"Life After the Oil Crash" Matt Savinar

stu

The website and book that first bought awareness about PO to myself and doubtless many others.

Savinar lays out all of the facts that you need to understand about Peak Oil and all of the implications of it. Starting with what is Peak Oil he then moves to to discuss why other forms of oil extraction will not work and then proceeds to do the same thing with alternative energys. Finally he paints a very grim picture of a future defined by resource wars, food riots and a mass die off.

If you are introduced to PO through this book then it will probably scare the crap out of you. Savinar paints the most bleakest picture possible. Even going so far as to say that we should develop a sense of humour because we are all going to die anyway.

However his style of writing is easy to read as he starts each section with a question relating to PO and then answers it, which gives the reader easy access to information.

Very pessimistic but also very informative.

Rating=***

basketballjones · Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2005 6:08 pm Post subject:

I had almost the same experience. Matt's lifeaftertheoilcrash website is how i found out about PO. I remember sitting there almost dumbfounded after fully comprehending it's consequences. The realisation that oil powers every single aspect of our society.

It's a great site, but i don't think i agree if it will be quite the hard crash scenario Matt paints.

vic · Coal Joined: Jan 11, 2005 Posts: 14

Matt Savinar really deserves appreciation to bring the issue of oil depletion to so many of us including me. Though he pessimistically paints the scenario, anything better is possible only by looking at the worst scenario.
pre-informed is pre-armed.

albente · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1336

Sure very informative what Matt put toghether. His inspiration in turn has been Michael Ruppert (http://www.fromthewilderness.com) . What I don't like about Matt Savinars style is that he asks questions just to answer them with "absolute" answers. I am aware that there is no way to escape Peak Oil, every child can understand, that at some point supply of a finite resource cannot keep up with an constantly growing demand.

He seems very self absorbed as an individual and I wonder how he makes his money these days. Some of you guys might remember how he left this forum last year August in protest since he was attacked by a certain Jay Morrison. I laughed my tail off, Jay was just hitting the spot while Matt responded nastily in response mails starting out like "hey Morrison you nutless wonder" and the like. Listed in the Hall of Flames, Matt Savinar and a wasted live:

http://peakoil.com/fortopic626.html

In that sense I don't care for the guy personally. Jay Morrison is a solid fellow on the other hand (not to be mixed up with Jay Hanson, one of the really dark angels of Peak Oil, right on the line with R.Duncan).

FatherOfTwo · Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 2:31 pm Post subject:

I too had the bulk of my initial education about Peak Oil via Matt's book. And yes, it depressed the hell out of me. He doesn't hold anything back.
I like the style - it's very easy to read and he covers all the bases.
My only gripe is his foray into the 9/11 conspiracy arena. I personally feel that the 9/11 conspiracies are very shaky. Maybe they're true. But it detracts from the book. Some people I'm sure will read it and say, oh, this guy is another conspiracy nut and then everything he's had to say about Peak Oil instantly has cold water thrown on it.
It would be much better if the 9/11 section (and the future war scenarios too) were thrown out.
My $0.02 (Canadian of course!)
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Do not underestimate the difficulties of surviving the transition of peak oil, nor the dangers of global warming. We must embrace nuclear energy and renewables.

Tim · Guest

It seems like everyone has been discussing the information on his website like it is just something to talk about for awhile, exchange viewpoints and then move on to some other topic. Does anyone know how to grow food? Where do you think the best locations out west would be to set up commnities?

EnviroEngr · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 10:27 pm Post subject: Moved

The discussion that started here was moved:
http://www.peakoil.com/post50795.html#50795
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| Whose reality is this anyway!? |
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Yavicleus · Heavy Crude Joined: Jul 16, 2004 Posts: 364

Savinar's book is definitely eye opening. It is filled with doom and gloom though, and sprinkled with conspiracy theory type writing that may offend and turn away some readers of the right-wing persuasion.

That being said, I think he does a great job of analyzing and presenting the problem in a very easy to comprehend manner.

Overall, I liked it, but it's not a great book to use as an 'intro' to Peak Oil for people that don't know much about it. Give Savinar's book to your relatives, and they'll think you're a loony. Instead, I'd recommend something more along the lines of Heinberg's books for your intellectual friends & relatives, and something like "the End of Oil" for the rest.

MattSavinar · Elite Joined: May 09, 2004 Posts: 1990

Permaculture Magazine gave The Oil Age is Over a review in their most recent issue.

They allowed me to reprint it on my site:

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/theoilageisover.html

Scroll down to the bottom half of the page.

Matt

mgibbons19 · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1051

I read the review. They do a nice job.

[threadjack]
It's funny that you can even open the book with a question like "I thought there were forty years of oil left - what's the problem?"

Just a rant, but my grandmother is ninety-farking-two. So the most we can imagine in terms of our civilization is half her life? I'm 35, with luck I will make it to 75. And we can't imagine farther than that? My kids are 5. I hope we bequeath to them a world after they barely hit middle age.

When I'm feeling cynical, this is exactly the kind of thing that bothers me.

[/threadjack]

good job kid

Bluster · Coal Joined: Nov 28, 2004 Posts: 11

Dear Matt,

Please, contact me at your convenience. I would like to discuss the possibility of the re-print of the Eng of Age of Oil is Over in Brazil as well as its translation in Portuguese.

Regards,
Boris

boris@lifestylesbrazil.com

MattSavinar · Elite Joined: May 09, 2004 Posts: 1990

Revi · Fusion Joined: Apr 25, 2005 Posts: 3111 Location: Maine

I couldn't sleep after I read Matt's book. I think it's good to spur people to action with the cold hard facts. I wish we could also have a how to manual for the average person that outlines what to do. I don't think it'll be a hard crash, but I may be wrong. Overall it is a very readable book that lays it all out. I'd rather be told the truth about the situation. I agree that it's a bad one to give to relatives to convince them. John Howe's book The End of Fossil Energy and a plan for sustainability is much better to give out. He avoids politics and includes a plan to step down energy use 5% per year. Savinar's book is for us hard core peakers. I loved it, but I love what I call "uh oh" books. They are nonfiction books which have you turning the pages saying uh oh! His is on my list for the best of that genre.

Jdelagado

Jdelagado · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 12:53 pm Post subject: