What will change actually mean for the under 30's?

[Rasputin69]

I have framed this fairly generic musing under the above title mainly because I approach energy descent and climate change issues, as well as everything else, with the mindset of a young man who grew up in the 90's, but I ask the opinions of others, by means of initiating advice if not just general discussion, as to what you think diminishing supplies of energy and a changing climate will mean for those between, say, 16-26, who have grown up surrounded by more and more wealth?

My immediate feelings are that PO and CC, while being huge factors that needs addressing, are not the real, underlying problem(s). Basically, I suppose I'm asking you, especially those who've witnessed the development of the igeneration as older adults, what you think is necessary; whether the under 30's stand much of a chance in inheriting the world of their peers and actually making it better; and to be quite open-ended, any words of wisdom you would give to the 80's and 90's people? I hope that makes sense, cheers.[/i]

[fifthcolumn]

I personally think it all comes down to the decisions of our leaders.
In any case, the young will adapt to their environment.
For them the way it is now is all there is. The past is ancient history to them.

For example:
When I was a teen in the 80s nobody my age had a car. Many families were single car families or none at all. I took public transport almost the entire time I was at uni until fourth year when I had an old beat up ford escort estate car.
I was very surprised a couple of years ago to see on a friday evening in the summer the entire top floor of the car park in the town centre of a town just outside the city I lived in, completely filled with a bright array of multi-coloured souped up ford fiestas, versas et cetera et cetera.
None of them could have been older than twenty years old.
So the current generation of teens own a lot of cars compared to my generation.
It did me no harm not to have a car for most of my teens.
It will do the current crop of teens no harm to not have a car.

As to the economy:
As part of generation X I entered the job market in a recessionary period (1989-1993). There was nothing doing in the depressed north and all I could get were commission only sales jobs, bar jobs etc.

Until things get better that's likely to be the same for the current crop.

So: what do we tell the teens?

Nothing. Unless you believe in extreme doom.

But if you tell them the future is a mass grave and they go into shock and waste their teens and twenties worrying and doom does not come, have you just wasted their lives?

Be very careful with the message you're spreading.

[mobbsey]

I personally think it all comes down to the decisions of our leaders.

The most important decision they can make is to realise that they can't solve everything, because their existing philosophy can't adapt to the challenges ahead, and so "back off" and let us get on with solving things locally.

[2 As and a B]

My words of wisdom to the young generations...

Look at the animals and see what is important to them, for that is how countless generations of humans have traditionally lived without the benefit of an energy source. Learn to look after yourself (this cosy world of electronic gadgets, food in packets and wall-to-wall entertainment is really just an anomaly), cooperate with your fellows (for without them you will have nothing) and don't believe anything anyone in authority says (for they are only interested in lining their own nest). And as you grow older, you too will become cynical.

[jcw]

Although things will be increasingly difficult for nearly all, it will vary individually according to behaviour (and luck sometimes).

I think those young people with less of a sense of "entitlement" and who try to do their best and keep their employers happy will generally do better.

Many aged under 30 are extremely spoilt and have unrealistic expectations even for the peak economic period which is now just past.

Expectations will have to be lowered greatly.

[RenewableCandy]

Young people (well everybody, but it seems a particular issue with teenagers and the like) are going to have to get a bit less squeamish. Our two didn't fancy the thought of eating "our" chickens (these are as yet only hypothetical chickens, and this is why!) when they got to the end of their lives (erm I mean the chickens ) and on the other hand I am going to have to tell them that prolonged expensive care for their mum at the end of her life is a stupid luxury and I'd far rather they let me go, and keep the roof over their heads. If I don't buy-it on the roads first, that is

[fifthcolumn]

I personally think it all comes down to the decisions of our leaders.

The most important decision they can make is to realise that they can't solve everything, because their existing philosophy can't adapt to the challenges ahead, and so "back off" and let us get on with solving things locally.

I dunno mobbsey, it seems to me that the French for one are doing a grand job of making the right decisions even though they have limited energy resources. So too the Swedes.

We here in Canuckland are dawdling because we have shedloads of resources.

Back home in Blighty it seems like the government still *thinks* they have tons of resources.

Not that I like the French much, but I sincerely hope the French experiment works. Good on them.

[UndercoverElephant]

Many aged under 30 are extremely spoilt and have unrealistic expectations even for the peak economic period which is now just past.

Expectations will have to be lowered greatly.

Yes. They are going to discover that they are going to have to work quite a lot harder than the previous generation and get a lower standard of living in return. That's the best case scenario.

You are talking about a generation that can't even remember what Britain was like during the chaos of the seventies and the nasty, miserable start to the eighties.

[jonny2mad]

well im a doomer , so at some point a fast crash die-off migrations of billions of starving people, something worse and faster than the fall of the roman empire, currency systems collapsing, barbarian hordes , resource wars the collapse of our political system the return of human slavery ,shortages of ambrosia tinned rice ect ect .

I tell all the young people I know this, I may be wrong but I think its a interesting future and Im not worried about upseting them

[UndercoverElephant]

I tell all the young people I know this, I may be wrong but I think its a interesting future and Im not worried about upseting them

For those of us with a sense of perspective on the events currently playing out down here on Planet Earth - a sense of history, and the enormity, inevitability and speed of what is coming - these are indeed interesting times. There's no point in being worried about upsetting people. If you can get through to a few, that's even better, but most will not realise what they are living through until the really serious shit starts happening.

I think we are looking at a slow-fast crash. For a while, people will hold The System together, just as the politicians and banksters have managed to fool people into believing the global financial system isn't fundamentally broken when in fact it is, but there will surely come a point where it is no longer possible to hide the scale of the problems. This will be the end of the era of "globalisation" and the start of the fast part of the crash.

[Mark]

......whether the under 30's stand much of a chance in inheriting the world of their peers and actually making it better; and to be quite open-ended, any words of wisdom you would give to the 80's and 90's people? I hope that makes sense, cheers.[/i]

One of the big issues for this (and subsequent) generations will be how to earn a living. Job security is going out of the window, so there's going to be far more casualisation and temporary work. I'd advise training for a career that's bound to be around. Food (growing/cooking), we all need to eat; Power (renewables/electrical), we'll still need the leccy; Medical (doctor/nurse/undertaker), as I believe there'll still be a level of health provision.
These are only examples, but my advice would be to think about the long term viability of your prospective career VERY carefully.

My second piece of advice would be to choose your life partner very carefully. A 'painted lady' who's a great laugh on a night out but hopeless in the kitchen will just be storing up problems. Choose somebody who at least has a level of understanding about the world around them.
The future should be a lot easier if you have 2 people working in the same general direction.

[RenewableCandy]

My second piece of advice would be to choose your life partner very carefully. A 'painted lady' who's a great laugh on a night out but hopeless in the kitchen will just be storing up problems. Choose somebody who at least has a level of understanding about the world around them.

Too right. I'd look bloody queer with a supermodel dripping off my right arm

[fifthcolumn]

My second piece of advice would be to choose your life partner very carefully. A 'painted lady' who's a great laugh on a night out but hopeless in the kitchen will just be storing up problems.

You don't need to worry about the dolly birds. They'll do all right.
When I was in Mexico on business there were some dozen or so dolly birds just hanging around. I suspect they were "paying in kind" in some way or another for the crumbs from the rich man's table.

[Mark]

My second piece of advice would be to choose your life partner very carefully. A 'painted lady' who's a great laugh on a night out but hopeless in the kitchen will just be storing up problems.

You don't need to worry about the dolly birds. They'll do all right.
When I was in Mexico on business there were some dozen or so dolly birds just hanging around. I suspect they were "paying in kind" in some way or another for the crumbs from the rich man's table.

I wasn't unduely concerned about the dolly birds, more so the future prospects of the guys that marry them.
Still, on the bright side, they might die with a smile on their faces.

Equally I'd advise a practical gal (like a young RC type) against hooking up with a games nerd or a sky sports addict.

[RenewableCandy]

Equally I'd advise a practical gal (like a young RC type) against hooking up with a games nerd or a sky sports addict.

Don't think I don't worry, about what RC fille is going to drag through the door in a few years' time! Or that RC fils won't end up with some gold-digger.