The real problem is that even if you are highly optimistic on fossil fuel reserves - say there's 300 years left - all of the most easily accessible reserves have already been consumed. You need high technology for off shore drilling, deep mines, and tar sand processing. With 1800s technology, the amount of oil you could extract today would be zero. If there's a collapse now, there will be no way to recover. This is it. This is our shot. It's the stars or bust.
I really hope the answer to the drake equation isn't "every advanced civilization is brought down from the inside by a cult of incompetency"
Even if the entire core of the earth is filled with oil put there by god, the easily accessible oil is still being depleted at a rate faster than it is replenished (if it is replenished at all). If you think off shore drilling and shale oil and tar sands processing are all a magic show to keep up artificial scarcity, there's no hope for you.
The real problem is that even if you are highly optimistic on fossil fuel reserves - say there's 300 years left - all of the most easily accessible reserves have already been consumed. You need high technology for off shore drilling, deep mines, and tar sand processing. With 1800s technology, the amount of oil you could extract today would be zero. If there's a collapse now, there will be no way to recover. This is it. This is our shot. It's the stars or bust.
I really hope the answer to the drake equation isn't "every advanced civilization is brought down from the inside by a cult of incompetency"
For your consideration.
We live in a world filled with smoke and mirrors.
Even if the entire core of the earth is filled with oil put there by god, the easily accessible oil is still being depleted at a rate faster than it is replenished (if it is replenished at all). If you think off shore drilling and shale oil and tar sands processing are all a magic show to keep up artificial scarcity, there's no hope for you.
All we can do is wait and see. Cheers to the apocalypse. Where're fucked one way or another.