Today I want to point out Shepherd Bliss' editorial about emotional responses to peak oil. He even encourages the reader to email him about their own process.
A learning curve with respect to oil depletion is important. We should also consider that there is a feeling curve that might go something like denial, doubt, anger, fear, bargaining, acceptance. It wouldn't always occur in this order, or with all these stages; some people jump ahead, then back. With the learning and feeling curves can come a doing curve. Many people are acting and making major changes in their work, relationships, and habits related to transportation and where to live.
Which stage might you be in with respect to Peak Oil? What do you need to move to another stage? Perhaps there are stages you have experienced that I have not described. If so, please explain them to me at sb3@pon.net. I am interested to understand how we can reach more people with the information and metaphors that could convey the Peak Oil situation and helpful ways of responding to it.
I think it is helpful to understand that our emotional states are often stages in a broader process. In other words "this, too, shall pass." It also enables us to take advantage of the emotional energy that gets triggered. We need to do something with it--and the doing of which makes us feel better.
5 comments:
Liz --I am in post-acceptance, re-denial stage. My thinking head realizes it is coming. Coming like a tsunami. My emotional parts say, damn we are not ready to give up having a car, having air conditioning, having electric lights at night. It is very hard to accept at that deeper emotional level, the gut level.
I'm laughing otherwise I'd cry. It is so very hard.
Brilliant point Liz...it is understandably a huge emotional issue for people...the cutting of the umbilic'oil cord, if you will.
Check out the survey on path to freedom if you have not yet heard of it, although suspect you have.
http://www.pathtofreedom.com/peakoilpoll-web.htm
Will check out your site in detail after two comments on my site encouraging me to do so...will get back to you with feedback but suspect I will link to you from what I have already seen.
Keep up the good fight...rage rage against the dying of the light.
Namaste
City Hippy
http://cityhippy.blogspot.com
Hi CityHippy! Thanks for stopping by!
Bliss is a jewel in the Peak Oil community's crown. I've been very inspired by his work, and went on to gather stories from people all over the world, who are worried, anxious and depressed about Peak Oil, climate change, and the economic hard times ahead. And as a clinical psychologist, I've been offering feedback to readers at no charge, for more than three years now, at Peak Oil Blues.
People are in the process of making critical life change and transformation to adapt to this changing future. They are learning to management stress (fear, anxiety, worry, depression or insomnia,) simplify life to live a frugal and debt free existence, and resolve couples conflicts about contrasting values, goals and future visions.
Changes are happening. I'm glad to be part of the process that helps people to learn to manage the powerful emotions these changes cause, so we can navigate these troubled waters successfully.
Thanks for this early work on Sustenance, Liz.
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