A very good read to get your brain a thinking.

[turpin]

OK, this guy is a major Luddite. He's predicting the end of the industrial age and a return of the Agrarian society. I don't believe that will happen, at least not to the extent he is predicting. Human ingenuity will inevitably find a way around the very real problems presented in the article. Yes, more efficient means of transportation will become commonplace, but cars will remain, and become more efficient or morph into non-combustion based powertrains.

He's predicting a decline in electronic entertainment in favor of more live performances. I think he sees it like Pa Ingalls in Little House On The Prairie, playing the fiddle at night for Ma and the girls to take their minds off the big emptiness out there.

Sorry, I just don't buy off on the depth of change he's predicting.

[Dreadbelly]

OK, this guy is a major Luddite. He's predicting the end of the industrial age and a return of the Agrarian society. I don't believe that will happen, at least not to the extent he is predicting. Human ingenuity will inevitably find a way around the very real problems presented in the article. Yes, more efficient means of transportation will become commonplace, but cars will remain, and become more efficient or morph into non-combustion based powertrains.

He's predicting a decline in electronic entertainment in favor of more live performances. I think he sees it like Pa Ingalls in Little House On The Prairie, playing the fiddle at night for Ma and the girls to take their minds off the big emptiness out there.

Sorry, I just don't buy off on the depth of change he's predicting.

I am not so sure I do either, but I do see big changes. I read this book called "The Death of Suburbia" or something like that and the economic factors involved, it was extremely well presented. For a lot of people, it will be like going back to the dark ages because things will become so expensive for people living in the suburbs living on something called comfort dependance.

America has forgotten how to do a lot of things. Our entire manufacturing base is in China and other places now. We're due for a wake up call soon.

[bubba]

Essentially he's predicting a return of the Dark Ages and given the various fanaticisms today and the oil situation I wouldn't rule that out entirely although I think it somewhat unlikely. On the other hand, I think a return to a more locally based economy wouldn't be a bad thing either along with rebuilding our industrial infrastructure so we'd be far less dependent on imports. As far as energy, technology has the potential to provide new sources that aren't dependent on nonrenewable sources. In the long run the runaway consumerism will decline. I suspect he's directionally correct if a bit extreme.