Here's How NASA Thinks Society Will Collapse, The Atlantic

Those conclusions are definitely not rocket science!

Not rocket science, but looking at certain historic events, probably not to far off the mark. I'm referring to the events at the end of the Roman Empire (Economic polarization and an ineffective legislature). Also, the French and American revolutions where the common masses (the have nots) were overloaded by supporting, and severely dissatisfied with, an out of touch ruling oligarchy(the haves).

IMHO, economic and political polarization, along with an ineffective legislation, are the fuel and oxygen for a revolution. I'm not going to say more because I will start to rant.

NASA says it doesn't think that at all
NASA 14-082 Statement on Sustainability Study

a little more searching finds study name and links NASA study: Way to save Western civilization is PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. | The Daily Caller
links this perfect-storm-paper.pdf FOOD, ENERGY, WATER AND THE CLIMATE: A PERFECT STORM OF GLOBAL EVENTS? By John Beddington CMG FRS Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government mpst.beddington@bis.gsi.gov.uk

don't panic nasa-collapse-study What did that ‘NASA-funded collapse study’ really say?


How the whole population explosion thing plays out can be seen in Haiti

I've read a few interesting pieces in The Atlantic.

But this one seems like a complete fabrication -- the kind of thing you'd expect in an overheated blog rather than a grown-up publication.

NASA was quick to point out that it had nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Bleep! I just responded to FUD. You think after all these years, I'd have known to run down the original content/article instead of relying on a dressed up repost.

> Also, the French and American revolutions where the common
> masses (the have nots) were overloaded by supporting, and >severely dissatisfied with, an out of touch ruling >oligarchy(the haves).

The US population could remove their inneffective legislature by voting and end inequality by voting for people who would change taxation. I think that would happen before society collapsed.

qjs

Err, qjs, I'd stay away from politics if I were you. It's a time of great ill-temper for our American neighbours.

Not for those of us who have tuned out. Jazz on FM never sounded so good.

dougwalkabout wrote:

> Err, qjs, I'd stay away from politics if I were you. It's a time of great ill-temper for our American neighbours.

Good advice doug. Hence I didn't lay any blame for the inneffectivenness and inequality.

qjs

Lucky for you. The local Jazz station just went off the air. Good thing I have a decent collection of Swing and Blues CDs (I hate smooth jazz).

And, yes. Now is a very good time to stay away from American Politics. I'm feeling pretty nihilistic about the current state of affairs, and I don't think I'm alone.

Nihilism is a bit extreme; however disgust across the board is quite appropriate.

Best that we leave the current political mess out of it. As for the OP, I think it hits the mark dead on. That is a pretty astute observation of how potentially Western civilization could end. However, the one nit that I'll pick is that I don't it's entirely accurate to lump that many nations together under such a large umbrella.

Thanks, Phaedrus. I don't have expertise in societal collapse, but I feel that examining historical precedents is probably about the best thing we can do. Too many TEOWAWKI people prepare based on their fears rather than knowledge about the rise and fall of human civilizations.

I'm glad someone pointed out the irresponsible reporting that misrepresents NASA's role in the study.

I spat coffee when I read this. You've been super-funny (at least, to me) in the last couple of weeks.

Agreed. Thanks for the smiles, Bing!!