Thinking of running to the country? Forget it.

Bandidoz · Post by **Bandidoz** » 08 Dec 2005, 10:11

As linked on the news page - good article.

http://www.energybulletin.net/11534.html

One of the most common responses to the Peak Oil panic is, ?We?re planning on moving to the country with our friends and producing everything we need.? Let me burst that bubble: Back-to-the-landers have been pursuing this dream for 40 years now, and I don?t know of a single homesteader or community that has achieved it. Even the Amish shop in town. When I moved to the country, I became rapidly disabused of the idea of growing even half my own food. I like doing one or two other things during my day. During my life.

PowerSwitchJames · Post by **PowerSwitchJames** » 08 Dec 2005, 10:31

Very good article. Worth a full read.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 08 Dec 2005, 10:52

Very interesting. It certainly has me thinking twice about the need to run away from the city. However,

When prices soar, country people will be far from friends, manufactured goods, medical care, and everything but their gardens?if they know how to garden. Urbanites will have mass transit and bicycles.

He seems to be overlooking the possibility of a return to equestrian transport in rural areas.

Blue Peter · Post by **Blue Peter** » 08 Dec 2005, 11:09

It is a good article, though it's written from a USA point of view, which is a far larger and less concentratedly populated country than ours.

I would have thought in the UK (certainly England) that it is quite hard to be far from a reasonable-sized town,

Peter.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 08 Dec 2005, 12:04

Interesting article. Very similar to my own view which is that peak oil is more likely to produce Kunstlers "Long Emergency" than a sudden tits up collapse of civilisation. More of a boiling frog scenario than a car crash. Whats going to come out the other end in the second half of this century is anybodies guess.

I just hope we dont have the intellectual and ideological equivalent of George Bush in the US Presidency when the going gets tough a few years down the line. An idiot like that would likely start world war 3 in response to the international tensions bought on by rising energy costs.

Blue Peter wrote: I would have thought in the UK (certainly England) that it is quite hard to be far from a reasonable-sized town
Peter.

Ha! Depends how you define 'far' . I can show you plenty of places in the UK where you can walk (quite fast!) all day and see nothing but sheep and/or pine trees.. or if you're really lucky a farmer on a trike with a couple of dogs in tow..

extractorfan · Post by **extractorfan** » 08 Dec 2005, 12:25

I just hope we dont have the intellectual and ideological equivalent of George Bush in the US Presidency when the going gets tough a few years down the line. An idiot like that would likely start world war 3 in response to the international tensions bought on by rising energy costs.

I thought we were experiencing WWIII, its just a long grinding war which will not end in our lifetime to match the long emergency.

If you're sick of people moaning about this and that, missing the bigger picture even though you try to introduce some new ideas, running to the country is the thing to do, if only to protect ones sanity.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 08 Dec 2005, 12:31

extractorfan wrote: I thought we were experiencing WWIII,

Are we? I hadn't noticed. I seem to be experiencing a cup of Guatemalan Arabica and an apple. No action visible from where I'm sitting.

Blue Peter · Post by **Blue Peter** » 08 Dec 2005, 12:51

skeptik wrote:Ha! Depends how you define 'far' . I can show you plenty of places in the UK where you can walk (quite fast!) all day and see nothing but sheep and/or pine trees.. or if you're really lucky a farmer on a trike with a couple of dogs in tow..

Do you charge for this service? or can I book you to organize my holiday next year for free?

I guess that you mainly mean in Wales and Scotland, and a few moorland areas in England? Though even there I suspect that some of the time, if you walk in the right direction, you can end up somewhere with a few people,

Peter.

extractorfan · Post by **extractorfan** » 08 Dec 2005, 13:20

skeptik wrote:
extractorfan wrote: I thought we were experiencing WWIII,
Are we? I hadn't noticed. I seem to be experiencing a cup of Guatemalan Arabica and an apple. No action visible from where I'm sitting.

That would be like the US not noticing we were experiencing WWII until Pearl Harbour. We've been told that we are at war, and that we will not see the end of it. Its no secret we just don't talk about it. Thats all I mean. The world seems divided into Populist, Capitalist, Theocratic states, and we are beginning to quarral.

Sorry, off topic I know.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 08 Dec 2005, 14:20

extractorfan wrote:We've been told that we are at war, and that we will not see the end of it.

Bugaboo!

Don't believe everything you read in the papers. A genuine WW3 would be bad for business. Periodic sabre rattling and slow simmering (controlable) conflicts in the third world, with the occasional genocide, is good for business.

Shop in Windsor. Made in China.

None of the big players have any genuine desire to *seriously* upset the applecart. Compared to the economies of WW2, everybody is too interdependent these days. It just wouldnt be as much fun or as profitable as it used to be. Serious people would lose serious ammounts of money rather than making it as they did in WW2.

extractorfan · Post by **extractorfan** » 08 Dec 2005, 14:32

OK, I think you know what I was getting at, but with a name like skeptik I see.

Funny though, can't even produce our own tat.

Karl · Post by **Karl** » 10 Dec 2005, 15:35

Well, this piece is written by someone staying in a town. Clearly there is downs and ups with the two. I would say also it depends on the person you are, if you are a jew for example you are better of in a town, unlike humans who genetically are more suited for the rurals.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 10 Dec 2005, 19:11

Blue Peter wrote:
skeptik wrote:Ha! Depends how you define 'far' . I can show you plenty of places in the UK where you can walk (quite fast!) all day and see nothing but sheep and/or pine trees.. or if you're really lucky a farmer on a trike with a couple of dogs in tow..

Do you charge for this service? or can I book you to organize my holiday next year for free?

I guess that you mainly mean in Wales and Scotland, and a few moorland areas in England? Though even there I suspect that some of the time, if you walk in the right direction, you can end up somewhere with a few people,

Peter.

Er.. yes. I dont think you need my services. And yes it does involve walking in the 'right' direction if you want to avoid civilisation.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 10 Dec 2005, 19:25

Karl wrote:Well, this piece is written by someone staying in a town. Clearly there is downs and ups with the two. I would say also it depends on the person you are, if you are a jew for example you are better of in a town, unlike humans who genetically are more suited for the rurals.

Dear Karl, or should I say troll. Youve obviously never experienced life on an Israeli Kibbutz or you would not be spouting such absurd racist garbage.

Should you wish to test your theory I suggest a few months picking oranges, hoeing cotton, mucking out cowsheds or feeding chickens at Kfar Menachem. Its handilly situated for sightseeing trips to Jerusalem or an afternoon on the beach.

Once youve experienced what you have no knowldege of then we can talk about it. Hopefully that wont be neccessary as with luck you will manage to get yourself banned from this board by continuing to express opinions like that. Its always satisfying to see the scum getting skimmed off.

Over and out, Karl. If nothing else you are now on my personal 'ignore' list.

genoxy · Post by **genoxy** » 11 Dec 2005, 01:19

Karl wrote:Well, this piece is written by someone staying in a town. Clearly there is downs and ups with the two. I would say also it depends on the person you are, if you are a jew for example you are better of in a town, unlike humans who genetically are more suited for the rurals.

Wow! Thank God for genetical engineering then, eih?

How's the weather on Mars today, Karl?

It's always nice to learn new things about myself. Thank you for your "insight".

PS, just for your knowledge, I'm quite tall and have a small nose. Sorry if it comes as a shock to you

Sorry for going off topic here...