Global Collapse

[ysabetwordsmith]

Here's a discussion about global collapse of civilization based on environmental collapse.  I am less optimistic.  This is because I'm familiar with the many historic examples of lesser environmental disasters taking down civilizations, because I have been watching climate change develop for several decades while politicians diddled about, because scientists are now saying we're at or past the point where major change is inevitable even if we somehow got people in gear, and especially because the scientific reports now coming in are repeatedly of the "oops, we underestimated how bad the damage was going to be" variety.

Will the Earth survive?  I don't think we can actually crack the planet yet, so yes.  With a biosphere?  Almost certainly.  With more than rats, roaches, and jellyfish?  Well, it's survived getting smacked by meteors with rather better than that.  Humans?  Probably.  There are lots and they can be tenacious buggers.  Civilization?  Well, not what there is of it now.  It needs redesigning anyhow.  Society is a fragile thing.  Most people have no idea how thin a veneer it is.  I'd like to see the good parts survive, but I won't be surprised if they don't.  It's hard to focus on ephemera when there isn't enough food or water to go around.

Comments

[sylvaine]

It makes me sad to agree with you, but yeah. Civilization as we know it won't last, and the good parts will be the first to go. Question now is just whether this will happen during our lifetime or whether we'll leave it all for our children to deal with.

[cadenzamuse]

Hey, could you cut-tag this with some sort of warning? Ran across it on my flist and...I don't want to call it a "trigger" out of respect for that terminology being related to PTSD, but it caused my anxiety disorder to flare up a shit ton. Am doing the frozen-in-one-spot-so-they-don't-notice-me deer-in-the-headlights thing.

Appreciate it.

[the-vulture.livejournal.com]

Look at the bright side: if society collapses, I can grab a goalie mask and have a go at being Lord Humungus, Warrior of the Wasteland and the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla.

:P


Edit: Maybe I should start recruiting now.

Hands up; who wants to be one of my many merciless minions?

[siege.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you and everyone with a gun and something to want.

[the-vulture.livejournal.com]

You know I was just having a chuckle, right?