Comments on: Capitulation draws near

By: We didn’t start the fire – Guy McPherson's blog

We didn’t start the fire – Guy McPherson's blog — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:55:00 +0000

[...] with the U.S. taxpayer on the hook for trillions of dollars of bad loans made by big banks. Back in February 2009 our national debt was a mere $10.5 trillion, but it already exceeded the value of all the currency in the world and all the gold ever mined. [...]

By: Guy McPherson

Guy McPherson — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:22:26 +0000

For those of you wondering who Orlov is, I've mentioned him in 5 posts since 13 April 2008. His comprehensive assessment comes in the form of his book, "Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects." You can order it from the publisher at http://www.newsociety.com/bookid/3991 ... it's well worth the read, simultaneously funny and dire (seriously funny?).

By: matt

matt — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:06:24 +0000

‘Nature is going to require reduction of human dominance over
world ecosystems. The changes this will entail are so revolutionary
that we will be almost overwhelmingly tempted instead to prolong
and augment our dominance at all costs. And, we shall see, the costs
will be prodigious. We are likely to do many things that will make
a bad situation worse.’ Billy C
Anyway,
if what Argentina experienced was a ‘collapse’
ie loss of wealth, decline in living standards
and a reduction in personal security, sounds
like you guys are experiencing that alreadyish.
Perhaps ‘collapse’ needs to be redefined, I think
it is a little confusing or misleading, I dont
think all of us are on the same page when it comes
to the definition. ‘Collapse’ to me means ‘crash’
equalling ‘die off’. (Catton)
I think what Guy is describing is something far more serious
than the Russian or Argentinian scenarios.
Anyways, I would like to see a fast crash preparation inventory.
Orlov talks about food, water, shelter and security,
but he is short on specifics.
Guy, can you share with us your specific inventory of stuff
or could somebody post a link here.
regards
car free Matt

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:02:08 +0000

Nature bats last. That phrase means that despite the boxing of your mind, nature is the larger you. It also means that nature is your worst editor. She, in her seductive omnipotence has her finger always poised above the reset button. I mean really, that’s why were pissed, right? All our creativity, all of our wonderful plot progression: western man; science; progress, cheetos, diet coke, is subject to her pen. Her story is always our story, too.
Nature has been silent for a while now. She has been stable. She has let us dream our ficticious dreams in peace. The planet was habitable. The planet was prosperous. Before us, constrained only by the limits of biology and chemistry – physics was ignored – was a world of infinite technological possibility. Small was beautiful, but big was like the tail on a resplendent quetzal.
But now, the accumulation of history; its long tail curled around its unseen tip and camoflauged into a vague blurriness, has caught up with us. Our story no longer makes logical sense. The editor is peaved. She is slashing whole paragraphs, whole chapters. She is reviewing our contract. It just won’t work she screams. You’ve got an entire civilization based on a finite resource. Where does the energy come from? This is a tradegy, and we’re in a recession?
Tragedy? We thought it was a comedy. Johnny Carson thought it was funny. It worked for Soylent Green. Shakspeare would certainly of howled.
We have landed ourselves firmly in the open arms of a predicament. Contradictions plague our plot-line. There’s no time for a major rewrite. It would seem that comedy is the only way to go. Quick, we think. Tell her that she’s pretty; but do it in a gentle way. Just let her know that we like her; that she has our attention. Let her know that tragedies don’t always end badly. Sure, the collective economic and political life of the species fails; but that is inevitable. All those atavistic urges, greased by oil and the selective pressures of the ice ages, were bound always toward contradiction. What is important, tell her, is the tribe, and the life of the mind. Remind her that to be alive is to die, but to be fully human is to die well. Tell her that without tragedy, there can be no compassion. With compassion, tragedy sells. Tell her that you’re sorry, that you should have checked in more often. Tell her that your planting a garden and that swallows are nesting under the eves of your house.

By: Charlene

Charlene — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:01:26 +0000

Actually, sorry, not his radio show, on his livevideo channel. The actual interview hails from somewhere else.

By: Charlene

Charlene — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:58:00 +0000

Google “Club Orlov”…he’s got a book and a blog.
He once showed up on Alex Jones’ radio show (but don’t hold that against him–Alex Jones has lots of interesting guests, much like Coast to Coast, even if he is a little bit to the moonbat side of normal–and I mean that in the most neutral political sense of the term).
If you’ve ever read Jon Ronson’s books about people staring goats to death (or at least trying their damnedest to and getting paid for their efforts by the govt), or if you’re just paying attention, you’ve probably noticed the truth is stranger than fiction anyway. That’s why I add a little Alex Jones and Coast to Coast in with my Diane Rehm and Michelle Norris listening habits.
Here’s the Alex Jones interview with him:
http://www.livevideo.com/video/thealexjoneschannel/0272C6EEDE924C2C80CDE327556E3C17/dmitry-orlov-the-american-dre.aspx

By: Turboguy

Turboguy — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:40:10 +0000

Dmitry Orlov. Who is this guy and why does he sound EXACTLY like our Professor? http://www.silverbearcafe.com/private/02.09/socialcollapse.html This is an article about collapse, particularly the differences and similarities to the collapse of the USSR and the possible collapse of the USA. A very good read!

By: Charlene

Charlene — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:28:14 +0000

Egads, soylent green is babies!
Swift was certainly one of the kings of satire. Of course, given the sorry state of the school system, I worry that some thoughtful politician might pick it up and act on it.
I can easily picture Obama turning this into an eloquent speech which would be applauded by the happy masses. And, since we’ve seen with war that Catholics don’t have a problem with what happens AFTER one happens to be born, there probably wouldn’t be too much of an outcry from them, either.
At this point, I wouldn’t put it past the bastards.

By: bubbleboy

bubbleboy — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:23:18 +0000

Here is the answer: http://www.online-literature.com/swift/947/ I only wish that I had thought of it!

By: Frank Mezek

Frank Mezek — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:37:36 +0000

Professor Guy:
Better listen to your Nattering Nephew.It’s been proven that the drop is necessary for
a person’s physical,mental,and psychological well being.I can help in this regard.
Frank