evilgenius wrote:Vladimir, you should know that Pops is not normally so pessimistic. I would normally say Pops is actually an optimist. He is probably not the optimist that some here have been toward you already, pretty much rejecting the whole idea of peak oil before you even had a chance to properly introduce yourself. No, he's not that kind of an optimist.
Pops, what would you call yourself? I tend to think of you as center, but I don't know if I would categorize you as center-left, or center-right?
Just saw this, Evil, I can't really slot myself as all one thing. I feel I'm pretty pessimistic in assessment of our current state, I think about it a lot and it amazes me we're still here. The last 10 years particularly feel like we've run over the cliff and I'm listening for the "meep-meep".
OTOH, I'm not an armchair doomer who just sits and frets and proclaims "we're all dead!" and that probably limits my pessimism. I'm a prepper (not just a gun collector) because when I get nervous I do something about what's bothering me, learn a skill, grow food, move, whatever.
I think it was Barbara, an old peaker from way back whose sig-line was "We've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas." That isn't me.
OTOH I am optimistic as to survival of humans as a species, we're pretty smart, just not smart enough to get along in large groups, say more than a dozen, LOL
You could say, I
Want To Believe... I just don't.
The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves -- in their separate, and individual capacities.
-- Abraham Lincoln, Fragment on Government (July 1, 1854)