Possible Futures: Thoughtful Realism
Our path to a smaller, slower, and simpler future will be uncomfortable at least, and challenging at best, but not necessarily disastrous for most of us.
Six Stages of Awareness: Chris Martenson (Crash Course) suggests that dealing w/such drastic changes generates responses similar to those in the Kübler-Ross grief sequence (Oct 2008).
Temporary Recession or the End of Growth? Richard Heinberg, The Oil Drum (Aug 2009): Current, well-documented "Alternative Diagnosis" of our current predicament. A fine intro to issues addressed by teotw.net. A more upbeat long-term view than some others on this page.
Dilemma and Denial: Another good piece by Richard Heinberg (PostCarbonInst, Oct 2009).
John Michael Greer: The Long Descent (2008): Plausible, savvy, very well-written, and even (unless you're in denial) guardedly encouraging analysis of the start of a long descent into less complexity, more community, less individualism, more magic/religion, less technology. He rejects the possibility of rapid collapse, citing the lack of historical precedent. [But no previous collapse was on a truly global scale; there were always "escape routes."] Recommended.
Particularly relevant posts from JM Greer; as Archdruid of North America (really) his perspective is decidedly not that of mainstream consumerism and growth. Good stuff.
The Investment Delusion (Feb 2009)
The End of Retirement (March 2009) [you aren't counting on your pension, are you?]
Galloping with Blinkers On (March 2009)
A Terrible Ambivalence (Sept 2009)
Daydreams of Destruction: One of Greer's best posts—a troubling, sincere, clear-eyed view of industrialized society, ecological limits, and human decision-making (Sept 2009).
A relocalized economy, and discussion of why medieval guilds worked (Nov 2009).
Gesture from the "invisible hand" (Nov 2009)
The End of Retirement: "Retirement" is expected by most, but has only been available for about 60 years. Don't expect it to persist in the future (André Angelantoni, Jan 2010).
The Ivory Tower Crumbles: Should you pursue a college degree? (Carolyn Baker, July 2010)
The Speech Obama Needs to Give but won't until/unless collapse signs are visible to all (and maybe not even then; he IS a politician, after all) (The Oil Drum, Oct 2009).
Thomas Homer-Dixon: The Upside of Down (2006): Anticipates breakdown and possible collapse of modern civilization, but generating more resilience now gives us and our descendants a better chance of avoiding deep collapse.
Pat Murphy: Plan C: Community Survival Techniques (2008): Communities, not individuals, are the key to navigating the transition with dignity. Good book, but his blunt excoriation of many aspects of modern American lifestyles and values may alienate mainstream readers who aren't at least partly familiar with the story. So don't start with this book!
Social Collapse Best Practices: Dmitry Orlov (author of Reinventing Collapse, see Collapse) in an hour-long, darkly humorous but very serious portrayal of a collapsing modern society (perhaps belongs in the Dire category...).
Transition Towns: See mission on home page; if interested, read "Who we are and what we do" (click on link near top of page).
Adapting in Place: Post and discussion on The Oil Drum (Feb 2009) about adapting to the transition without picking up stakes and moving somewhere more "sustainable."