Are we scary?

Norfolk In Chance · Post by **Norfolk In Chance** » 27 Feb 2009, 16:18

I'm giving up condoms for Lent.

I always found them a bit chewy anyway.

Vertis · Post by **Vertis** » 27 Feb 2009, 16:42

Norfolk In Chance wrote:
I'm giving up condoms for Lent.
I always found them a bit chewy anyway.

And that's the humour I like on PowerSwitch!

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 27 Feb 2009, 16:54

Awesome!!

Now where were we, ah yes, scary. Grrrrrr!!!

dotty · Post by **dotty** » 27 Feb 2009, 18:28

I think I'm failing dismally to say what it is I mean to say and define why I said you were scary...To be fair it was a bit tongue in cheek...I'm not scared of much

I'm a practical sort of girl

I'm not so much interested in arguing about whether x y or z will happen or whether it will happen next week next year of some time in the future. What I'm interested in is self reliance no not to the exclusion of others...But the gaining of practical skills that mean that these things don't have too much impact on my life (ok in complete meltdown dieoff I'm probably toast).

I work as a freelancer using good old tinternet...just last week or the one before I lost one of my jobs 'due to the current economic problems'....Got to be honest it's a bit of a blow and it's halved my income...Which had already taken a pounding due to the fact I work in England but like lovely euros to spend...So in the last twelve months due to exchange rate issues the money in my pocket had dropped by a third and then with the loss of the job halved.

When we moved out here...I had what felt like a revelation...If you don't need much money to live on you don't need to earn very much. I think HWH is a fine example of this in practice and I've long been a fan of her self sufficient lifestyle. Whilst we are no where near there we have dumped our debt. Learnt to grow stuff. Developed new values that mean we don't really need to earn as much. So although losing loads of income is a bit of a pain I'm trying to get my head round how much more time that gives me to do stuff that compensates for the lesser income...for example more veg grown.

All I was trying to say was that it sometimes from a long time lurker perspective comes across that you argue about stuff that doesn't really need to be argued about...but that doesn't in anyway detract from the quality postings on here...just for me made it a bit scary...

How's this for scary:
I'm trying to sell my house just because I've found a bigger place that means the totally self sufficient dream can be a reality...so I'm selling a smallholding...The viewer who wants to smallhold in France turns up wearing heels...declares 'it's a bit rural and a bit too hilly' It's advertised as being in the mountains

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » 27 Feb 2009, 18:28

DominicJ wrote:It can be quite scary on here, because iof you dont accept group think the group deems you an enemy.

KILL THE HERETIC ! KILL THE HERETIC ! KILL THE..... oh, sorry, got a bit carried away there....

2 As and a B · Post by **2 As and a B** » 27 Feb 2009, 18:55

dotty wrote:I think I'm failing dismally to say what it is I mean to say and define why I said you were scary...To be fair it was a bit tongue in cheek...I'm not scared of much

I'm a practical sort of girl I'm not so much interested in arguing about whether x y or z will happen or whether it will happen next week next year of some time in the future. What I'm interested in is self reliance no not to the exclusion of others...But the gaining of practical skills that mean that these things don't have too much impact on my life (ok in complete meltdown dieoff I'm probably toast).

I work as a freelancer using good old tinternet...just last week or the one before I lost one of my jobs 'due to the current economic problems'....Got to be honest it's a bit of a blow and it's halved my income...Which had already taken a pounding due to the fact I work in England but like lovely euros to spend...So in the last twelve months due to exchange rate issues the money in my pocket had dropped by a third and then with the loss of the job halved.

When we moved out here...I had what felt like a revelation...If you don't need much money to live on you don't need to earn very much. I think HWH is a fine example of this in practice and I've long been a fan of her self sufficient lifestyle. Whilst we are no where near there we have dumped our debt. Learnt to grow stuff. Developed new values that mean we don't really need to earn as much. So although losing loads of income is a bit of a pain I'm trying to get my head round how much more time that gives me to do stuff that compensates for the lesser income...for example more veg grown.

All I was trying to say was that it sometimes from a long time lurker perspective comes across that you argue about stuff that doesn't really need to be argued about...but that doesn't in anyway detract from the quality postings on here...just for me made it a bit scary...

How's this for scary:
I'm trying to sell my house just because I've found a bigger place that means the totally self sufficient dream can be a reality...so I'm selling a smallholding...The viewer who wants to smallhold in France turns up wearing heels...declares 'it's a bit rural and a bit too hilly' It's advertised as being in the mountains

But dotty, PowerSwitch is "The UK's Peak Oil Community, raising awareness and making changes" and the forums are for discussing Peak Oil / Oil depletion and how, when and why it will affect the UK, in its various aspects.

If you want to concentrate on growing veg and self-reliance, try another forum such as Selfsufficientish, Downsizer, Newhouse Farm (It's Not Easy Being Green, as was) or River Cottage.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 27 Feb 2009, 19:07

DominicJ wrote:It can be quite scary on here, because iof you dont accept group think the group deems you an enemy.

I don't think it's anything to do with not accepting group think, but why would anyone be here if they didn't accept the assumptions this forum is based on? If someone has a differing view that they seriously want to get across, and they put it in a clear and non aggressive way, I'm sure that we would have a good discussion about it.

Any new person who walks into a room of people in real life, with an antagonistic attitude, would soon be told where to go. So why should it be any different here. If you join a new group you sit in the corner quietly for a bit until you get the feel of the place, then you make an effort to fit in, or you go somewhere else. I think we're far more tolerant of people with an inappropriate attitude than we would be in real life.

I can understand why people who do sit in the corner quietly for a bit before they join in get scared off, and it's a shame.

dotty · Post by **dotty** » 27 Feb 2009, 19:10

"The UK's Peak Oil Community, raising awareness and making changes"

Ugh don't really get this 'raise awareness' sure (but this is precisely why I find you scary not you personnally you understand but the argumentative tone of the forum must scare off some people who are interested in peak oil) but surely making changes is about living in an oil depleted world?

If you want to concentrate on growing veg and self-reliance, try another forum such as Selfsufficientish, Downsizer, Newhouse Farm (It's Not Easy Being Green, as was) or River Cottage.

I'm a member of some of these forums

Are you telling me to go away

because to be honest if this is the reception that someone who has taken on the coming oil depletion problems and has tried to act how the flip are you :

raising awareness and making changes

Phew

RGR · Post by **RGR** » 27 Feb 2009, 19:12

[quote="JohnB"]

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 27 Feb 2009, 19:16

RGR wrote:All evidence to the contrary perhaps?

Chiming in for those of us who actually have experience in the field in question and are considered trolls because of it....

Maybe it's largely down to the attitude of the presenter and the method of presentation, rather than the information itself.

2 As and a B · Post by **2 As and a B** » 27 Feb 2009, 19:22

dotty wrote:
"The UK's Peak Oil Community, raising awareness and making changes"
Ugh don't really get this 'raise awareness' sure (but this is precisely why I find you scary not you personnally you understand but the argumentative tone of the forum must scare off some people who are interested in peak oil) but surely making changes is about living in an oil depleted world?

If you want to concentrate on growing veg and self-reliance, try another forum such as Selfsufficientish, Downsizer, Newhouse Farm (It's Not Easy Being Green, as was) or River Cottage.
I'm a member of some of these forums Are you telling me to go away because to be honest if this is the reception that someone who has taken on the coming oil depletion problems and has tried to act how the flip are you :
raising awareness and making changes
Phew

Taken from here http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/ and here http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum/index.php dotty.

That's the stuff that PowerSwitch does.

I don't think I can make it any plainer.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 27 Feb 2009, 19:55

RGR wrote: Chiming in for those of us who actually have experience in the field in question and are considered trolls because of it....

I think it is really useful to have someone posting here from an oil industry perspective and a US perspective and if you think some of the problems many of us worry about are not a worry, well that's fine too. We need to be challenged on our assumptions and have our ideas tested.

However when we are just mocked, rather than rationally reasoned with and when we are given a signature like

Global Peak Oil happened in 1929, 1941, 1948, 1957, 1973, 1980, 1990, and 2005, and maybe doing an encore in 2008!
Peak Oil ---- If you missed the hysteria during the last one, on average its only 10.8 years till the next one!

which, less face it, is mocking us, then it's not surprising that some folk sometimes think of trolls.

Maybe we should all try to be nicer to each other, perhaps even making our signatures polite.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 27 Feb 2009, 20:05

JohnB wrote:
RGR wrote:All evidence to the contrary perhaps?

Chiming in for those of us who actually have experience in the field in question and are considered trolls because of it....
Maybe it's largely down to the attitude of the presenter and the method of presentation, rather than the information itself.

What information

?

lancasterlad · Post by **lancasterlad** » 27 Feb 2009, 20:12

I'm with Dotty. I visit this forum to learn about ALL aspects of possible P.O. change whether that be growing veg or learning about 12v systems. I want to listen to like minded individuals on how they are finding their way through the changes in life they are making.

I finds adam2's level headed advice indispensible. There are many others also whose contribution I value - kenneal, snow hope, renewable candy, andy hunt and more - never met them, don't know them.

I find rgr's postings of interest and even some of dj's.

The forum has become very confrontational recently. We are all entitled to our views and to say what we think but the tone needs toning down.

I'm amazed at the number of people I'm coming across in my work who've never heard of PO but are making lifestyle changes because they can see where the future lies in regard to energy policy, food security, and the economy. I'd like those people to get a warm welcome here should they choose to explore PO.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 27 Feb 2009, 20:16

RenewableCandy wrote:What information ?

I don't know. I can't pick it out from the bullshit, so this important argument that's intended to show us that we're wrong isn't getting across. I'd certainly like to be convinced that we've nothing to worry about, but need well presented facts before I'll change my mind.