All Episodes

[ Episode #6 // Peak Oil Blues ]

The old Chinese curse, "may you live in interesting times", is a particularly apt encapsulation of the current moment we experience on the global stage of affairs, yet facing an uncertain future doesn't mean it has to unfold as bleak.

The readily available net energy which drove rapid expansion of a particular form of dominance hierarchy known as corporate capitalism is fading, and with its collapse goes the standard of life it engendered. The realization that our embedded expectations of the future might rapidly diverge from reality is one that can be very difficult to integrate. By reaching the global maximum flow rate of oil we face significant psychological issues - as young adults facing this reality, the range of options for preparation can be staggering.

Kathy McMahon of Peak Oil Blues has been helping many deal with the psychological issues one faces when grasping the reality and severity of peak oil. In Extraenvironmentalist #6, we interview Kathy to talk about the psychological dimensions of peak oil and how those of us just starting our adult lives can prepare for life after the peak.

Many thanks to Kevin M. who provided an edit of several documentaries on peak oil - an edit which beautifully and elegantly introduces the issue. At the end of the episode we play a voicemail Kevin left us regarding his thoughts on the Extraenvironmentalist #3's clash between podcast titans KMO and Doug Lain.

 

// Media Links
Media Collage | A 5 Minute Introduction to Peak Oil assembled by and courtesy of Kevin M.

// Music (in order of appearance)
Glasser - Mirrorage via The Music Ninja
Decemberists - Down by the Water via The Music Slut
Caribou - Sun (Midland Remix) via Redthreat
Humans - Avec Mes Mecs via IndieShuffle
Keith Reedy - Drinkin' Billy's Beer via WFMU Beware of the Blog

// Corrections and Blunders

- Please do call or email us with corrections if you find something we've said to be factually inaccurate -