[What_Went_Wrong]

If there is one thing peak oil has really opened my eyes to, it's the suffering of people on the planet at this time of abundant wealth, and how our lifestyles directly affect those around the globe. Now really, it's not like it was not obvious before, even the government controlled TV news gave enough hints, but anyone that follows peak oil beyond the economics issues really gets a hard dose of reality, and seeing what we are actually doing to our own kind.

It's not just our governments fault or the fault of people that lived before us, we help the process along very nicely.

We are fucking over the planet, millions alive on it today and every other generation that follows ours just so we can be more comfortable and lazy. I forgive myself to a degree, because I was just born into a system and played the part, being (what I believe to be) a good person to the people I meet. But now I know better, and I can't help but feel terrible for still being part of it.

Everything I do day to day, including using my pc and internet connection, makes me think of myself as a selfish prick. Yet like a junkie that knows he needs to go into rehab, i'm still here, being part of the problem. I think of it this way, if someone offered me a big sum of money for free, but as a result a few family's in a far away country would starve or suffer directly as a result of that, would I take it? Hell no.

But yet in a round about way it's what we all do. I know I can't wallow in guilt, that will not help the situation, I just wish I could do more, sooner, to be off the grid and consuming only goods that I need for living, made in a way that did not deplete the planet we live on, or stolen from someone else who will suffer greatly. I wish I had the courage and strength to dedicate my life to it until I achieved this ambitious goal. I wish I was more aware of things when I was 21 rather then spending the last 5 years getting stoned and drunk almost daily to pass the time. I'll get there hopefully, but i'm not getting there as fast as i'd like to.

I also know that if I stopped all consuming tomorrow it would not make a blind bit of difference to anything in the world. But right now for me, it's not about changing the future, it's a simple moral issue, I just really don't wanna be part of it now i'm so awakened to it. Hell I'm not even religious, I'm not worried about judgment day or anything, I'm just a naturally empathic person and it's starting to eat me up slightly.

I mentioned this to a friend (avoiding the po subject) and they suggested I should not worry about it, and just sponsor a child in africa to ease my guilt, he was deadly serious too.... I just wanna kneel down to every child I meet and say sorry, on behalf of myself and and the last 3 generations.

As always, thanks for reading my thoughts.

Jon

[Jack]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('What_Went_Wrong', 'I') think of it this way, if someone offered me a big sum of money for free, but as a result a few family's in a far away country would starve or suffer directly as a result of that, would I take it? Hell no.

[Johnston]

To the OP... the party is going to be over soon. Just enjoy affluence while you have it.

I got a really good expat job recently, and I intend to spend the next few years living the high life. I especially want to fly as much as possible, because there isn't going to be any flying in a few years time.

I don't know why you feel guilt. Third world countries are poor because of grossly incompetent and corrupt leaders, ethnic/religous tensions etc, not because of you.

[Uninspired123]

lol with that kind of mindset you're not going to make it.
Good luck though, we need more people like you so more opportunistic people like me can take advantage!

[Grifter]

I know exactly what you mean www. You look at life with a moral mindset and so do I.

however, I tried to live a more simple life, gave it a go, but being different from those around me made me drop that global moral mindset. I'm about to climb back into the system. (I have a job at last, in fact I can choose from 2). I don't like it but like Jack kind of said, this is the only life you get.

You're not a selfish prick, if the roles of the planet were reversed, they would be screwing you over and you wouldn't be aware of it.

I'll still make my token gesture to charity, still be slightly troubled by the unfairness of it all, but at the end of the day I need a new PSU, want to go on holiday, and freedom to go where I want is fun.

Still, I know what you mean. I think it'll pass.

[Ayame]

Don't be so hard on yourself, your empathy is noble but misguided. Those millions you talk about are happily screwing themselves over- go take a look at Indonesia - plus they have around 10 kids each whilst doing it. They would happily take your lifestyle and consume without a second thought and the upcoming generations would screw you over if they were in your place. Don't kid yourself.

The fundamental laws of nature state that that a species will always multiply until it can no longer due to resource contraints and then it will still try somemore. Someone will always be dying somwhere due to this fact and there is nothing you will ever be able to do about it.

You may think my view harsh but when you read about all the 3rd world countries that have increased their populations by 300% in the past 50 years and are now terribly in overshoot and reliant on food aid and yet still having around 7 kids each, you might understand. Always there is a sob story about how X living in Nigeria/Bangladesh etc. with so many children is in dire need of help.

[kjmclark]

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Jon, unless you're in a position of authority, you have no influence over 99.99999% of the world's human population. Let that part go. Look at what you can do, and what you have, and ask if what's left is something you should feel guilty for. Do what you can, and don't feel guilty for the rest.

[wisconsin_cur]

Were you there at the creation of the planet? Did you guide the evolution (creation) of the species? Did you put the oil in the ground? Did you choose when or where you would be born?

I don't want to denigrate the powerful emotions of "survivor's guilt" but the only things to be guilty about, as the others have said, are regarding things over which you had and have no control.

Keep your empathy, if there is anything that seperates us from yeast (sometimes an open question in my mind) it is that. Face the future with the goal of maintaining your humanity despite the supposed glee of some that it will make you an object of prey. The world has seen at least as many (as a percentage) self assured self styled predators go down in a bloody mess as it has those who have gone down due to a commitment to hang on to what they believed.

[What_Went_Wrong]

Ha oh god,

I should never post when drunk. I dunno who I was feeling more sorry for, them or myself. I'm out of time now (off to work) but i'll elaborate more when I get back, few points I wanna put across

[ucosty]

Add that to never post at 5am. Same effect, really.

[mark]

I too awakened to the horrors my comfortable American life has inflicted on others. It has become though, even more, so much more that for the first time in my life I understand.

I became PO aware 3 years ago and it sparked a hunger for truth that has not abated. Seek truth and your path becomes clear.

We are now searching for that near perfect spot for our first eco-village. Self-sustaining, self-sufficient and most importantly, withdrawn from “the American way of life.”

We cannot fight and win against the unconscious hubris of the “average American.” Our best effort is to withdraw support for the lifestyle that maintains the empire. Provide an example for our less enlightened citizens, show them the better way and leave it to those who understand to choose their own path.

Your own path will become clear to you at the right time. Have faith that those who seek their own truth will find their way.

[NEOPO]

The choice is yours....animal or human and in so many ways one could demonstrate the difference and the simularities yet you know this and thus you have already chosen.

Some people here are simply animals with a small brain running on instinct alone.

They cannot conceive what it would be like on the other side so they choose to perceive everyone the same as them which of course helps them remain "functioning" in their "society".

It is the Elitist manifesto of sorts.

"Power is power the law of the land" and "might makes right".

"If they were us they would do the same" goes the lullaby.

The weakness of your "dark side" completes me, my perfect enemy.

[Dukat_Reloaded]

W W W, Afew years ago I was like you, hated what man was doing to world until recently I found the good book and it helped me overcome alot of my problems. The world is a pretty rotten place depending on the type of color tinted glasses you wear. I do feel very sorry for the poverty stricken peoples of the world, such as the people in Africa, but I don't think America is really stealing from anyone, Buying oil and in return we give them FRN's, we'll thats their choice. If the USA did not exist, I predict that Africa would look pretty much the same as it does now, to suggest America is sucking wealth from the world and leaving countries poverty stricken is not correct, they probably benefit as much as us from dual trading.

I'm not concerned about the environment, some of the only major threats I see to the environment is afew places in the world losing some of their bio-diversity, and thats about it. I don't see Global Warming a problem at all although in my past I was concerned about it, but with the current weight of all the new people jumping onto the Global Warming Wagon, I can see all the Cracks in the Global Warming argument and I am convinced otherwise, alot of documentaries such as the great global warming swindle shoots a bullet right into the heart of the GW movement.

This board is about Peak oil and how to prepare, you want to keep it simple and not get sidelined by other side issues, unless that is also your interest.

[MattSavinar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dukat_Reloaded', '
')
I predict that Africa would look pretty much the same as it does now, to suggest America is sucking wealth from the world and leaving countries poverty stricken is not correct, they probably benefit as much as us from dual trading.

[Madpaddy]

WWW wrote,

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'H')a oh god,

I should never post when drunk. I dunno who I was feeling more sorry for, them or myself. I'm out of time now (off to work) but i'll elaborate more when I get back, few points I wanna put across

[emailking]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', '
')I, on the other hand, would take the cash. In fact, I'd take the cash even if the cost were millions of dead.

[Grifter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Madpaddy', 'W')WW wrote,

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'H')a oh god,

I should never post when drunk. I dunno who I was feeling more sorry for, them or myself. I'm out of time now (off to work) but i'll elaborate more when I get back, few points I wanna put across

[Madpaddy]

Grifter,

According to the post details, he posted at 0741 which I take to be local time. My post times come up as local time and I am in the same time zone as you and WWW. He can clarify this himself.

Anyway I still say he should stay away from gin.

[Jack]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('emailking', '
')I seriously hope you're one of the first to be eaten when the TSHTF. Preferably boiled rather than fried.

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', 'I') will, however, do my very best to take some of them with me.