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Tag Archives: Societal Collapse
The Bulletin: October 22–28, 2026
The Bulletin: October 22–28, 2026 This past week’s articles of interest… CLICK HERE If you’re new to my writing, check out this overview. Bolivia’s Energy Crisis Deepens as Natural Gas Reserves Run Dry | OilPrice.com The oil apocalypse is here Chemical Plume Blankets Parts Of Toledo, Triggering Evacuation Orders | ZeroHedge Gorilla Gardening — by Shane — […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXVIII–The Representative Racket: A Canadian Reflection on a Historical Artifact
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXVIII– The Representative Racket: A Canadian Reflection on a Historical Artifact More and more I’m coming to the conclusion that “representative” (or “indirect”) democracy is just another in a long line of ruling elite rackets. And by “racket” I’m thinking of Major General Smedley Butler’s definition used in War is a […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXVII–Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 7: Patterns, Prophecies, and the Path Forward
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXVII–Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 7: Patterns, Prophecies, and the Path Forward This Contemplation concludes my series exploring the responses of ruling elites to diminishing returns on investments in complexity. I’ve looked at: squeezing of the population (Website Medium Substack); ideological justification (Website Medium Substack); military expansion (Website Medium Substack); scapegoating (Website Medium Substack); and technological […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXVI– Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 6: Technological Salvation and the Pursuit of Innovation
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXVI– Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 6: Technological Salvation and the Pursuit of Innovation Today’s Contemplation is the last response I will analyse that explores a society’s ruling elite attempts to counter diminishing returns on investments in complexity: technological salvation and the pursuit of innovation. Thus far I […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXIII–Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 4: Military Expansion and the Pursuit of Conquest
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXIII– Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 4: Military Expansion and the Pursuit of Conquest This Contemplation continues my exploration of elite responses to diminishing returns on investments in complexity. Part 2 explored the most common one–squeezing the population–and the extraction mechanisms used. Part 3 analysed the response of […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXII–Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 3: Investing More Heavily in Ideological Justification
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXII– Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 3: Investing More Heavily in Ideological Justification I began this series of Contemplations on elite responses to the architecture of collapse by outlining the five recurring ones that tend to be made in the face of diminishing returns on investments in complexity: […]
The Bulletin: September 10–16, 2026
The Bulletin: September 10–16, 2026 This past week’s articles of interest… CLICK HERE If you’re new to my writing, check out this overview. Massive Escalation: Iran Sends Large Ballistic Missile Salvo On Jordan Bases, After US Strikes Iranian Oil Tankers | ZeroHedge U.S. Finds A War It’s Willing to Declare Animals regulate water, land, and climate : […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXI–Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 2: Squeezing the Masses Even Tighter
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLXI– Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 2: Squeezing the Masses Even Tighter In Part 1 of this series of Contemplations on the typical responses of a society’s ruling elite to societal collapse, I discussed the problem of diminishing returns on investments in complexity–perhaps the central tenet of archaeologist […]
The Bulletin: September 3–9, 2026
The Bulletin: September 3–9, 2026 This past week’s articles of interest… CLICK HERE If you’re new to my writing, check out this overview. Trump Attacks Iran Attacks Trump Attacks … How to Engineer a Food Crisis — UNSHADOWED (IAF) The Leipzig Incident Has All The Hallmarks Of A False Flag The Heat Strike: Our Last Chance to […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLX–Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 1
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLX– Elite Responses to the Architecture of Collapse, Part 1 Have you noticed that when a society begins to falter, to move sideways, its ruling elite rarely if ever respond by looking in the mirror and asking, “What are we doing wrong?” No–instead they ask, “How can we maintain our positions […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLIX– On the Limits of Ecological Recovery: A Response to a Thoughtful Challenge
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLIX– On the Limits of Ecological Recovery: A Response to a Thoughtful Challenge In my recent Contemplation on affordability, collapse, and the architecture of hydrocarbon decline I argued that the ecological conditions necessary for the reemergence of a large, complex society are unlikely to be met after our global, industrial ones […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLVIII–On the Hunger of Empires
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLVIII–On the Hunger of Empires While I should be out in my gardens beginning the late-summer preparations I typically do at this time of year to get ready for our lovely Canadian winters, I have chosen instead to quickly pen a Contemplation focused on imperial collapse following a conversation I was […]
The Bulletin: August 20–26, 2026
The Bulletin: August 20–26, 2026 This past week’s articles of interest… CLICK HERE If you’re new to my writing, check out this overview. Collapsing Now, Gone in 2030 — Johnny Silverhands Jeff Currie: Forget $91 Brent, The Real Crisis Is $170 Diesel | ZeroHedge More on the Next ‘Super El Niño’ Energy: Preparations and Possibilities Revisited — […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLVII–Unchallenged Propaganda: Good Government and the Theology of Growth
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLVII–Unchallenged Propaganda: Good Government and the Theology of Growth I’m going to take a bit of a detour from the past few Contemplations concerning the Architecture of Collapse I’ve been developing and address something that is a bit of a pet peeve for me. It’s the constant barrage of propaganda emanating […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLVI–Affordability, Collapse, and the Architecture of Hydrocarbon Decline, Part 3
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCLVI–Affordability, Collapse, and the Architecture of Hydrocarbon Decline, Part 3 shutterstock.com In Part 1 of this Contemplation (see: Website Medium Substack) I argue that Gail Tverberg’s affordability argument complements my supply-side, EROI one. Extraction costs rise as EROI falls, and the subsequent increase in energy prices erodes affordability for the 90% of income earners […]
