[julianj]

What type of Doomer are you?

I have noticed that there are different types of doomers on this board. I am a doomer, but I deeply resent being lumped in with milder doomers than myself…they’re obviously wimps, while I regard as lunatics the more extreme types than me who believe we’ll be reduced to fighting each other over the last tin of dogfood, Mad Max style.

So as a service to you all, I have identified different traits of doomers, as a first step towards a classification system.


Note: I feel no need to try to classify optimists: there’s only a couple of them here, and they don’t count.



The Rosy Doomer

Believes we will have a rough decade or two, then society will reorganise and we will be living in a communitarian, localised, permaculture society. Works in a caring profession. Fond of plants.

The Fusionite

Believes we will have a rough decade or two, then Fusion Power/Abiotic Oil/ZPE/Hydrogen will solve all our problems. Always quotes scientific websites. Has so little grasp of practicalities that he (it’s always a he) has already put down a deposit on a Honda Tokamak 17 Hydrogen-Powered Aircar.

The Armageddonite

As in Armageddon-outa-here. Hard Core. Ideal home: apparently wilderness above, supplying game and wood, underneath a bunker with 400 firearms. Thinks recycling only applies to cartridge cases. Expects thousands of starving Nerds from the Burbs to storm the place: boy are they going to be sorry.

Gloomer Doomer

“I’m too old/sick/indebted to survive, I’ll just carry on as normal until my end comes.”

Stalag Tight

Thinks that there will only be two professions post-peak. Labourer and Overseer. Practises snarling: “Work harder or you’ll feel the lash!” in the mirror. Ideal Christmas present: a solar powered Tazer.

Economite

Believes that Peak Oil is not the greatest threat, it is the market fears and economic meltdown it will trigger. Stockpiles food, toilet paper, water, medicine, toilet paper,seeds, and panic-buys essential consumer items like iPods and Plasma screens, and toilet paper in case of shortages. Particularly fond of glow-in-the-dark coffeemugs - which will be important post peak as you will need to be caffeinated to get through the blackouts.

Party Animal

Certain PO is going to be the “Big Bad”. Spends all their money, lives for the day, still drives a big car, flies anywhere they can. Drinks, takes drugs and parties. Always checks the air miles on food, then buys the most ecologically damaging - “WTF: whatever happens will happen.”

The Obsessional

Makes vast lists of all the necessary steps to take. Then matrixes those lists by time-to-peak, and Soft or Hard Landing, to create option profiles. Exhausted by the complexity of this planning, does nothing.

The Historian

A version of the above. Obsessively studies history as a guide to what will happen. Has accumulated a lot of gruesome studies of failing societies. Family now avoid The Historian as aged relatives do not relish enquiries like: “Auntie May, tell me how you survived the Depression. Do you still remember how to cook human flesh?”

Flip-flopper

Oscillates between slightly darker version of the Rosy Doomer, and the worst fantasies of the Armageddonite. Sought psychiatric help, but explained PO so convincingly to the shrink they had a breakdown and are now incarcerated in their own institution.


What type am I? A Flip-flopper with a bit of the Historian.

[TheTurtle]

None-of-the-above.

[MacG]

Economite. With a bit of Flip-flopper. And Roosy Doomer. Hmmm... The only thing I am NOT is Fusionite, and since I'm ususally wrong on most social and political issues, you could consider it as a hint..

[Bas]

nah, none of it......have you seen how many hybrids have come onto the market just over the last year? Sure we'll have a recession or two, big ones like the ones in the early 80s but the trinity (market, government, and science) will adjust much much faster than most of you seem to think, they will take it on as an opportunity and after the years of initial economic shocks sailing will become relatively smooth again although our real wages will have dropped and unemployment will have risen.

The (super)rich are sure to make a good buck out of this though, as they have already bought their stocks in oilcompanies, the rich always prosper....

[RonMN]

I can see some truth in all.

I think there will be distinct stages to the collapse beginning with an economic meltdown & food/water shortages...which naturally will bring panic & violence (guns will be needed).

But will the world remain violent (mad max style) forever? no. Eventually a die-off will force the human population to grow it's own food organically & reach a balance with nautre (what's left of it) and eachother. So there is a definate need for saving heirloom seeds & such, as well as having some stock of food on hand. A need for learning the old ways and practicing them before they're truly needed for survival.

There is a great change comming...those who don't learn to bend with the wind are going to get their stems snapped.

So what type of doomer does that make me?

[killJOY]

Flip-flopper who keeps coming back to the fact that NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING on anything like a wide scale, yet peak is purportedly in 2007.

The future is just so uncertain. I think the doomsday scenarios are plausible; but likely? Who knows.

Oh, and by the way.... I wouldn't see a psychiatrist if you paid me.

[TheTurtle]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RonMN', 'S')o what type of doomer does that make me?

[NEOPO]

Here I will do it for you!!!

Ron - You would be an economite firstly and then an armageddonite second.

Aaron is an economite and so am I and Bas is a fusionite.

I get alot more of the "rich will prosper" crap from my euro friends then from anywhere else.

I bet if these same optomistic people had lived through WWII they would not be singing the same tune.
If nothing drastic happens in their lifetimes they are hard pressed to believe anything drastic will ever occur.
Ah yes..... the illusion of safety and a continuance of normalcy.
Dream on.

[EnergySpin]

Flip Flopper among the various types:
In the best of days I am a Fusionite. In the worst of days an Armagedonnite who uses the insights of a historian. If I dont end up barbecued I will be a definite Stalag Tight. I have read all there is to know about the high priests in ancient Egypt, slave owners till the 19th century. I am compiling formulas that will tell me how much I have to overwork my slaves before they can no longer walk. Then they will become feedstock for my Thermal Depolymerization plant that will supply the biodiesel for my car

[RonMN]

Thanks Turtle!

If ya gotta be a doomer...best be a "good" doomer!

I have to admit i do a little flip-floppin' as well...PO drags me down sometimes & i have to lighten up a bit...but then the reality comes crashing down that nothing can save the US dollar at this point...even if PO wasn't happening.

Even if we have a moderate recession, the US will no longer be able to pay the interest payments on it's debt...at that point they have 2 options:
- default
- print the extra money needed

I think we all know which option they'll choose...but neither is very appealing.

[dmtu]

Hope for the best prepare for the worst, unfortunately I suck at planning.

[Jack]

Stalag Tight, definitely.

The tazer isn't really what's needed - keep in mind that you have to buy cartridges for them, so they aren't sustainable.

Better - get a stun gun with rechargeable batteries and a solar recharger.

Then again, the Bianchi "magic wand" aluminum night stick, with rubber grips, can be effective. (Sadly, this fine item is no longer sold)

But the old ways can be good too - who can argue with a solid hickory nightstick, wielded with a certain joie de vivre?

[0mar]

Economite

But with a caveat. I think that Peak Oil is a great threat. Once investors get a wind that oil supplies are only going to decrease, there could be a bidding war that simply destroys the economy. Think what would happen if oil went from 50 or 60 dollars to 200 in a matter of weeks. The economy simply freezes like a deer in headlights. Make a transition to alternatives now.

Alternatives can not take hold in an economy that is shattered like that. Remember, alternatives would have to gradually become more cost-effective than oil. That way, planned investments can help that industry grow. If the above scenario happens, there can be no move towards alternatives because the economy has just been shattered. Americans will not survive the transition from 2 dollar gasoline to 6 or 7 dollar gasoline in 6 weeks. This is what I think is scariest about Peak Oil. The fact that our economy could be paralyzed by frenzied investors negates any move towards renewable or alternative resources.

[Ludi]

Rosy Economite

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

Killer thread Jullianj! I'd be an economite with flip-flopper tendencies. My shrink, doctor and banker have all had nervous breakdowns!

[Pops]

Well, here is my theme song:
Flip, flop and fly
I don’t care if I die
Flip, flop and fly
I don’t care if I die
Don’t ever leave me
Don’t ever say goodbye

On the other hand one can never have too much TP!

[The_Toecutter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ut the old ways can be good too - who can argue with a solid hickory nightstick, wielded with a certain joie de vivre?

[Licho]

Economite/Fusionite

[Tyler_JC]

Stalag Economite.

The only economy 50 years Post Peak will be feudal slavery.

You work 12 hours a day with the side benefit of not starving to death...immediately.

[Njegosh]

Wannabee Armageddonite
and i'm not even bothering to buy a gun in this country. ha