[ian807]

http://englishrussia.com/index.php/2010/06/02/welcome-to-abkhazia/#more-13608

[Rod_Cloutier]

I viewed these pictures, not nice, but not apocalypse either. I have lived in run down neighbourhoods worse than these and they were still livable.

Here I am unemployed, living in a urban city, wondering how I can raise enough money to buy a plot of land big enough to support subsistance agriculture for myself and my family. I've been reading a book called 'Gardening when it counts', and dreading even the thought of having to use humanmanure on soils to enhance their productivity as the book suggests. Then you show me this.

If that's the worst peak oil has in store I'll stop worrying, and stay at home in the city.

[Sixstrings]

If that's the worst peak oil has in store I'll stop worrying, and stay at home in the city.

Bingo.

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- the vast majority of humans on this planet already live in conditions we on this forum would call "doom." This kind of living is the norm folks, it's we in the first world who are the lucky exception.

As I've begun to learn about life in some of these countries, I've had to question what "collapse" even means. I think the fact is that society has a very long way to fall before you have sustained chaos in the streets and total breakdown and collapse of government. Look at this Abkhazia, as bad as it is I bet they still have basic civil order (didn't the guy who posted all the pics in the blog also mention that the locals are friendly? Can't be an apocalypse if folks are "friendly" ).

[PrestonSturges]

This page has links and links and links to abandoned cities, bases, hospitals etc

http://weburbanist.com/2007/08/30/urban ... ern-world/

[ian807]

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- the vast majority of humans on this planet already live in conditions we on this forum would call "doom." This kind of living is the norm folks, it's we in the first world who are the lucky exception.

Sixstrings,

I agree with you, but I have to also consider that the genteel, almost benign decay in this and many other countries has been made possible by lots of cheap oil that allows easy transportation of goods which can be brought in from outside cheaply.

Many folks in these forums have stated that lower tech societies will survive decline or collapse better than those in richer countries. I'm skeptical. In the poorest countries in Africa, you can buy a gallon of gasoline by the road and drive your produce to market 30 miles away. Soon, that stops, along with drug imports, appliances, tools and all that which comes from large scale world trade. If anything, I think poorer countries will suffer more as imported food, fuel and drugs become unattainable.