Is society in ruins inevitable?

Remember the Irish potato famine? It seems that potatos are a very efficient crop. Once potatoes were introduced in Ireland farmers were able to raise a lot more food so there was a population explosion. Later the Irish potato famine caused a quarter of the population to die in 6 years.

I remember my high school chemistry teacher say that if chemists could come up with a way to convert hydrocarbons into carbohydrates that we could easily feed the whole world. In a way our farmers have figured out how to do that. The world population has exploded due to the green revolution. In large part the green revolution is the result of petroleum. Modern farming requires large amounts of petroleum to work the soil and oil is needed to make cheap synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Oceans of corn are produced on huge corporate farms then petroleum is used to transport the corn all over the world.

Worldwide oil demand is only increasing. Once the world hits peak oil production the price will skyrocket due to increasing demand and decreasing production. When this happens it will become much more expensive to grow food and we will see a worldwide famine that will make the Irish potato famine look like nothing.

Yes things are going to get bad, very bad.

I think our society is going to go through a rather tough time sometime in my lifetime. However I don’t believe its going to be as bad as you make out, although it will most likely be bad for a time. Oil is of course these days a very much sought after resource, but it is finite. Rather than trying to secure access to Oil, money would be better pumped into alternatives (and not just synthetic oil alternatives - things like electric cars) as in the end they’re going to have to do that anyway.

When the oil goes, we will still have transportation - we had it before oil. Trains can run off electricity (which in my country is generated by Hydro) or as they were only 50 years ago, with Steam Trains (which still exist, and the technology is still being developed and refined). Almost anything that runs off steam can use anything as a fuel source - coal (of which there is vast quatities) and wood (a renewable resource) were the most common. Steam can also power electric Powerplants (a Nuclear powerplant is essentially steam powered). Ships used to be steam powered also, and before that used sails - not as reliable as mechanized propulsion, but it doesn’t cost anything. Cars can run on electricity, as can Buses, the technology is already in existence - it just needs refinement. Some cars used to run off steam too. Before cars people they went around with horse-drawn carts - horses aren’t extinct. The only area which might prove troublesome is the Aviation industry - planes have run off oil from day 1, and although there have been experiments using other fuels, I don’t think they’ve been all that successful. Propellor planes will probably become more common than jet planes in the future too, as a jet relies on the oil being burnt to create propulsion - a propellor only needs to be turned by an engine, which in theory can be powered by anything, even electricity.

I think we will see a big return of the home vegetable garden, and localized dairy and farming industries instead of global ones like we have now. Farmers will either have electric tractors, or use steam powered Traction Engines again, and fertilizers will probably be made up of synthetic materials which will mean they are more costly, else find natural alternatives. Plastic packaging where it can be will be replaced by glass jars and bottles, paper bags/wrappings, or cardboard boxes. But plastic where it is needed will still be used, just made from synthetic processes instead, and more use of recycled plastic will be seen in kitchenware items, as well as metal. Computers and technology will become more expensive, but this will force programmers to be better at programing and not be lazy. Frivolous gadgets will become almost extinct, and people probably won’t have the spare change to buy them anyway. Hand-me-down clothes will become more common once again.

Things will get bad, probably very bad for a time, but it will get better as people adjust. It won’t be the end of society or civilization, and some people will make their fortune from the change from oil. Society existed before oil - it sure as hell can exist after oil. So no, I don’t think it’s inevitable that society will end up in ruins, as I don’t believe it will - it will just adapt. The transition will be hard, is all.

The United states has enough coal to last over 200 years. The United States is 232 years old. Do the math. I think we’ll be relatively ok.

And what’s the problem with water? It’s everywhere, and always will be. It’s not going anywhere…

your not your totally right but its not even stupid resources like oil its the ones we need in order to live and all hell wont break lose because every one will already be dead or they will al sink from global warming its sad really it is

but people dont know how to stop it so no one does anything,,, people arent niave just stupid lmao the president shud make sum laws on this

So there were no hurricanes, earthquakes, mass killings, lawlessness, and drug use until just recently? God just started letting bad things happen to new people?

I guess I forgot all about how things were so much better 50 years ago.

I think we’re already seeing a huge shift in behavior by people. I shop at whole foods, for example, where nearly everything is farmed in a sustainable way & pesticide free (organic).

Also, in terms of Oil, the dependence of modern society on oil has lasted what, 100 years or so? :) That’ s a blip in human history. Solar tech, “clean tech” etc, are all being invested in at record numbers because people care.

I think there will be upheaval, but in 50 years, you’ll still be able to drive to the store & buy groceries. They might be local, and you might be driving a small car that runs on electricity or compost, but you can still do it.

nice one shundarr

So, amblessed, you are saying God is like a petulant child who is mean when ignored?

We’ll eat Soylent Green. (Soylent Green is made from people.)

true, but I just can’t see us coming up with alternative meathods in time

wow, your like so right about that.

I’ll just say this: I can certainly understand your fears and ‘worldly’ outlook - but here is what I know to be true - As a Christian, I believe what the Bible says about how events in this world will unfold - everything happening today is foretold in the book of Revelation - I pay close attention and events are taking place right as it says they would - the most recent - Jerusalem will be divided / peace treaty to be signed (if these two take place, the Rapture (Christ’s return for the believers) may be, I say again, may be very close), Palistinian/Israeli (Bible indicates will last 3 1/2 years) - so bottom line, the world as we know it will come to an end - rise of Anti-Christ / Chaos / up to the battle of Armageddon and the return of Christ - all in the book of Revelation…Hope this helps !!

Our society - Consider:

Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?” In light of recent events…terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK. Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s talking about. And we said OK. Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with “WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.” Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school, workplace, and increasingly cyberspace.

Pessimistic but possibly true. I think you’ve outlined the worst-case scenario. If we do not actively look for fuel alternatives and renewable energy sources, then I think there will be wars over water as well as fuel.