The Oil Drum

140 comments on An Open Thread theme for a Saturday

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odograph on May 13, 2006 - 3:08pm

how would you compare those stresses to the american civil war? or the world wars? i really don't want to see another major war either ;-), but i think here is something important in the comparison. there is an idea that a good 'shock' to a the civilized world can send it into a world-wide collapse.

but, in reality, we humans were really happy to settle back down after those desturbances. i think that is our nature.

isn't it sort of a hubris, combined with a shallow understanding of history to think (1) the world is about to collapse, and (2) out of a mult-thousand year history of civilization, WE are the ones who get to see it?

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rainsofkilimanjaro on May 13, 2006 - 4:18pm

Every generation has believed that its problems and troubles were unique, and my own is no different. This is not the first time that people have believed a collapse was coming, and it may not be the last. However, just because it is a bit self-centered to believe that this age is unique or different from other ages does not make it wrong. Collapses do happen, and I think there is quite a good chance that one will happen soon.

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odograph on May 13, 2006 - 4:30pm

if you mean collapses on the order of what we have seen, i have to agree they are possible. of course.

but i think the "doomers" are thinking something worse ... again that amusing link:

http://entropyproduction.blogspot.com/2006/05/peak-oil-taxonomy-doombat.html

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step back on May 13, 2006 - 8:21pm

and (2) out of a multi-thousand year history of civilization, WE are the ones who get to see it?

The only people who have these conversations are those whose societies did not collapse. Folk from the truly collapsed civilizations are all dead or assimilated. Where is the Mayan culture resurection web site? Are they talking about how collapse is only a hubiristic myth?