The Twilight of an Age

Peak Moment 138: In his book, "The Long Descent", John Michael Greer observes that our culture has two primary stories: "Infinite Progress" or "Catastrophe". On the contrary, he sees history as cyclic: civilizations rise and fall. Like others, ours is exhausting its resource base. Cheap energy is over. Decline is here, but the descent will be a long one. It's too late to maintain the status quo by swapping energy sources. How to deal with this predicament? He lays out practical ideas, possibilities, and potentials, including reconnecting with natural and human capacities pushed aside by industrial life. [www.thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com]

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• collapse
• civilization
• energy

[Yanqui9]

Why do they always do these impromptu interviews right next to the kitchen with all the noise and loud dishware? Is it a tradition? :-) Good interview though, I've read many of Greer's books. I like his humorous and level headed approach to alternative issues, he's not a screaming conspiracy nut bobblehead at all!

[peakmoment]

Hi Yanqui9 -- we were at a hotel at the ASPO 2008 conference, and scrambled to find a corner anywhere where we could tape John Michael! (This was a bar not yet in use in the afternoon).

His newest book, Ecotechnic Future, is quite good. I'll have some comments on my blog Janaia's Journal on the Peak Moment website.

[PeakPetroleum]

Janaia Donaldson (the female presenter) needs to stop interrupting while the person shes interviewing is talking. Although she is obviously very educated on the subject i find her comments rather repetative and pointless. PLEASE JANAIA LET YOUR GUEST TALK AND STOP TALKING YOURSELF. At the end of every sentence saying "wow" "uhuh" "oh my goodness" etc... it becomes rather annoying and actually distracts me from what experts are saying and the points they are raising.

[peakmoment]

Thanks for your input, Peak. I'm working to do that.

[PeakPetroleum]

I am sorry for being rude, what your doing is absolutely fantastic and to be completely honest i had a moment of fustration! I've watched all your video's and i only wish more people would know about peak oil, i was actually wondering if you had any advice for warning my friends about this? they just wont listen.

[peakmoment]

Not rude, honest. I appreciate that. My growing edge.

Peak, your frustration is understandable. You're 21, and I'd expect your peers don't want to hear it. Consider: the mainstream media barely notices Peak Oil. Why?

One reason: it doesn't benefit those in power, the money masters.

Another: humanity has never before had an extravagant bonanza of millions of years of energy, and all it has enabled. Thus, we've never had to powerdown at a global scale. Off the charts, and easier to just deny.

[florgat91]

I like these videos and they make a lot of sense - then I tell my family/friends about peak oil and they laugh at me like I'm a kook -- and I look at the number of views here on youtube and I realize they are only a relatively few people even thinking about this stuff - it's very confusing.

[jiggystardust]

You're right, it needed much better special effects. Maybe a car chase or two (erm, I mean to). What really would have improved this interview is if he was running away from a massive explosion and then hit the deck just as the blast gets to him.

[spsalsm]

@drumheadcircle Oh man, I totally agree. Oil is running out? Pssh. Please. We won't make any more technological progress without the oil that's been supporting it for three centuries? And we'll actually have to do without? Come on. Aliens will save us.

[acent2112]

excellent thnx 

[drumheadcircle]

Ol'Windbag. A whole lotta fluff about nothing. Is this guy even capable of a factual sentence? Or just psycho-babel?

[qboxer]

What a breath of fresh air John Michael Greer is from the usual doomers. I really enjoyed listening to this interview.

[reoreason]

Who are these beings within the rings of spinning vapors that appear from thick cloud like smoke and have a rainbow around their chariots? I dont think mankind knows too much what is here.

[reoreason]

Who are these beings within the rings of spinning vapors that appear from thick cloud like smoke and have a rainbow around their chariots?These are mans future

[AlexanderOKind]

As soon as the struggle for energy hits, all those in power will notice they can't have all the luxuries and will have more problems on their plate than they can handle. It's all about looking good in the eye of society, which sooner or later it shall catch up and crumble them. as it says in the Constitution the people have the power to rise and over throw the government, so now they have to hit the ground running and get on a better track than the one they're on.

[DD99able]

Great interview. I think Janaia Donaldson does an excellent job as interviewer. I am just reading The Long Descent now. I have only read about one-sixth so far but I am very impressed with what I have read so far; very readable, logical and thought-provoking.

[joyfulwands]

I think Janaia did a very good job. Some of the interiews on mainstream tv are extremely rude/interruptive. Her short responses give the impression she is listening to what the interviewee is saying.

Janaia, thank you for all you do! Including finding that small space in a large event to have this stimulating conversation~I am a bit biased when it comes to JMG though, he's great.

[lighthouseprj]

He is absolutely right. This is a very GOOD interview. Thank you for publishing it. :-)