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akbryant54 · 4843 days ago · link · · parent · post: Time to Wake Up: Days of Abundant Resources and Falling Prices Are Over Forever
Unfortunately we don't live in the 18th century anymore, peak fossil fuels hasn't happened before, peak oil alone is going to be enough to seriously mess with people's retirement plans, to say the least.
I wish I shared your optimism.
I wouldn't say I'm and optimist. This time is always different for you Malthusians and we are all to blind to see it right? I suppose that eventually you might be right, but rationally I think that that a two hundred and fifty year track record of hysterics and failure is pretty compelling evidence that these types of predictions shouldn't keep me up at night.
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akbryant54 · 4841 days ago · link ·
Believe what you will, the fact is that peak oil has already happened, oil production has been flat for several years, and the global supply chain is entirely dependent on fossil fuels, especially oil.
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That much seems to be true. There isn't much hope that we can bring oil online as fast as demand for it rises. My guess is that we'll really be able to test this for a peak after the global economy recovers. However, that might be some time coming.
Personally, I think food is going to be even more dicey before energy. Water tables are dropping all over the place.
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thenewgreen · 4841 days ago · link ·
As China and India's middle classes grow and they get a penchant for foods that they previously ate little of, it will drive prices up too. -It already is. For example, China is eating more beef and they aren't able to produce enough. Therefore they are importing it from the US, thus driving our cattle prices up. Food Costs are going to be an issue. That being said, we currently spend a very small percentage of our incomes on food. -If I recall it was at about 15% in 1975 and in 2005 it was around 10% of total income. -Much like "prices at the pump", people will not care until it hits them directly in the wallet.