How do we get the message out there about imminent Peak Oil?

Interfector · Coal Joined: Jun 21, 2008 Posts: 11

I mean, big change needs to happen to the way we live right now. We've probably already shot our chance to avert a catastrophe but that doesn't mean we can't start to make some of the hard choices and sacrifices that need to be made before the inevitable crunch.

What would be your suggestions to get the message out there?

HEADER_RACK · Intermediate Crude Joined: Feb 15, 2007 Posts: 507

Do yourself a favor. Worry about you and yours and damn the rest. They have already damned themselves and they like it that way. No amount of PO preaching is going to change it for them.
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There will come a day when we would have wished to do a little evil for a greater good.

Jack · Dark Lord Joined: Aug 11, 2004 Posts: 5089

Header_Rack is right.

People don't want to hear it. They will not be grateful; rather, they will resent the information.

And if you've made preparations, they may well remember you all too well.

Cool

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Dieoff. Fun to watch. Better with hot buttered popcorn! new_popcornsmiley

woffman · Coal Joined: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 13

Header and Jack are correct.

I do not even try to mention it anymore. I just let people ramble on about the taxes and big oil. if they know you are preping they will come begging when things get bad.

Take care of yourself forget the sheeple.

Interfector · Coal Joined: Jun 21, 2008 Posts: 11

Yeah, I think you're right. If people weren't willing to listen before they won't now until it's as obvious as being hit by a freight train.

Homesteader

In my experience people like to "learn" things on their own, not be "told" things by someone.

The best I've been able to do is wait for the other person to bring up gas prices etc. . have a conversation with them during which I mention I've learned a lot at this site called peakoil.com. Either they have the curiosity and motivation to follow up on their own or they don't.

If they don't then Darwin will figure out the rest.

At some point enough people will figure it out and want to do something productive about it. That is when I'm planning on putting energy into building community. Doing it sooner has been a waste of time, effort and quite possibly has done nothing more than make me and mine a target when it goes south.

I'm open to better methods however.
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"The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences…"
Sir Winston Churchill

gonfishn

Lets face it the majority are idiots.They don't want to hear it.
I've mildly voiced my concerns to a few and for the most part they all have said they don't care "It's all to stressful to worry about".Sorry, when TSHTF I will not be watching out for them.
Most of them would rather eat another Zanax and think that the world will take care of them rather than get off their arses and make a difference.

Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1971

This post should be a sticky entitled - - - "When you have the urge to try to inform a person about PO, read this first."

It's odd.

Very very few people seem to become PO aware based on being told and then exclaiming, "well I'll be!"

95% just ignore the information.

5% consider it.

1% or less follow up and become converts.

Even some converts don't take action.

In the end, Jack is right. People seem to resent the information. Like you're pissing on their birthday cake or something.
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Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.

killJOY · Fission Joined: Feb 21, 2005 Posts: 2481 Location: ^NNE^

Interfector, glad to have you aboard.

I learned about peak oil before it was called that, back in 1981, in a course called "Geology and Human Affairs."

My geology professor, Craig Bond Hatfield, wrote articles as far back as the early 80s warning people of dire consequences of oil decline in the early 21st century, if we did nothing to prepare.

He even gave an important talk to the Gordon Research Conference group back in 1999, attended by bigwigs from the likes of Alcoa and Bechtel. An important article of his appeared in Nature the same year.

After he retired, he shut up and sunk back into obscurity. No one took him seriously.

"It's too late," he told me.

If the likes of Hatfield, and other heavyweights like Deffeyes and Campbell, cannot make headway, what chance do you think simple folks like us have?

I've gone through three phases upon relearning about peak oil:

First, I thought the truth was so urgent and obvious that once word got out rapid changes could be made with an alert public. This phase lasted about five minutes.

Second, I thought that once the crap started hitting the fan--once oil production went flat and oil prices reached a certain level--then people would do an about-face and initiate a crash program to adapt to post-peak life. I've even given up this view.

Third, I now believe that the more peak oil predictions come true, the more peak oil explanations will be resisted. What I mean to say is, the die has been cast: even when the peakers are right, they will be denied. And the more we're right, the less we'll be believed.

So as a previous poster said, take care of yourself and your own.

A year or two ago, I wouldn't have said this, but I believe we are in for severe shortages and die-offs within five years.

Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1971

Yep KJ. I went through the same transformation myself.

In the last 6 months, I've had to seriously shorten my "doom" timeline and seriously increase my "damage from doom" scenarios.
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Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.

DantesPeak

Hirsch said on CNBC the other day that oil would reach $500 but instead of shock it was discussed how other economic experts had concluded that there would be more oil available.

Even though he said economists don't understand geology, it doesn't seem like his gloomy message sunk in.

If Hirsch can't make much headway, what chance do we have of convincing people?
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It's already over, now it's just a matter of adjusting.

some_guy282 · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 18, 2004 Posts: 691

Right now no one wants to hear about Peak Oil. They've got their hands over their ears chanting

"LA LA LA LA LA! LA LA LA LA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!! LA LA LA LA! LA LA LA LA! TECHNOLOGY LA LA LA LA! LA LA LA LA! SOLAR! LA LA LA LA LA! LA LA LA LA! HYBRIDS! LA LA LA LA! LA LA LA LA! CONSERVATION!! LA LA LA LA LA! LA LA LA LA! ABIOTIC OIL!"

Etc. etc. When it's all said and done, they'll be absolutely furious when they ask why no one warned them. Rolling Eyes

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In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule. – Nietzsche

Time makes more converts than reason. – Thomas Paine

History is a set of lies agreed upon. – Napoleon Bonaparte

erl · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 21, 2005 Posts: 791

I'm going to echo what KillJoy said.

Like many other things, the message is out there. Anyone who fails to pay attention is probably deliberately turning a blind eye.

It's like seeing the tidal wave approach, but then simply continuing to pick up the pretty sea shells that dot the beach.

...

How are you KillJoy? I think I can beat you. I learned of Peak Oil (wasn't called that, though) in 1978 in a course called "Impact of Technology on Society."

Take care.

killJOY · Fission Joined: Feb 21, 2005 Posts: 2481 Location: ^NNE^

grampybone · Tar Sands Joined: May 31, 2008 Posts: 82

People believe what they want to believe. It's like talking to a brick wall sometimes. I have given up. All that matters now is me and mine. Screw the rest.