well, and while I can sometimes spout, I know when to stop yapping about it. ...
Things are calm now, relatively. But in time, people are going to want somebody to blame. They will NOT blame themselves, or examine their own lifeways.
They will want to focus on the person(s) who they believe, or are told are the cause of all of their pain. ...

[hardtootell]

the first line in the book "the long emergency" said it all:

"People cannot handle too much reality"

[hardtootell]

I kinda disagree with how you see the word sheeple. I am for using it to prod people. To cajoule them into waking up! Its better that they get a bit miffed and wake up and do something to benefit their long term survival than to think that they will be taken care of by TPTB.
just my opinion.

[allenwrench]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hardtootell', 't')he first line in the book "the long emergency" said it all: "People cannot handle too much reality"

[Ludi]

I really hate the term "sheeple."

I think people should be educated, but, many people don't like to be challenged about the way they live, as it seems a criticism of their choices, which nobody likes. So it's difficult to find a way to present the information and possible actions they might take to help themselves in a way which isn't threatening to folks.

Modeling examples of alternative ways to live might be a better method than lecturing.
These people have an inspiring ministry: link

They make a low-energy way of life seem very appealing.

[allenwrench]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('zoidberg', 'G')iven the unprecedented runup in prices most people with the curiosity to find out why, have. Those who dont, dont really want to understand why. No point in agitating them unnecessarily. It'll neither help them or you, if they're not ready to figure it out. Spot gasoline outages should be the next big signal that'll bring in a bunch more people to understanding. The process cant be forced while it's still ignorable.

[Ferretlover]

Allen, at this point, I would suggest you take those stickers OFF your car.
IMO, You are setting up yourself and your family as targets. You are giving strangers a face to go with the problem.
No-one is going to be polite and tell you, "Gee, I should have listened to you. Guess I made a mistake."
It's going to be more like,"You SOB, you should have made me listen to you. It's all your fault. I'm gonna take your stuff and burn down your house-then, let's see how You survive this mess!"
Work on your family and very close long-term friends. The rest of the world is learning about PO through the MSM now. What nobody seems to notice yet is that there is NO support structure in place to mitigate the coming circumstances.
It's going to be bad, folks.

[Munqi]

Ive tried talking about this with my family and friends but so far no one has really been interested. They listen, they say they agree, but it just really doesnt sink in. For some reason they just dont understand that the world could possibly change. So i would say try to educate people, but if they dont listen then move on.

[allenwrench]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ferretlover', 'A')llen, at this point, I would suggest you take those stickers OFF your car.
IMO, You are setting up yourself and your family as targets. You are giving strangers a face to go with the problem.
No-one is going to be polite and tell you, "Gee, I should have listened to you. Guess I made a mistake."
It's going to be more like,"You SOB, you should have made me listen to you. It's all your fault. I'm gonna take your stuff and burn down your house-then, let's see how You survive this mess!"
Work on your family and very close long-term friends. The rest of the world is learning about PO through the MSM now. What nobody seems to notice yet is that there is NO support structure in place to mitigate the coming circumstances.
It's going to be bad, folks.

[eXpat]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ferretlover', 'A')llen, at this point, I would suggest you take those stickers OFF your car.
IMO, You are setting up yourself and your family as targets. You are giving strangers a face to go with the problem.
No-one is going to be polite and tell you, "Gee, I should have listened to you. Guess I made a mistake."
It's going to be more like,"You SOB, you should have made me listen to you. It's all your fault. I'm gonna take your stuff and burn down your house-then, let's see how You survive this mess!"
Work on your family and very close long-term friends. The rest of the world is learning about PO through the MSM now. What nobody seems to notice yet is that there is NO support structure in place to mitigate the coming circumstances.
It's going to be bad, folks.