People never take things seriously until after they happen. They start fire brigades after big fires, write earthquake codes after big earthquakes, start Departments of Homeland Security after planes fly into buildings etc. The same will apply to peak oil. People will only respond as the price goes high enough. All this debunking is good news. It means peak oil has gone from being ignored to being attacked. This phase will go on for a while, and the next is that everyone will claim it was obvious all along.
I hate to say this Stuart:  But I've been walking around on this land for the last 70 yrs. and you are absolutely correct, People in this country haven't changed a bit  ( well most of them ) in that whole time.

the hermit