Thanks for all your great writing, much appreciated. I first visited India in the 1980s and was immediately captivated seeing people making things sitting on the ground in the streets - amazing! Since then I too have often done just that, if there is no work bench, then simply just set up and work on the ground making stuff with hand and small battery electric (luck me!) tools.
[Did you forget to put the links to the videos, I can't see them above?]
I also didn't see any videos; thought maybe it was my adblocking browser extension, but I turned that off and reloaded and still none. It's ok, I have been to India and can visualize it all very well, as you see this kind of industry on every dusty street and back alley.
Though admittedly once again I find the climate refrain a tad irritating. Hasn't the climate always been changing?
Like 'Pandemic', the 'Climate Change' theater production is straight out of the totalitarian's playbook. It corrals people into a low energy degrowth agenda (cos ya know we're saving the planet).
A lot of research suggests we're actually emerging from a local ice age. And in fact for most of recent history the poles have been free of ice.
Another issue is so called global dimming. Surely as emissions drop temps will rise due to less particulates in the upper atmosphere. Although I seem to remember something counterintuitive occurring during the lockdowns wrt to CO2 and temps?
And again I'm wondering how you factor the 450+ nuclear plants and thousands of spent fuel ponds in your future scenarios?
You might try traveling in India, perhaps with an experienced travel-guide. India is pretty vast. Take some trains. Trek in the Himalayas. Spend time walking at street level in a variety of settings. Roll with the punches and go with the flow.
India is not for novice or casual travelers, but for "seekers".
I’ve experienced the same in neighboring Nepal. There I witnessed the life cycle and rebirth of the common red building brick. Brick and concrete buildings demolished by hand labor with sledgehammers while old women carefully sorted, cleaned and stacked the bricks. Bricks transported by wheelbarrow. At some point an old rickety diesel truck is required. Bricks moved by wheelbarrow some more. Reused bricks used in a rural community to build the hearth of the local blacksmith, which sometimes is a separate building but just as often the room addition to a house. Some of the houses use self-generated biogas for kitchen cooking. (These are simple systems installed by a local NGO which I help support.) These are rural agricultural communities where the local population in all appearance are better adjusted to their conditions, happier, and more self sufficient than the inhabitants of Kathmandu; but don’t be surprised if the family matriarch still meets you at the door, farming sickle in hand.
I have always been a "fast collapse" person. The slow decay theories never appealed to me.
(I am also terrible at chess. If someone starts trading pawns as a strategy, my mind just melts down. "Get it over with already. Devise a grand - and fast - strategy!!")
I am beginning to think that "fast collapse" is attractive to people, like me, with limited imaginations. I also hate the idea that the life of my grandchildren (my life is basically over) will be brutish and painful - better that they die painlessly and quickly. So, yeah, I hope that "B" is wrong, and there is simply an inflection (not "inflexion" go USA) point after which everything goes south all at once and completely.
Tim Morgan has a new post this morning, and I almost made a "Fast collapse" argument on his site (as I have numerous times over the last decade or more), but nah ...
Still, there is hope for a speedy end! 50 American servicemen stationed in Kiev (next week?). Bibi may yet strike Iran in some really obnoxious way. US army personnel just 10 or so miles off the coast of China. Yup, the end can come quickly - Go USA!!
Thought provoking article. I too expect a slow decline, as all civilizations experienced throughout history. We're already living it. My focus is on dusting off the skills my parents and grandparents gave me. I'm not particularly mechanically minded, so I focus my attention on growing food in ways that are possible without industrial inputs. I certainly use what I can currently get, but I'm always thinking how things can be done when fuel is even more expensive, when things cost too much to just buy.
Thank you B🙏
Thank you for sharing your insights about our possible future. What you have observed is thought provoking.
Thanks for all your great writing, much appreciated. I first visited India in the 1980s and was immediately captivated seeing people making things sitting on the ground in the streets - amazing! Since then I too have often done just that, if there is no work bench, then simply just set up and work on the ground making stuff with hand and small battery electric (luck me!) tools.
[Did you forget to put the links to the videos, I can't see them above?]
I also didn't see any videos; thought maybe it was my adblocking browser extension, but I turned that off and reloaded and still none. It's ok, I have been to India and can visualize it all very well, as you see this kind of industry on every dusty street and back alley.
Let me add to the chorus of commenter who aren't able to see any of the videos referred to
Let me add to the chorus of commenter who aren't able to see any of the videos referred to
Good observations as per usual.
Though admittedly once again I find the climate refrain a tad irritating. Hasn't the climate always been changing?
Like 'Pandemic', the 'Climate Change' theater production is straight out of the totalitarian's playbook. It corrals people into a low energy degrowth agenda (cos ya know we're saving the planet).
A lot of research suggests we're actually emerging from a local ice age. And in fact for most of recent history the poles have been free of ice.
Another issue is so called global dimming. Surely as emissions drop temps will rise due to less particulates in the upper atmosphere. Although I seem to remember something counterintuitive occurring during the lockdowns wrt to CO2 and temps?
And again I'm wondering how you factor the 450+ nuclear plants and thousands of spent fuel ponds in your future scenarios?
You might try traveling in India, perhaps with an experienced travel-guide. India is pretty vast. Take some trains. Trek in the Himalayas. Spend time walking at street level in a variety of settings. Roll with the punches and go with the flow.
India is not for novice or casual travelers, but for "seekers".
I’ve experienced the same in neighboring Nepal. There I witnessed the life cycle and rebirth of the common red building brick. Brick and concrete buildings demolished by hand labor with sledgehammers while old women carefully sorted, cleaned and stacked the bricks. Bricks transported by wheelbarrow. At some point an old rickety diesel truck is required. Bricks moved by wheelbarrow some more. Reused bricks used in a rural community to build the hearth of the local blacksmith, which sometimes is a separate building but just as often the room addition to a house. Some of the houses use self-generated biogas for kitchen cooking. (These are simple systems installed by a local NGO which I help support.) These are rural agricultural communities where the local population in all appearance are better adjusted to their conditions, happier, and more self sufficient than the inhabitants of Kathmandu; but don’t be surprised if the family matriarch still meets you at the door, farming sickle in hand.
The server was experiencing hiccups. The multiple replies have been deleted.
I’m sure making quality swords from car leaf springs will always be in demand.
Crossbows!
I have always been a "fast collapse" person. The slow decay theories never appealed to me.
(I am also terrible at chess. If someone starts trading pawns as a strategy, my mind just melts down. "Get it over with already. Devise a grand - and fast - strategy!!")
I am beginning to think that "fast collapse" is attractive to people, like me, with limited imaginations. I also hate the idea that the life of my grandchildren (my life is basically over) will be brutish and painful - better that they die painlessly and quickly. So, yeah, I hope that "B" is wrong, and there is simply an inflection (not "inflexion" go USA) point after which everything goes south all at once and completely.
Tim Morgan has a new post this morning, and I almost made a "Fast collapse" argument on his site (as I have numerous times over the last decade or more), but nah ...
Still, there is hope for a speedy end! 50 American servicemen stationed in Kiev (next week?). Bibi may yet strike Iran in some really obnoxious way. US army personnel just 10 or so miles off the coast of China. Yup, the end can come quickly - Go USA!!
There's also the issue of space weather, which is beyond our control.
https://youtu.be/UDKKhNFiXjY?si=jsGnp95YHuixcf3F
I think the battery rebuilder was very proud of his abilities, and rightfully so. Great essay B. Thanks for your writing.
Very thoughtful, very interesting. Thank you.
Ok, so maybe i am utterly blind but mi cannot seem to find or see any video or link to a video. Can you please point them out? Tjank you.
Unless we’re on the cusp of an energy revolution? https://thedebrief.org/nasa-veterans-propellantless-propulsion-drive-that-physics-says-shouldnt-work-just-produced-enough-thrust-to-defeat-earths-gravity/
Thought provoking article. I too expect a slow decline, as all civilizations experienced throughout history. We're already living it. My focus is on dusting off the skills my parents and grandparents gave me. I'm not particularly mechanically minded, so I focus my attention on growing food in ways that are possible without industrial inputs. I certainly use what I can currently get, but I'm always thinking how things can be done when fuel is even more expensive, when things cost too much to just buy.
"Manufacturing of a truck brake drums"
I found this one really telling.
Note how they 'recycle' what looks like used engine oil to heat the furnace.
And how they work barefoot or with just sandals...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GyDCGMrcpk
Here is an essential resource for a low-tech future: https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com.
Kris can supply all his articles on paper via print-on-demand, too. Needs to be on every doomstead's book shelf! https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2021/12/the-printed-website-volume-iii-and-more/
Great Article B, Can some provide a list of low tech ideas to start with as a complete beginner to start of with??