Pulling It All Together In Time

We tend to be, at times, overwhelmed by all the headlines: “Roubini: U.S. is a Ticking Fiscal Time Bomb”, “Mark Faber: social obligations will lead Western states to default”, “James Jones: Iran’s Nukes ‘Top Global Security Threat’”, and so on.

But this past week we ran into an essay by John Michael Greer posted 2/3/10 on his web site, “The Archdruid Report”, entitled “Endgame”. This “should read” essay calmly, clearly and reasonably ties a lot of these current headlines and views together while putting them in some historical context: hence the title “Endgame”.
Here are a few excerpts with a compelling conclusion:

• “Scattered among the statistical noise that makes up most of today’s news are data points that suggest to me that business as usual is quietly coming to an end around us, launching us into a new world for which very few of us have made any preparations at all.”

• “What this means, if I’m right, is that we may have just moved into the endgame of America’s losing battle with the consequences of its own history. For many years now, people in the peak oil scene – and the wider community of those concerned about the future, to be sure have had, or thought they had, the luxury of ample time to make plans and take action. Every so often books would be written and speeches made claiming that something had to be done right away, while there was still time, but most people took this as the rhetorical flourish it usually was, and went on with their live in the confident expectation that the crisis was a long way off. We may no longer have that option. If I read the signs correctly, America has finally reached the point where its economy is so deep into overshoot that catabolic collapse is beginning in earnest.”

CONCLUSION:

• “Those of my readers who haven’t already been beggared by the unraveling of what’s left of the economy, and have some hope of keeping a roof over their heads for the foreseeable future, might be well advised to stock their pantries, clear their debts, and get to know their neighbors, if they haven’t taken these sensible steps already. Those of my readers who haven’t taken the time already to learn a practical skill or two, well enough that others might be willing to pay or barter for the results, had better get a move on. Those of my readers who want to see some part of the heritage of the present saved for the future, finally, may want to do something practical about that, and soon. I may be wrong – and to be frank, I hope that I’m wrong – but it looks increasingly to me as though we’re in for a very rough time in the very near future.”

PrudentHome Comment: We couldn’t agree more.

Until next time; keep your eyes on the horizon as the weathers changing fast.