A continuation of this [the "American Dream" scenario -rpc] is what I would refer to as Business As Usual (BAU), not the rather utopian statist vision of my article.

I appreciate the distinction you make there. My (and others') use of the term BAU is pretty vague but I think users of the term usually have in mind something much more radical than a transformation of government/society thinking away from consumerism, growthism etc.
More like some sort of collapse of the whole system.

I obviously must make the assumption that there will be a future if I am to talk about the future.

Agreed.

Otherwise it's as simple as saying "we are all doomed" and then drown away your worries with whatever vice you fancy.

Disagreed. Rather it's as simple as saying "many/most are doomed, particularly those who haven't a clue what's coming". Huge difference because it means one can work at helping or being one of those who are not doomed. And one is in the remarkable position of being one of the few with a clue.

Trying to stay positive,

I agree. It's a steep learning cliff which far too many are proving unable to climb. I don't want to rule out the possibility you may yet make it! The positive electrode of your camera's capacitor will give you a nasty 10kV shock if you touch it, but it's still positively useful nonetheless.

I see some positive in that you ventured to raise the eyebrows of Prof Ashmore, in a situation where many others would be fearful, careful to avoid doing so.

On www.energyark.net my "your future" pdf in progress is just about to get to the point of explaining why I consider a total system collapse to be almost inevitable within a few months or years. Sorry I can't be quicker about this but my illness makes everything get done at geological time-scale! (Hopefully the dentist in York will at last liberate me from this situation.)