AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

mgibbons19 · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1035

Hey kid, don't sweat it.

But, do read a lot. And the advice about being in shape is excellent. Remember to lift and aerobics both.

Me being me, I'd suggest getting a bike and start riding to the places you have to go. It's great freedom at your age because you don't have to wait for your folks to drive you around. You'll also learn bike maintenance. That will help in the long run. And don't get a credit card.

You will be young, in shape, without debt, and will have learnt lots from your books. You will be better off than most.

And if none of it comes true, you'll still be better off than most.

backstop · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 4:18 pm Post subject: Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

JudoCow -

I well remember being told I was lucky when I was your age - and considering the Godawful mess my parents' generation had left us: I just couldn't see it either.

Yes - my generation rebelled and had some great times, and millions of us around the world headed out and settled down to a rural way of life - But try as we might we've never got near turning this society around, and now its coming to its long predicted energy crunch.

You asked what you can do - so here's my two-pennorth.

First, you can learn really useful skills. You're already learning to play an instrument and that's pretty rare for young people to take seriously these days. So, unless marching band is un-let-go-able, chuck it in favour of putting that 3 hrs a day into practicing your music and listening to lots of sorts of (accoustic) music.

The reasons I'd suggest this are:

a/. There's likely going to be a call for musicians able to play live without all sorts of electronic kit, and good ones will be pretty sure of getting by quite well however far this society slumps.

b/. At your age my younger boy Joe used to go busking with a freind in London with violin and guitar, playing Irish tunes outside Irish pubs. They regularly used to get over £10/hr each at it (about $17/hr) and this was 10 years ago. I gather you could do with some income, and getting experience of playing live to audiences is a major part of becoming a musician, so learning music you could busk with could be really useful now.

The second thing you can do is to have faith in people of your own age. Between 14 & 21 people are at their most original, innovative and, I'd say, courageous. So find other young people who see the need to prepare and work with them both locally and on the web. God knows the brighter sparks of other generations will do whatever they can to help, but I think it will be your generation that actually finds new ways forward to a different way of life.

So keep your chin up - things will pan out if you work at it. It just ain't going to be like life in the adverts ! (Has it ever been ?)

all the best,

Backstop

gt1370a · Heavy Crude Joined: Apr 02, 2005 Posts: 329

One huge thing you have going for you is that you have no debt (I assume it isn't possible for a 14 year old to get debt). Don't make the mistake of getting into debt, with the possible exception of limited student loans for in-state tuition, if needed, if that's still an option in 3-4 years. If you get a credit card, pay off the balance every month.

I think the band is probably a waste of time. Join a sports team instead and get in good physical shape. Maybe something like track or soccer or tennis where the risk of injury is lower, whatever is suited to your interests and abilities. Do some weightlifting too. If you can't make a team, do it on your own time.

One thing you probably don't realize is that you have more free time now than you ever will. Take advantage of that. Stop doing low-value tasks (like band) and put your time towards educating yourself and improving your physical condition.

You may have some opportunities in the future, though they probably aren't what you've been expecting. Maybe in 4 years instead of going to Harvard to study business, the top students will study agriculture at University of Georgia. Who knows? Just keep your eyes open for opportunities and take them. You have a big advantage over your classmates because you are aware of how the world is changing.

JudoCow09 · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 07, 2005 Posts: 253

I can't get out of band now, nor will I since it is one of my favorite things I still do. By the way, I play the Trombone. I still play Soccer in the spring in the Rec league since I'm not good enough to be on a select or highschool team. Besides, in Marching Band I lost 7 pounds during Band Camp last week and it is a fairly phsically demanding not to mention hard working sport persay that teaches you morals which will be needed in any world in my mind and requires you to indure heat all day.

I don't know yet what my highschool has to offer, but I'll be sure to try to focus on some of that stuff.

By the way, when do you guys think we will really start to notice the effects of PO, or rather when will the life we lead now change?

killJOY · Fission Joined: Feb 21, 2005 Posts: 2282 Location: ^NNE^

People who play acoustic instruments could be in high demand. People will WANT, DEMAND entertainment during the crisis.

I've got my fiddles.
_________________
"By the time individuals discover that remaining resources will not be adequate for the next generation, the next generation has already been born. " David Price

MonteQuest · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

whiteknight · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 09, 2005 Posts: 281

Waterthrush · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 5:19 pm Post subject: Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

From a historian's perspective, I'd suggest reading a lot of history. It really helps to put one's individual experience into the broader context of human life. Imagine yourself in a Roman provincial town. There have been rumors of Vandals. But, essentially, your circle of knowledge is about 3 miles. "I lift mine eyes to the hills ... whence is that coming over them?"

Listen, long secular hikes of inflation, changes in technology ... this is pretty much the norm for our species.

But, the nuclear weapons frighten me. Other things too.

However, this is a planet worth fighting for. I am not going to acquiesce in its destruction.

spudbuddy · Heavy Crude Joined: Jul 28, 2005 Posts: 150

Moo!
Hey now cow,

It's a long emergency. No-one yet knows how long it will take for all this stuff to come to pass...could be quite awhile.
You're ahead of the game somewhat for even being aware of this problem, at your age.
(at your age I was sitting around on the lawn in front of my high school discussing alternatives to not buying into the American dream...[I had a different sort of dream.])
Don't allow yourself to become overwhelmed by what isn't possible;
consider instead what may be possible.
Allow yourself to imagine that this picture might include some good things.
You will not come of age and enter adulthood mindlessly accepting and having bought into the crap that got us into this mess in the first place.
And that's a damned good thing!
As previously remarked on - it's a positive thing that you're even here bothering to read and write and comment at all.
Many, if not most, in your age group are still bouncing around the postmodern cool chat sites. (or too busy looking into their left hands)
say what?
um -that would be a cell phone.
A suggestion:
Find, if you can (a teacher, minister, family member) someone somewhat older than you, trusted, trustworthy...that you can talk to in real time and real space, three-dimensional.
They'll have insights, perspective, knowledge, ideas....that will help, no doubt.
As a student, you will inherit a different world than the one you see now.
Apply yourself (with a mindset) towards a fuller education about the nature of the world you're growing up in.
One day you will be the cutting edge of a new social and economic order.
Whether that will be something that resembles the Great Depression remains to be seen.
Much of the world is, no doubt, sleepwalking into the future (seemingly unaware of what's coming).
You aren't. That gives you an advantage. Try thinking of it in exactly that way...an advantage.
Taken in its entirety...the world situation would probably overwhelm the most brilliant thinkers of our time.
So don't do it.
Reduce it down to bite-size bits...bran flakes of issues (more easily digestible...healthier for the plumbing.)
Another thing: Don't waste a whole lot of effort, energy and especially emotion, trying to debate or convince non-believers...there's no percentage in that.
Instead look for the ones who are already there. If this stuff overwhelms you, you're going to need support. (like in this site, for instance.)
But again...I repeat and stress...do your best to find that resource outside of cyberspace.

good luck!

jp
just let me laugh when it's funny
and when it's sad, let me cry

americandream · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Goin back over the points judo raised, what options do we have to pull this back.....go on tell me. I can't see any way out other than marxist style central planning and yet this system has had such bad press and the renegade Chinese communists make you wonder, I don't reckon its a starter. So, can any one tell me in a nutshell, how are we going to arrest resource waste, maintain some semblance of civil society and get post peak...with a system that can relativley smoothly transition us in an ordered fashion with some clear goals laid out...and carry the likes of the Islamic world along as well? It does not look good.
_________________
Bugger me, I hear oil's runnin out mate!

Tyler_JC · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:30 pm Post subject: Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

something_awfull · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:39 pm Post subject: Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Pops · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Great post Mr. Savinar.

In fact great posts everyone! This is what this site is about!

Judo, turn off the stinking computer and have some fun for cripes sake, it’s the middle of August and you are perhaps in the most carefree time of your life.

Granted your family has problems – it may be a surprise to you but everybody has problems, most put on a happy face and we think everyone else is doing great except us; not true.

I was talking with some relatives the other day and we were discussing our family history. We didn’t know diddly. I had sat and talked with my grandmother for hours when I was younger and had written her recollections on some green paper, which has been long since lost.

I look for that green paper in every box I come accross.

Talk to your folks about your family, you may come to know each other better and you will certainly grow closer.

Now, Turn off that computer!!!
_________________
Make a plan and work it:

Aaron · Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

GoIllini · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 05, 2005 Posts: 573

I can only imagine what must be going through a 14 year old's mind at the thought the world might end. The closest I can come is remembering what it was like for me when I heard about a weather balloon launched from some scandinavian country that drifted into Russian airspace and came within minutes of starting a nuclear war.

Let me try and reassure you that if you're living in some small town in Ohio- or maybe even in a big city- you're starting off in great shape to get through PO and help switch us to a nuclear or renewable-based economy.

First off, you're living in the Midwest. Even with some of the most doomsdayish scenarios (which I don't ascribe to), the Midwest will always wind up being able to grow enough food to feed itself. When oil-based agriculture comes to an end, there's a good chance that we won't even be able to have the energy to cart food out of Ohio.

The fact that Ohio grows so much food- and that there aren't a whole lot of people there- means that all those further-out claims about nuclear war and martial law probably won't hit home- especially if you live in a small town or live out in the country. Ohio also might not be that much of a tactical target for anyone looking to launch missiles at us.

A lot of the scariest claims for PO should be more frightening to folks living on the East or West coast- where there's no way for people to get enough food to eat.

Here's a couple of things an intelligent 14 year old can do:

1. Keep doing well in school and stay in marching band. To be honest, there's so much more that you can learn there that's going to help you help us rebuild after Peak Oil hits. If they offer an Agriculture class at school, you might want to think about taking it. (If peak oil doesn't hit, it'll be pretty interesting to learn about how various foods wind up on your dinner plate. If it does hit, you'll be able to help people do a better job of growing food.)

2. If you don't have a busy summer, get a summer job. You're 14 years old; a lot of people will hire you. You can save up some of the money you make, or if you're feeling confident enough to put money in the stock market, put some of the money you make in oil stocks like Chevron (See http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=cvx) or British Petroleum (See http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=BP)

3. Start reading up on how ethanol and bio-diesel get made, and how we get electricity from various sources of renewable energy (IE: wind and solar).

4. If you think you might go to college, try to plan on a school in the Midwest. (There are so many good schools in Ohio.)