Not sure if this made the rounds

at GLP.


This is probably one of the most fatalistic slices of pessimism you'll want to read, so sorry if it brings anyone down...but I'm curious as to the reaction that people out of my usual circles may have.

The document is called "Tipping Point" and it's a pdf linked on the following page:

Tipping Point: Near-Term Systemic Implications of a Peak in Global Oil Production

DoomFinch wrote:at GLP.


This is probably one of the most fatalistic slices of pessimism you'll want to read, so sorry if it brings anyone down...but I'm curious as to the reaction that people out of my usual circles may have.

The document is called "Tipping Point" and it's a pdf linked on the following page:

Tipping Point: Near-Term Systemic Implications of a Peak in Global Oil Production

That's a pretty hefty piece of work - I've only managed to skim the summary for now.

This had been a topic for oddball academics in the past, however more and more, mainstream work is being published. Indeed, the themes of energy depletion, social complexity, and exponential growth are all concepts I have been writing about for years. This shit is the real deal.

There is a long long way to go before societies ever come to grips with the implications of these and many other things, but of course, nature will have overtaken us all by then. I can say only that the next twenty years will be nothing like the last.

Great find and thanks for the link.

[quote="Aetius Romulous"]

DoomFinch wrote:at GLP.


This had been a topic for oddball academics in the past, however more and more, mainstream work is being published. Indeed, the themes of energy depletion, social complexity, and exponential growth are all concepts I have been writing about for years. This shit is the real deal.

You and me both regarding the writing on these issues. I devoted MANY years to the same pursuit, but recently basically gave up after beating my head against one too many brick walls.

Amazing how deep the human capacity for denial goes, isn't it? The general public denies that such things can ever occur in their happy little consumer paradise, while I denied for too long a time that they lacked the innate capacity to do so.

Well, here is our WikiLeaks friend with a real gem...

Turns out that Saudi Arabia has far less oil reserves than anybody knew - 40% less in fact. In diplomatic cables just released, American consulate officials come to grips with the sudden truth that SA cannot hold up its end of the pricing structure - they can raise the price by constricting flow, but no longer have the pumping capacity to increase production to damp down price increases.

The economic consequences are huge of course, and much will be written in the coming days. However, given the current unrest sweeping the region, this revelation could seriously undermine SA's ruling elites ability to hold on to power.

Matt Simmons had been howling at the moon for years about this and in death he is vindicated.

WikiLeaks cables: Saudi Arabia cannot pump enough oil to keep a lid on prices