[radon1]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('DesuMaiden', ' ')Will I be able to see the collapse of industrialized civilization within my life time

[sparky]

.
complex Civilisations are inherently unstable , their doom come from two sides ,
internal , they have to grow until their own faults crack under the stress
external , some disaster or serie of disasters bring them down

it's usually a mix of both , the more complex they are ,the less they can cope with stressors
as they grow , their base of support is undermined by the heavier load at the top

[Dybbuk]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('GHung', 'D')ybbuk said: "There are ways to keep civilization intact if things go right."

Name some that don't involve magical thinking. Humans are in dramatic overshoot of their environment. How to return human population to the carrying capacity of Planet Earth while preserving civilization as we know it,, or increasing the carrying capacity of our planet to sustainably support an ever-increasing human population is a proposition which escapes me. I've yet to see a solution set which isn't chock full of holes. You can start by explaining the process by which we undo the damage we've done to the biosphere in a time-frame that matters to civilization. Be specific, and don't skip the part where we actually stop the current ongoing destruction and extermination of our fellow earthlings..

[Lore]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Lore', 'I') wonder if ancient civilizations like the Mayan or the Anasazi were aware that they were in collapse? I imagine the last person to turn off the lights probably did.

[Herr Meier]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'R')e: Will I be able to see the collapse of civilization?

Nope. You won't see it. Believing in it will be an article of faith. Collapse will look like anything else but collapse. It will look like ebola, Arab Spring, ISIS, world-wide economic contraction, regional hyper-inflation, meatless monday, (foodless tuesday?), endless economic theory, potholes, flaking house paint, worn-out shoes, thrift stores, tv antennas, bus trips, stangy underwear, bus stops, cold showers, weakness, scabbies, death.

[DesuMaiden]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('sparky', '.')
complex Civilisations are inherently unstable , their doom come from two sides ,
internal , they have to grow until their own faults crack under the stress
external , some disaster or serie of disasters bring them down

it's usually a mix of both , the more complex they are ,the less they can cope with stressors
as they grow , their base of support is undermined by the heavier load at the top

[Timothy_S]

You are all very sure about civilization collapsing and I am not here to argue - no way. I was just wondering. Is it possible to adapt? Is it possible that some governments see what is going on and think ahead (unlikely I know) and adapt somehow? Is there anything we can do as a society EXCEPT being self prepared with food, shelter and defense?

[Newfie]

The Workd Economic Forum, In a video introducing their Annaul Rsik Annalysis ( can't recall which year,) stated that they see the risk of disruption (climate, fire, etc) as a certainty. The losses will be beyond what the world insurance industry can handle. Therefore the governments must take on the role of " insurer of last resort."

They went on to say that part of their mission is to advise world governments, those that will listen, on how to prepare themselves for this role. Some do listen, some do not. Not identification of who does what was made.

So, it would seem that some preparation or adaption is going on. But it is impossible to say how much or how effective.