Pre Apocalyptic Ramblings

As we approach the end of the Industrial Age I think a lot about what I should do. Hording food is a waste of time, since organized raiding parties will quickly steal it, and you might even become food yourself.

The best chance for survival is to rough it on your own, in the deep wilderness. Heavily populated areas will be the worst place to be -- there will be vicious food wars and extreme violence, and eventually the warlords will take over. Life under a warlord may be better than the wilderness, but it will likely be short. Warlord clans will continually fight for domination, and the hierarchy within each group will be determined by "survival of the fittest." If you can't fight or provide an essential service, like making explosives or growing food, then there will be no need for you.

Any area that's heavily populated will experience massive "adjustment." The mass death, rape, pillaging, torture, and cannibalism won't be fun.

The safest place in the world will be the northern arctic regions like Siberia and northern Canada. These areas will hardly feel the global collapse. In fact, energy-rich Russia will get through it relatively intact.

The debt crises will be the first round, as Europe, the United States, and much of Asia sink into a global depression. Oil shortages will be the second round, and will make energy and food unaffordable. The third phase will be a series of short, intense wars, with a few nukes likely going off. These wars will be for resources, and will be fought with savagery, since people will literally be fighting for sheer survival.

Nature has stood quietly as mindless humans have exploded their population, fouled the air and water, and deforested the continents. Now, Mother Nature will spring the trap and get her revenge on billions of people.

Those who survive the carnage will be stronger and smarter. Hopefully, the new generation that spawns from our collapsed civilization will be more kind to the Earth, and will create a world that focuses on respect for life and nature rather than greed and short-term gain. The new world will be greener, quieter, and hopefully more compassionate.

As for me, I'm 50 years old, and I see no sense in going through a lot of trouble to save myself. I really dread starving or dying by violence. I might try living in the forest for a little while, just because I've always liked the woods. I doubt I'll have the skills to survive long. Perhaps I should check out a few library books before the collapse.

As for the guilt of bringing children into this world, I will do all I can to increase their chances of survival. I will do whatever I can to help and save them. But I need to let go of the guilt. I've spent years as an environmentalist and have tried to do what little I can, while still maintaining a job and raising a family. What I have done is light years more than the religious fanatics, who spend much of their money and time supporting a social organization that simply entertains them, makes them feel good, and perpetuates their delusions. And what I've done is tons more than the corporate warriors who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of making more money, so they can travel more, buy more crap, and basically become a bigger drag on the Earth.

So, in the next few years, I will have to go through all this survival crap, and, again, I'm totally dreading it. I think about the billions of poor people in Africa and Asia who will go quickly and painfully. I grieve for all the upcoming suffering.

As I regularly mention, all of this can be avoided because we have the knowledge and technology to live sustainability, but those people who are screaming warnings to the world are simply ignored and brushed off as liberal wackos. The typical human would rather adapt and self-delude his or her self rather than try to tackle the world's problems.

The rambling preachers and politicians have all had their say, and basically they have said nothing. Now, it is Mother Nature's turn.