Collapse--the film

[de_paradise]

This documentary is pretty depressing, mostly because it presents a very logical compelling framework to world events, and shows how humanity is destined to face a rapid decline very very soon. Dont watch it if you would prefer to live without the burdens of the critical.

 

Part one:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuBgzwSBcuw

[Encephalon]

I suppose you might be finding the absence of feedback a little disconcerting. It's not entirely surprising, given the sobering news. As you may already know, prospects for the bulk of humanity are not good - there is absolutely no reason for optimism - but most authorities in the earth sciences hold that remnants of humanity will be able to hit the Restart button and live to see the 22nd century, barring an all-out nuclear holocaust that would poison the entire globe. Even then, life in some form would endure long after the radiation levels returned to normal.

 

It's normal, and human, to be distressed by the challenges of the 21st century, but there is way to harness gratitude for life and some measure of hope within the context of a ceaselessly changing world. Actually, Deng Ming-Dao says it better than anyone -

 

HEALING

 

Fire cools.

Water seeks its own level.

 

No matter how extreme a situation is, it will change. It cannot continue forever. Thus, a great forest fire is always destined to burn itself out; a turbulent sea will become calmer. Natural events balance themselves out by seeking their opposites, and this process of balance is at the heart of all healing.

 

This process takes time. If an event is not great, the balancing required is slight. If it is momentous, then it may take days, years, even lifetimes for things to return to an even keel. Actually, without these slight imbalances, there could be no movement in life. It is being off balance that keeps life changing. Total centering, total balance would only be stasis. All life is continual destruction and healing, over and over again.

 

That is why, even in the midst of an extreme situation, the wise are patient. Whether the situation is illness, calamity, or their own anger, they know that healing will follow upheaval.

 

All the best.

[Enishi]

Over the past couple months I've been lurking at a peak oil doomer forum. At times I get quite depressed by it and have to take temporary breaks.

 

I wonder to myself whether there will a large die off and downsizing with some elements of modern technology being retained, or a complete end to technological civilization altogether? The element of our civilization which I like most is books and the internet, both of which I would sorely miss.

 

I'm doubtful that solar/geothermal would work as a replacement, not only in terms of costs but in terms of a failing infrastructure even succeeding in implementing it. I suppose if some the fringe speculation about zero point energy ( http://www.cheniere.org and http://www.ahealedplanet.net/home.htm) turns out to be true certain aspects of technology could be retained along with the down-sizing, but much of the material I've read on it sounds very utopian and hard to take seriously.

Edited October 3, 2010 by Enishi

[Encephalon]

As long as the biosphere doesn't become toxic out of a biological or nuclear holocaust, opportunities for low-tech engineering will remain. If you are referring to the forum Doomers.us, I believe the consensus is that 1850s-era technology will prevail, which is great because just about anybody at that time could fix just about anything they owned. Re-acquiring those skills now is another thing altogether, but that's what the Doomers are doing as we speak. Appropriate technology will also have it's place; active and passive solar power, micro-hydroelectic generation, wind generators, but these will all be small scale, just like everything else.

 

http://www.transitionus.org/

[idquest]

As long as the biosphere doesn't become toxic out of a biological or nuclear holocaust, opportunities for low-tech engineering will remain. If you are referring to the forum Doomers.us, I believe the consensus is that 1850s-era technology will prevail, which is great because just about anybody at that time could fix just about anything they owned. Re-acquiring those skills now is another thing altogether, but that's what the Doomers are doing as we speak. Appropriate technology will also have it's place; active and passive solar power, micro-hydroelectic generation, wind generators, but these will all be small scale, just like everything else.

 

http://www.transitionus.org/

People tend to forget of how entrenched the electricity has become in our life. I consider sewage and water supply as most important. If anybody has seen footages from the sleeping areas of major cities with prolonged outages like 2-3 days, the first thing to notice is lines to the portable toilets and water distributors.

 

So perhaps plumbing would be one of the sought for profession.