{"id":69265,"date":"2025-07-25T03:00:21","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T08:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=69265"},"modified":"2025-09-21T05:42:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T10:42:39","slug":"todays-contemplation-collapse-cometh-ccxiii-keep-calm-and-carry-onhuman-ingenuity-and-technology-will-save-us-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=69265","title":{"rendered":"Today\u2019s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCVIII\u2013Keep Calm and Carry On\u2026Human Ingenuity and Technology Will Save Us! Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today\u2019s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCVIII\u2013<\/b><\/b><\/b>Keep Calm and Carry On\u2026<\/b>Human Ingenuity and Technology Will Save Us! Part 1<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Human <\/span>cognition<\/span><\/a> and the many psychological mechanisms that impact our species\u2019 comprehension, emotions, and beliefs about the world are fascinating subjects, as is <\/span>epistemology<\/span><\/a> (aka the \u2018theory of knowledge\u2019).<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite being mostly enthralled with biology during my late high school education and physiology during my early university years, I wandered into studying psychology for a couple of years while pursuing my second bachelor’s degree before becoming more interested in human evolution and completing a <\/span>Master of Arts degree<\/span><\/a> in anthropology\/archaeology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was the use of <\/span>Stephen Jay Gould\u2019s<\/span><\/a> Ever Since Darwin<\/span><\/a> text in an introductory psychology course that sparked my interest in human physical evolution and then a chance meeting with one of the university\u2019s senior archaeologists to help advise on course selection within the anthropology department which steered me into that field and an eventual graduate degree that focussed on North American archaeology (working on a variety of pre\/historic sites in Ontario, Canada, and Oaxaca, Mexico).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I read up on epistemology mostly on my own as a side interest while studying archaeology being exposed to some very interesting aspects in introductory psychology and anthropology courses (particularly <\/span>philology<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>hermeneutics<\/span><\/a>), and then also auditing a senior philosophy course on archaeological theory\u2013little of which I understood having none of the fundamental background knowledge; I don\u2019t know what the hell I was thinking by enrolling in it. <\/span>(See: <\/span>Decline of \u2018Rationality\u2019<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A handful of my Contemplations that discuss human psychology:
\n<\/span>Despite Warnings We Have Continued Business-As-Usual and Doubled-Down On Our Avoidance Behaviours<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nAvoiding ‘Collapse’ Awareness<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nReality is an Inconvenience to Beliefs<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nMost People Don\u2019t Want Their Illusions Destroyed<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nCarbon Tunnel Vision And Resource\/Energy & Ecological Blindness, Part 1<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a> Part 2<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a> Part 3<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nCognition and Belief Systems in a ‘Collapsing’ World: Part One<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a> Part Two\u2013Deference to Authority<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a> Part Three\u2013Groupthink<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a> Part Four\u2013Cognitive Dissonance<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a> Part Five\u2013Justification Hypothesis<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a> Part Six\u2013Sociopolitical ‘Collapse’ and Ecological Overshoot<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Yes, I spent the entire 1980s in three universities (<\/span>Western<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>McMaster<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Brock<\/span><\/a>) chasing a number of degrees, settling into a career in education by the end of the decade\u2013it\u2019s where the jobs were at the time\u00a0 (and this hot girl I had met was interested in that profession). Thankfully my hometown had a university, so I did not have to pay for room and board for most of the first two degrees (I got married during the second one and we moved into the university\u2019s married-students residence that was very reasonably priced, with rent being based upon income. With both of us being students, the rent was relatively low reflecting our income\u2013we celebrate our 40th anniversary next summer).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I had a relatively good-paying job working part-time in a grocery store so I was able to pay for much of this self-indulgence, working 20-24 hours a week on top of my classes (although I did accumulate some student loans along the way as well that I paid off quickly after graduating\u2013interest rates were about 14% at the time that I had to start repaying them\u2013with the help of working part-time in <\/span>The Beer Store<\/span><\/a> on top of my working full time as a classroom teacher). Thank the stars for youthful energy, especially those 4 months or so early in my university days that I spent working full-time from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. stocking shelves before heading home for a quick shower and then off to the university for my physiology classes that began at 8:30 a.m.\u2013typically sleeping from about 2-3 p.m., until 9 p.m..<\/span><\/p>\n

Anyways, I raise this fascination with psychology because as humanity\u2019s large, complex societies continue their journey along the <\/span>Seneca Cliff<\/span><\/a> of \u2018collapse\u2019, one should expect not only a considerable increase in the symptoms that signal societal decline\/simplification, but more importantly from a human psychological perspective a significant and concomitant shift in the beliefs and human responses (emotional and behavioural) that accompany the increased tension that arises from the ecological and societal deterioration that is occurring and becoming more obvious and difficult, if not impossible, to ignore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Humans are, if nothing else, a highly \u2018intelligent\u2019 species engaged in enormously complex thinking and behaviours to reduce\/avoid our anxiety\/stress (pain) and increase our optimism\/positive \u2018vibes\u2019 (pleasure). And, given our story-telling nature, we often do this via the tales we tell ourselves and others, with these stories influencing every aspect of our cognition, beliefs, emotions, and actions\u2013and not always in a positively adaptive manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oftentimes, it would appear, we employ maladaptive strategies but believe they are helpful and create a variety of narratives to support and defend them\u2013even if there is overwhelming evidence that they are ill-informed, quite flawed, and in many cases defy biological processes, geological limitations, and physical laws. And we are, unfortunately, helped along these \u2018destructive\u2019 pathways by members of our own species who leverage perceived crises and our fear and anxiety about them to expand their personal wealth and power. <\/span>[Note: I am using \u2018we\u2019, \u2018our\u2019, \u2018us\u2019 as a generalisation throughout this writing.]<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A handful of my Contemplations that touch on how crises are leveraged against us:
\n<\/span>Rackets: Keeping the Curtains on Reality Drawn. <\/b>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nEnergy and Its Interconnections With Our Financialised Economic System<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nFiat Currency Devaluation: A Ruling Elite \u2018Solution\u2019 to Growth Limits<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 Substack
\n<\/b>Rackets: Keeping the Curtains on Reality Drawn. <\/b>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nRuling Elite Rackets Everywhere\u2026.. <\/b>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Societal Decline and Concomitant Stressors<\/b><\/p>\n

In his 1988 monograph <\/span>The Collapse of Complex Societies<\/span><\/a> archaeologist Joseph Tainter argued that human societies at their core are problem-solving organisations and that they increase in\u00a0 complexity through ever-increasing investments in problem-solving. This approach, however, eventually reaches a point when marginal productivity and effectiveness of the \u2018solutions\u2019 being pursued can no longer rise\u2013complexity can still accrue some benefits past this point, but at a <\/span>declining marginal rate<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As the \u2018solutions\u2019 pursued begin to lose their efficacy and perceived issues go unresolved, societal stress begins to grow\u2013this is primarily due to our tendency to use the easiest-to-achieve and least-expensive-to-implement \u2018solutions\u2019 first, leaving the more difficult and expensive approaches until later in our problem-solving approach\u2013i.e., we pick the lowest hanging fruit to begin then move to the ones that require more \u2018investments\u2019, especially in terms of resources (particularly energy).<\/span><\/p>\n

Add to this growing strain that many, if not all, of the \u2018solutions\u2019 we pursue tend to lead to larger and more convoluted \u2018problems\u2019 down the road due to expanding complexity, nonlinear feedback, and unforeseen complications\/consequences. This increases societal stressors as time goes by and requires more and more problem-solving efforts and investments, sometimes to a point where the \u2018costs\u2019 outweigh the \u2018benefits\u2019. A positive feedback loop emerges that is difficult if not impossible to escape from <\/span>(See: <\/span>Problem Solving: Complexity, History, Sustainability<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>). [Note: I put \u2018problem\u2019 and \u2018solutions\u2019 in quotes as much of what we are dealing with are not \u2018problems\u2019 but predicaments that have no solutions, only outcomes\u2014see<\/span> Erik Michaels\u2019 writing<\/span><\/a> on this important clarification\u2014particularly when we are dealing with the stresses related to ecological overshoot and all of its symptom predicaments.]<\/span><\/p>\n

Tainter goes on to suggest that today\u2019s rising \u201cconcern with collapse and self-sufficiency may itself be a significant social indicator, the expectable scanning behaviour of a social system under stress, in which there is an advantage to seeking lower-cost solutions\u201d (p. 210).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This scanning behaviour Tainter is speaking of refers to the expansion of general awareness and associated assessments that a social system employs when it senses challenges or stressors. It reflects how a society measures its environment in order to find adaptive strategies (proactive and reactive \u2018problem solving\u2019) that support and sometimes enhance survival. The hope is that vulnerabilities can be identified and crises anticipated by monitoring change, gathering relevant information, and adopting strategies that can address the pending or occurring issues. But more often than not, I would argue, we are being reactive in our problem-solving behaviour as opposed to proactive; however, either approach tends to result in greater complexity and additional \u2018problems\u2019 to \u2018solve\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

To sum up this scanning behaviour and what arises from it: <\/span>when the social and physical environments that we exist within begin to exhibit significant stress, humans increasingly notice and begin to look for ways in which that stress can be relieved. This stress relief is usually via some form of \u2018problem solving\u2019 investment. There is a good argument to be made to suggest that this is a classic \u2018<\/span>fight-or-flight<\/span><\/a>\u2019 response to alleviate anxiety\/avoid pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are some of the more obvious stressors that seem to be rising to the surface of societal awareness? I\u2019ve listed some in the following table and how they seem to manifest themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nThese stressors seem to be exploding across nations and the globe, an indication of our global, industrial societies experiencing systemic strain and declining resilience. Such change significantly increases the potential for societal \u2018collapse\u2019; it doesn\u2019t guarantee it, it simply sets up a society for a stress surge that cannot be addressed and pushes it past a tipping point. <\/span>(See: <\/span>Collapse = Prolonged Period of Diminishing Returns + Significant Stress Surge(s) Part 1<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/b><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Medium<\/b><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Substack<\/b><\/a> Part 2,<\/b> Website<\/b><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Medium<\/b><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Substack<\/b><\/a> Part 3<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/b><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Medium \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b><\/a>Substack<\/b><\/a> Part 4<\/b>, <\/span>Website<\/b><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Medium<\/b><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/b>Substack<\/b><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Depending upon one\u2019s perspective, the cause of these stressors varies widely. Most tend to be somewhat <\/span>reductionist<\/span><\/a> in their evaluation leading to the pointing of fingers at individual determinants, especially at the political and\/or economic systems. And while these certainly play a not non-significant role, the vast majority of this thinking neglects the complexity of systems and especially the biogeophysical aspects that I would argue underpin the increasing stress our globalised, industrial societies are experiencing; especially biological processes (e.g., ecological overshoot), geological constraints (e.g., finite resource limitations), and physical laws (e.g., thermodynamic, especially entropy).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It is rare indeed that there is any consideration or discussion regarding the notion that many if not all of the predicaments we are facing are the result of humanity having bumped up against and are now experiencing the consequences of <\/span>ecological overshoot<\/span><\/a> as laid out by Meadows et al in their 1972 text, <\/span>The Limits to Growth<\/span><\/a>, and William Catton Jr. in his 1980 monograph, <\/span>Overshoot:The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the most part, what one must not do is challenge the ideas of economic growth and its associated \u2018progress\u2019 for they are the dominant and preferred mindsets within the modern <\/span>zeitgeist<\/b><\/a>, and must be maintained regardless of the \u2018costs\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Human Psychological Responses To Stressors<\/b><\/p>\n

Regardless of the causes of these stressors, the responses by our species to them vary rather widely with much depending upon sociocultural context, community dynamics, available resources, and personal circumstances. And while some may simply seek more information about what is occurring, others pursue more actionable pathways\u2013such as adapting behavioural changes that can steer individuals and\/or communities towards \u2018sustainable\u2019 practices and self-sufficiency, relocating\/migrating from a \u2018failing\u2019 region\/nation, or engaging on a sociopolitical level\u2013it is the psychological reactions that I am focussing upon in this Contemplation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The psychological repercussions of growing societal stressors are exceedingly complex and also quite varied. Some people handle stress much better than others, with much depending upon personal experiences and personality traits, but also sociocultural norms and expectations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The tendency of some in the face of growing societal stress is to lay the blame at the feet of others and we see this in the rise of<\/span> \u2018<\/span>othering<\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/a> alongside both domestic and geopolitical strife. Some actually take a diametrically-opposite path with attempts to form altruistic networks and organisations to support individuals and communities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Still others don\u2019t even acknowledge these stressors, wondering what all the fuss is about. <\/span>James Howard Kunstler<\/span><\/a> has argued that many, perhaps most, are simply too caught up in the \u2018thrum of daily life\u2019 and personal\/family stress that takes precedence over concerns about societal-level stressors (I often think about the \u2018privilege\u2019 I have in being able to contemplate and then pontificate about in my writing these issues and topics in light of some of the tragedies and situations others in this world are experiencing on an almost daily basis\u2013some not small number of people are struggling to avoid sectarian violence, survive the next bombing run, put food on the table, and\/or pay for or find shelter).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if part of this \u2018lack of interest\u2019 is due to the large number of individuals in our \u2018modern\u2019 societies being medicated for anxiety\/depression\u2013a personal communication from one of our local pharmacists a couple of years ago caused me to pause when he declared that he guessed a good half of our town\u2019s adult residents were on anti-anxiety\/-depressant medication; likely exaggerated, but still…\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And then, of course, there are all the distractions that the ruling elite help to maintain\u2013the Roman \u2018<\/span>bread and circuses<\/span><\/a>\u2019; \u2018modernity\u2019s\u2019 version being found mostly in the entertainment industry (think musical performances, video games, theme parks, film and television production, sports, etc.).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While fear and anxiety about external stressors can overwhelm some, perhaps the most common reactions are reflective of the <\/span>grieving stages<\/span><\/a> (much of the above few paragraphs on responses can be categorised into these). When societies experience stress, it is common to have to confront loss and significant change, and the stages of grieving are a reflexive response to this as they help to alleviate anxiety-provoking thoughts and fear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nThe defence mechanism of <\/span>denial<\/span><\/a> is one of the initial ones employed when confronting stress. It is the refusal to accept the reality that one is experiencing. It is oftentimes a temporary coping strategy to help protect oneself from overwhelming emotions. If the issue doesn\u2019t exist, neither does the emotional torment. Problem solved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, in the context of a failing society, this reaction can lead to more problematic outcomes since it delays actions that might help to reduce the negative consequences that accompany ecological overshoot and societal simplification. Denial often results in the belief that things are not nearly as bad as portrayed by some and that stability will reassert itself soon enough even in the face of evidence to the contrary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s the <\/span>bargaining<\/span><\/a> stage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At this point in our global, industrial society\u2019s \u2018collapse\u2019 I am witnessing a significant rise in this particular phase of grieving\u2013it could just be my <\/span>confirmation bias<\/span><\/a> (I\u2019ve noted it and now I see it everywhere). It would seem that more and more people are moving past the denial stage\u2013more-or-less acknowledging that there are growing signs of societal and ecological stress\u2013and into that of attempting to negotiate themselves and\/or society\u2019s way out of the situation to avoid the associated anxiety and loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Oftentimes, the bargaining by way of seeking \u2018solutions\u2019 is aimed at sustaining current living arrangements with as little inconvenience as is possible. Many appeal to our politicians and political institutions (naively, in my opinion, believing the decision makers in these systems\u00a0 actually have the best interests of the masses at the top of their agendas). Others put their faith in the \u2018free market\u2019 and corporate \u2018leaders\u2019 (believing that \u2018rational\u2019 choices by consumers and human innovation will lead us to the promised land). And some turn to society\u2019s \u2018experts\u2019 and academics, having placed \u2018science\u2019 on a pedestal that is \u2018objective\u2019, definitive in its conclusions, and capable of \u2018solving\u2019 all \u2018problems\u2019 given enough time and resources (not appreciating the impossibility of our species to have complete objectivity, the influence that paradigms and incentives have on steering a lot of research, and the leveraging of this approach by various profiteers\u2013including our political class).<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A handful of my Contemplations that discusses these appeals to authority:
\n<\/span>The Politics of Dancing: The politicians are now dj\u2019s\u2026<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/b>She Blinded Me With Science, and More On The \u2018Clean\u2019 Energy Debate\u2026<\/b>.<\/span> Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nSolace Will Not Be Found Within Our Sociopolitical Systems\u2014Biogeophysical Limitations Cannot Be Overcome By Way Of Policy<\/b>. <\/span>Website<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a>
\nOur Political Systems Are Not Going To Help Our Predicament As They Want\/Need Growth<\/b>. <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>Sociopolitical Agency, Narrative Control, and Collapse<\/b>. <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>Substack<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Being who we are\u2013a story-telling ape with the ability to devise and construct various complex tools\u2013we are tending to gravitate towards utopian tales of unending progress and \u2018relevant\u2019 technologies in our attempts to \u2018solve\u2019 and\/or mitigate the array of societal and ecological stressors. Most of the technologies we are employing tend to be \u2018quick fixes\u2019, the lower-hanging fruit of \u2018solutions\u2019. On top of this many are spreading fantastical tales through their support of prototypes or conceptual\/as-yet-to-be-hatched technologies that will \u2018save\u2019 humanity and the planet\u2013all of them quite magical in their ability to be \u2018clean and sustainable\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nUnfortunately, this problem-solving approach that humanity tends to use ignores both the complexity and deeper structural aspects of the issues we are facing. And more often than not, we have been drawn towards the idea that technological fixes in particular are sufficient to prevent, address, or reverse precarious situations. Because, after all, technology is always \u2018progressing\u2019 as it\u2019s always getting better (\u2018new and improved\u2019), and human ingenuity guarantees this forever and ever. Amen!<\/span><\/p>\n

This stage of grieving that strives to confront loss and change also aims to maintain\/regain a <\/span>sense of agency<\/span><\/a> in our lives and societies. In trying to retain a sense of power over our lives, quick-fix solutions are quite appealing. We often don\u2019t care if they are getting to the root of the issue or not. Does it provide, even temporarily, immediate relief from the stress\/anxiety being experienced? Yes? Then let\u2019s do it and to hell with the fallout or we will deal with it, if any, down the road. And since we\u2019re such an intelligent species, we will \u2018solve\u2019 such repercussions\u2026eventually.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is guaranteed because it\u2019s always worked in the past\u2013only it hasn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In Part 2, I will explore this human ingenuity and technological prowess aspect further and its use to bargain our way out of societal and ecological collapse. And what prompted me to write this Contemplation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

What is going to be my standard <\/span>WARNING\/ADVICE<\/b> going forward and that I have reiterated in various ways before this:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnly time will tell how this all unfolds but there\u2019s nothing wrong with preparing for the worst by \u2018collapsing now to avoid the rush\u2019 and pursuing self-sufficiency. By this I mean removing as many dependencies on the Matrix as is possible and making do, locally. And if one can do this without negative impacts upon our fragile ecosystems or do so while creating more resilient ecosystems, all the better.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Building community (maybe even just household) resilience to as high a level as possible seems prudent given the uncertainties of an unpredictable future. There\u2019s no guarantee it will ensure \u2018recovery\u2019 after a significant societal stressor\/shock but it should increase the probability of it and that, perhaps, is all we can \u2018hope\u2019 for from its pursuit.\u201d<\/span>If you have arrived here and get something out of my writing, <\/span>please consider ordering the trilogy of my \u2018fictional\u2019 novel series, Olduvai (PDF files; only $9.99 Canadian)<\/b>, via my <\/span>website<\/span><\/a> or the link below \u2014 the \u2018profits\u2019 of which help me to keep my internet presence alive and first book available in print (and is available via various online retailers).<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Attempting a new payment system as I am contemplating shutting down my site in the future (given the ever-increasing costs to keep it running).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are interested in purchasing any of the 3 books individually or the trilogy, please try the link below indicating which book(s) you are purchasing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Costs (Canadian dollars):<\/span>
\n<\/span>Book 1: $2.99<\/span>
\n<\/span>Book 2: $3.89<\/span>
\n<\/span>Book 3: $3.89<\/span>
\n<\/span>Trilogy: $9.99<\/span><\/p>\n

Feel free to throw in a \u2018tip\u2019 on top of the base cost if you wish; perhaps by paying in U.S. dollars instead of Canadian. Every few cents\/dollars helps\u2026\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

https:\/\/paypal.me\/olduvaitrilogy?country.x=CA&locale.x=en_US\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

If you do not hear from me within 48 hours or you are having trouble with the system, please email me: <\/span>olduvaitrilogy@gmail.com<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also find a variety of resources, particularly my summary notes for a handful of texts, especially William Catton\u2019s Overshoot and Joseph Tainter\u2019s Collapse of Complex Societies: see <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today\u2019s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CCVIII\u2013Keep Calm and Carry On\u2026Human Ingenuity and Technology Will Save Us! Part 1 Human cognition and the many psychological mechanisms that impact our species\u2019 comprehension, emotions, and beliefs about the world are fascinating subjects, as is epistemology (aka the \u2018theory of knowledge\u2019). Despite being mostly enthralled with biology during my late […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3,4,5,6,7],"tags":[12372,150,154,1330,22093,658,1776,14221,33984,30370,33947],"class_list":["post-69265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-economics","category-energy-2","category-environment","category-geopolitics","category-liberty","category-survival-2","tag-bargaining","tag-collapse","tag-complexity","tag-denial","tag-ecological-overshoot","tag-psychology","tag-seneca-cliff","tag-societal-collapse","tag-stages-of-grieving","tag-todays-contemplation","tag-todays-contemplation-collapse-cometh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=69265"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69373,"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69265\/revisions\/69373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=69265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=69265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=69265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}