MD wrote:Firt allow me to pigeonhole myself as a typical monothesitic-moralist-conservative-capitalist.
Normally I would welcome the opposition to gentle debate or proselytism, but before you run off to turn up the Flame and prepare the Tar, I submit that the issues at hand require we temporarily set aside our ideological differences.
The "issues at hand" are of course Peak Oil and associated.
the great irony being the prominence of Matthew Simmons, among PO's top spokespersons, very engaging, and smart to boot; the other irony being Roscoe Bartlett, the conservative Rep from MD, whose PO presentations have been fabulous. Dems and Greens, being on the outs, are afraid of this issue, at least publically. They've been too much on the receiving end of "crackpot" or unpopular environmental issues, though the greens, I think, are lightyears ahead of everyone else as far as private awareness and preparation are concerned.Peak Oil has been somewhat politicized up to now, which should not be a surprise as awareness has primarily grown from the "left" end of the spectrum (yes, there are clear exceptions). It has therefore been more difficult to get attention from the "right", who have a difficult time seeing the facts clearly through the haze of polical meanderings that exist throughout much of the available content.
I tend to agree. I have worked hard to:It is so far beyond too late it isn't even remotely funny.
kochevnik wrote:MD wrote:
I submit that we no longer have time for any of this. We must promote the immediate dissemination of Peak Oil facts to the world. The presentation must be as factual and apolitical as possible, with a focus on the current status, not outcome scenarios.
We must have world wide acceptance, and we must have it immediately if we are to have any hope for limiting instability.
The 'current status' is that gasoline in the USA is just over $2 a gallon. Nobody out there is very interested in what ANY of us here have to say ... just like 30 years ago when Jimmy Carter and the LTG folks put it to everyone straight.
It is so far beyond too late it isn't even remotely funny. Nice of you to come to the party, but you're about 3 decades late.
kochevnik wrote:It is so far beyond too late it isn't even remotely funny. Nice of you to come to the party, but you're about 3 decades late.
venky wrote:Putting aside ideologies in the wake of dealing with Peak Oil does carry merit, and I also agree that the main imperative is to spread the word as efficiently as possible and arriving at a course of action to mitigate the worst effects of peak oil.
However, uncontrolled corporatism-crony capitalism; the philosophy of unrestricted growth at all costs is what is responsible to the mess that humanity finds itself in now. Any solution to oil depletion will involve localization, self-sufficiency and sustainability and will have no place for perpetual growth capitalism. Mind you, I still believe in personal freedoms and free markets to an extent; however I see no place for the corporatism which has plagued our planet. And since Republican-conservatism is so tightly tied to this ideology, it will stand discredited once the world wakes up to peak oil. Especially, since Republicans now control all branches of the government.
arretium wrote:I think even once gas hits $5 a gallon, we'll still have "time" to figure something out. Remember, production is declining at 3-8% a year, most likely 5%. It's not going to go off a cliff, unless SA is more fubared than any of us, even Matt Simmons, realizes.
MD wrote:Various species within the ecological systems of this planet have experienced overshoot and crash. Long after this current mega-event is forgotten to history, boom-bust cycles will continue in various forms until the energy boom in the center of our solar system busts into a fusionless lump of matter. The cycle of life marches relentlessly into the future.
This current cycle is unique in several ways, and therefore offers a singular opportunity that must be exploited, no matter how remote the odds for success.
This massive peak, driven by nearly free energy, has also fueled a knowledge explosion unparallelled in history and unlikely to be repeated on this planet for eons, if ever.
Therin lies the unique opportunity. Humankind has the capacity, and for the moment the knowledge, to steer the crash towards a sustainable and enlightened future culture.
Those that have been in the chicken little box for many years may be understandably inclined to fold their arms and say "to hell with you all, we tried to warn you, it's too late."
Is is very likely true that it is too late. We may all be soon faced with a relentless series of excruciatingly difficult and very personal decisions that may make efforts to soften the blow impossible.
Nevertheless I must try.
RdSnt wrote:arretium wrote:I think even once gas hits $5 a gallon, we'll still have "time" to figure something out. Remember, production is declining at 3-8% a year, most likely 5%. It's not going to go off a cliff, unless SA is more fubared than any of us, even Matt Simmons, realizes.
Petroleum supply won't go off a cliff but the US economy is about to. With regards to finding rational solutions to the coming problems, that is actually more important in the immediate future than supply constraints.
MD wrote:RdSnt wrote:arretium wrote:I think even once gas hits $5 a gallon, we'll still have "time" to figure something out. Remember, production is declining at 3-8% a year, most likely 5%. It's not going to go off a cliff, unless SA is more fubared than any of us, even Matt Simmons, realizes.
Petroleum supply won't go off a cliff but the US economy is about to. With regards to finding rational solutions to the coming problems, that is actually more important in the immediate future than supply constraints.
Oil is the fuse, debt bubble is the bomb.
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