The End of Suburbia film is difficult to take, because it lays out the problem so clearly.

It seems like a person can take a slightly less extreme approach, and get to the same result. The discussion after the presentation can go as far as the audience and presenter are comfortable.

yes but neither does it suger coat it by dismissing logical outcomes. For example it doesn't really go into much depth as to what would happen to the rest of the economy as a whole when the suburbs have to be abandonded, though at the same time it doesn't go on and say that won't happen because (insert wishfull thinking here).

Yes it's all just rhetoric.
Who here has any inkling of what the world would like like the day after everyone became peak oil aware?

I'll tell you what won't happen.
Everyone will immediately begin to conserve.
There won't be any runs on gas stations, banks or food outlets.
Business will continue business as usual, they will look for and immediately purchase alternative energy supplies.

There will be plenty of alternative energy machines for everyone.
There will be no hoarding or panic.
The economy will remain stable, consumer goods will remain in good supply and price stable.
Governments will be lauded for their honesty.

I'll give you a hint of what will happen though.
Those able to, will do what every one of us on TOD who has accepted the consequences of peak oil, has been doing over the last few years.

If everyone all of a sudden began their own mitigation attempts like we have...............

That is why governments don't come clean. What have they to gain? Nothing in the short term and the long term is not a concern to them.

It is best to dig the well before you are thirsty.

but i don't think you get to the same result

you get to a place where a raised number of people think "hey there's some sort of issue here... but heck, i need to sort out the bills and i have work on and... yeah - i'll think about this when i get the time..."

I think people who favour this less extreme approach often tend to be a smarter than average, thoughtful and reflective. Understandably they project such a mindset onto others, and assume that if they present a compelling argument others will think it through like they did... but we just don't live in that world. Possibly some societies. Not the US. People are trained throughout their lives to a completely different style of discourse, and they filter any communication through this life's experience.

Think of all of the political policy issues that seem just self-evident in terms of their common sense - you look at the evidence, and OBVIOUSLY the decision should be X, but instead it's Y.

And just how well did the reflective, polite, reasoned argument work out for the Global Warming debate?
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All these memories will be lost in time
like tears in rain