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Could We Go Back to the 1950s, Please?
Could We Go Back to the 1950s, Please? On radical acceptance and energy cannibalism Saying sorry might not work this time. Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash How come that we always end up discussing how to do what we do differently — like how to become sustainable, or how fast should we “transition” to “renewables” etc. — and never ever if […]
Could We Do Civilization Better?
Could We Do Civilization Better? Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash There seems to be a persistent mental bug preventing us from building a sustainable civilization. So far I have been focusing on the cultural, technological and political aspects of how and why each and every technological civilization ended up in ruins, and why ours is […]
Finding Our Future
Finding Our Future We are looking for it in all the wrong places SolarPunk versus Fossil Fuels AI-Generated – Copilot The world in the image on the left above is totally dependent on the world in the image on the right. These now function as states of cognitive dissonance, which must be resolved by […]
The Destiny of Civilization
The Destiny of Civilization From the cave to the stars…? Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash We live in dangerous times. Everything seems to be out of normal: stagnating economies, inflation, wars and an unfolding ecological and climate disaster. This is clearly not how things ought to be… While many just wave a hand and say, we will […]
Musings on the Nature of Technology
Musings on the Nature of Technology A picture taken during the trip (own photo) Recently I have been on a four-day hiking trip, completing another 80 km (~50 mile) stretch of the 1171 km National Blue Trail running across my tiny country. This gave me plenty of time to tune into and ponder on the many […]
Musings on the Nature of Technology
Musings on the Nature of Technology A picture taken during the trip (own photo) Recently I have been on a four-day hiking trip, completing another 80 km (~50 mile) stretch of the 1171 km National Blue Trail running across my tiny country. This gave me plenty of time to tune into and ponder on the many […]
I Saw the Future of Europe… In India
I Saw the Future of Europe… In India Photo by Mitchell Ng Liang an on Unsplash This is definitely not going to be an article what the title may suggest. At least not for those who still believe in the mainstream paradigm, according to which “everything can only get better with time”. This is also not going to […]
Thermal Storage Hopium
Thermal Storage Hopium Photo by Photoholgic on Unsplash After realizing that there is not enough mining capacity to “produce” the necessary amount of metals to build enough batteries (not only lithium, but copper, nickel and much more), a mad scramble to find an alternative electricity storage solution began. Last time I revisited the problem, the hype was all about using aluminum waste […]
Dodging The Gator – What Can Be Done?
Dodging The Gator – What Can Be Done? Photo by Dušan veverkolog on Unsplash Humanity is in overshoot, and a major correction is already underway, something, which will only accelerate even further. A runaway energy crisis, together with resource depletion, climate change and ecosystems collapse will upend centuries of growth and prosperity. But what does that mean on […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh LXXXIII–Ruling Class Endgame For Everything: Wealth Generation and Wealth Extraction
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh LXXXIII December 9, 2022 (original posting date) Chitchen Itza, Mexico. (1986) Photo by author. Ruling Class Endgame For Everything: Wealth Generation and Wealth Extraction Todays’ contemplation has been once again prompted by a great article posted by The Honest Sorcerer, this time the second part of some observations regarding the complex and evolving […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh LXXXI–Diminishing Returns On Investments In Complexity
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh LXXXI December 4, 2022 (original posting date) Chitchen Itza, Mexico. (1986) Photo by author. Diminishing Returns On Investments In Complexity Another very brief contemplation prompted by The Honest Sorcerer’s latest writing regarding our energy predicament. What you have described so well is perhaps the conundrum faced by every complex society throughout history: diminishing […]
Bye-bye Carbon
Bye-bye Carbon Photo by K B on Unsplash Ours is a carbon based economy. On the other hand, carbon emissions are wrecking the climate; for proof just take a look at this short tour de force from Paul Beckwith. In related news UK emissions in 2023 fell to lowest level since 1879. But why is that so? Are we on a […]
Stragedy Unfolds
Stragedy Unfolds A bitter rant on Europe’s self-implosion The writing is on the wall, but who cares. Photo by Phil Goodwin on Unsplash It is now the second time I’m having afterthoughts upon publishing an article. After writing about how Europe’s well intended but disastrously planned environmental initiative puts us right on track to a […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CLXXVII–Despite Warnings We Have Continued Business-As-Usual and Doubled-Down On Our Avoidance Behaviours
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CLXXVII Rome, Italy (1984). Photo by author. Despite Warnings We Have Continued Business-As-Usual and Doubled-Down On Our Avoidance Behaviours The following is my comment on The Honest Sorcerer’s latest piece that highlights the impossibility of bypassing thermodynamic laws (especially Entropy) in our quest for the Holy Grail of a sustainable civilisation; in this […]
The Arrow of Time
The Arrow of Time Photo by Brandon Molitwenik on Unsplash The circular economy and an endless recycling of materials is an absurd proposal, and not only from a technical perspective; the very idea of a “sustainable” high tech society is in a direct conflict with the laws of physics. After reviewing the technical reasons behind energy & resource cannibalism, as well as […]
