PowerSwitch RIP

[Mark]

Question:
With the steady drop off in posting (to virtually zero) and the total lack of new members, is it time to wrap up PowerSwitch ?

[adam2]

Not in my view. Many existing members still have things to say.
The drop in posts is largely due to lack of relevant news.
The invasion of Ukraine WAS a major topic, but in the absence of either side making major gains, is now less commented on.

The vast increase in energy prices WAS a major topic, but is now a "done deal" with little more to say in the absence of new news.

[UndercoverElephant]

Could move to reddit! I am back on there...

EDIT: That was a serious suggestion. If all the regulars were to move there, set up a subreddit, make an effort to have some interesting discussions for a week or two, and we'd probably attract a few hundred similar-minded people. Turn it into something like /r/collapse, but aimed at a much higher quality of discussion.

[PS_RalphW]

I have registered on the app, but I do not know how to link up with powerswitch on it.

[johnny]

Question:
With the steady drop off in posting (to virtually zero) and the total lack of new members, is it time to wrap up PowerSwitch ?

The demise of one of the few remaining McPeakster websites wouldn't be a surprise, hard to keep up the faith across multiple decades without at least a hint of the Blessed Event.

But in terms of like minded folks all having a common interest (prepping, farming, self reliance, anti-modern most anything, conservative leanings), what's wrong with continuing as a gang that has that in common and enjoys discussing it? No need to dabble in resource economics, geology or oil engineering to create a Rapture scenario, just agree that the world is on a downward slope, self sufficiency is a good thing, and skip all the need to manufacture a why.

[UndercoverElephant]

Question:
With the steady drop off in posting (to virtually zero) and the total lack of new members, is it time to wrap up PowerSwitch ?

The demise of one of the few remaining McPeakster websites wouldn't be a surprise, hard to keep up the faith across multiple decades without at least a hint of the Blessed Event.

The Blessed Event happened in 2008 (conventional) and 2019(total).

[johnny]

Could move to reddit! I am back on there...

EDIT: That was a serious suggestion. If all the regulars were to move there, set up a subreddit, make an effort to have some interesting discussions for a week or two, and we'd probably attract a few hundred similar-minded people. Turn it into something like /r/collapse, but aimed at a much higher quality of discussion.

Which /r/collapse, the older one or the newer "we need to have order and talk about science stuff! (except on Fridays)" one? The "higher quality" is a recent event. Based on the McDoomster types complaining about the new level of moderation and limitation away from "good ol' days" type topics and views, not everyone is thrilled with the NEW and IMPROVED forum rules.

[johnny]

Question:
With the steady drop off in posting (to virtually zero) and the total lack of new members, is it time to wrap up PowerSwitch ?

The demise of one of the few remaining McPeakster websites wouldn't be a surprise, hard to keep up the faith across multiple decades without at least a hint of the Blessed Event.

The Blessed Event happened in 2008 (conventional) and 2019(total).

You learn something every day, I didn't realize that Peak Oil could be...TWO peak oils (could there be..even more...?? ). I don't recall Hubbert mentioning that oil and gas development would naturally deliver one peak at this point in time, and then, no worries, deliver another peak oil over there, further down the road.

As far as whatever "conventional" oil is, I look at all global oil benchmark crudes and I can't find "conventional" even listed as one? Perhaps you could point out those that fit this category for those of us just learning this "conventional" thing? Benchmark oils are usually graded by API gravity, impurities, color, sulphur content, etc etc, is there is a list of what ranges of these qualities is what makes an oil this unpriced benchmark? I mean really, how much more or less does this oil cost than all these other types? If it exists as you claim, we should be able to know what it goes for on the spot market, right?

[Potemkin Villager]

I would support maybe setting up a parallel PS entity on reddit to see if it flys. r/collapse certainly has it's moments but is generally very UScentric.
Have also been banned from one reddit group for no coherent reason, other than I suspect one of the moderators did not like my "attitude".

[UndercoverElephant]

I would support maybe setting up a parallel PS entity on reddit to see if it flys. r/collapse certainly has it's moments but is generally very UScentric.
Have also been banned from one reddit group for no coherent reason, other than I suspect one of the moderators did not like my "attitude".

We need to decide what to call it. What is it that unites the people here, and what we talk about? It is not just peak oil. It is something about what comes after we accept that the civilisation as we know it is in the early stages of collapse. We need a name that accurately captures that something.

The goal is something like r/collapse, but not US-centric and with a much higher quality of debate. What name captures that?

Collapse_debate? No...that's crap.

[johnny]

I would support maybe setting up a parallel PS entity on reddit to see if it flys. r/collapse certainly has it's moments but is generally very UScentric.
Have also been banned from one reddit group for no coherent reason, other than I suspect one of the moderators did not like my "attitude".

Hey! Boy does that sound familiar. Dare to show up with a well informed dissenting opinion and...watch out!

[clv101]

Not super keen on Reddit group. What's the aim here? Personally, I might even prefer a ~dozen of us on a WhatsApp group or email list. There's more than enough big, public facing groups.

[johnny]

We need to decide what to call it. What is it that unites the people here, and what we talk about? It is not just peak oil.

Branding is important, certainly, when trying to build a social media following on a tough sell topic. And avoiding peak oil is another good move, the ease with which anyone associated with that idea can have their credibility instantly questioned is best avoided. Does anyone remember that Matt Savinar guy? He went from lawyer educated, "serious scholar of peak oil" and author and quoted in the US Congress, to a astrology/palm reader, and within the last couple years began substitute school teaching to keep the lights on.

You need something doomy without being too optimistic maybe? Not like "DoomIsNOW", how about one with a little history, a decent pessimisn but not obvious, so that it'll take newbies at least a little to figure out?

TEOTWAWKI

Tied to the land perhaps? "FarmersWithoutFuels"? Objection to modern anything and upset that oil keeps perpetuating it? "ModernLudditesUnite". Most doomers are older, and OG peak oilers are now some 30+ years longer in tooth than when Colin first kicked off the era with his 1990 global peak oil claim, so you can use old references without too much worry, unless you really think the social media aspect of the modern world needs some modern kicker to attract young folks to tales at the end of civilization.

"ApocalypseIsNow"? "FreeYourMindFarmTheLand"? "OldFolksKnowStuff"? "TheDoomFiles"?

I like TEOTWAWKI best. Newbies won't get it, but the veterans will. A bit discredited because it was applied so heavily during old school peak oil days, but still an interesting one, with plenty of doomer kick.

[johnny]

Not super keen on Reddit group. What's the aim here? Personally, I might even prefer a ~dozen of us on a WhatsApp group or email list. There's more than enough big, public facing groups.

What's wrong with Facebook? You can limit the group to only the approved thinkers on the topic and keep as clean an echo chamber as you might want, while still allowing others to show an interest and after an appropriate vetting to make sure they don't think outside the box or dare contradict orthodoxy, still grow the membership a little. There is already a peak oil group there, with lots of leftovers from the old days, they are really good about following these rules, and it works well for them. No one drawing outside the lines, everyone nodding in unison regardless of the quality of the idea, the place is a great reminder of days past without any of the icky distasteful reality intruding on beautifully recycled mantras of yesteryear.

[UndercoverElephant]

Not super keen on Reddit group. What's the aim here? Personally, I might even prefer a ~dozen of us on a WhatsApp group or email list. There's more than enough big, public facing groups.

Good ones?