[Bodhi]

The problem with not collapsing is that it’s not possible. If we don’t collapse we’ll just keep on doing what we’re doing until we do collapse. I don’t see any way to climb back down to sustainability (whatever that means) – that level is so far below where we are right now that the climb down would look/feel like collapse anyway.

I prefer the approach of weaning myself off the need to feel I’m in control, loosening my fear of the unknown, letting go of my attachments to memories and expectations, and watching in delighted amazement as things unfold. But YMMV…

[Bodhi]

@pipefit: You say, “Either the decline phase of which you speak is avoided entirely, or all it’s all over for the species.” I think you’re being a bit too black and white here.

First, we can’t predict the unfolding of the future with anything like that degree of certainty. Literally anything may happen, though some events have higher probability than others. I can think of many ways in which a decline might be halted short of bouncing off the rocks.

Second, the idea that nuclear power plants, waste repositories and bomb dumps could exterminate our species if we stop monitoring them is far too extreme. Yes, some power plants could go out of control if their active safety systems were allowed to decay before the cores were shut down; decaying fuel containments can release nasties into the surrounding air, water and land; bombs would probably just sit there unless some scavenger opened one up. However, from what I know about radioactive materials, I’d bet that the danger zones would be quite localized. Perhaps there would be a lot of them, and perhaps some would be quite lethal, but that isn’t enough to do in our species. Humans are quite good at surviving in the safety of the cracks.

I think of us as the super-intelligent cockroaches that featured in lurid early-50’s sci-fi movies. Our species survived Toba, after all. A few nukes can’t bring us down that easily. I think we should accept that we can’t know the future, let alone control it, so we should just wait and see what happens as it becomes the present. It’s bound to be a fascinating experience.

[Bodhi]

Brilliant! Overflowing with juice. Bravo!

I hadn’t seen the concept of fractals applied like this before, and the fit is so resonant. Thank you Alexander, this is a first-class contribution to the explication of WTFIGOH (“What the F#@% is Going On Here?”)

[Author]

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