Letters to the Editor
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The problem with the "peak oil" wolf crying
It has already been pointed out that people have been harping on imminent disaster for 30 years, and that that is part of the problem. So far technology has been keeping up with demand--even though, as pointed out, production of individual fields is decreasing fairly much as expected. So is this "peak oil?" Well I think people have problems with "peak oil" as a concept/crying out in the wilderness because it is mostly presented as doomsday. We reached "peak whale oil" and our houses are still lit, thanks to regular old oil and kerosene (and then electricity). Running out of oil seems to be something that is necessarily out of the blue and catastrophic to fit the "peak oil" mania. There's plenty of coal left (which can be liquified--the Nazis were hampered by running out of oil, but they worked out technological work arounds), nuclear power, solar, wind, biofuels, whatever. I wouldn't necessarily bet against humanity's adaptability.
In terms of the poster that says someting to the effect that "America used to be Saudi Arabia," I'd like to point out this: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2173rank.html That is America is STILL the 3rd largest producer of oil (other sites claim 4.8 m barrels per day, but that'd still make the US number 3). We produce less than we did by about 50%, but we still produce a significant amount. Unfortunately for us, we also consume about 20 million barrels per day, far more than anyone else. Yeah we peaked, but 30 years ago and not disastrously and what we have is a runaway consumption problem as much as a declining production problem.
By the way, had_enough, it is easy for you to demand an apology in Salon years hence because I doubt you would provide one in turn--look at the proliferation of Malthusian nuts on Salon that post that the world is at its population limit and nobody should have kids. The world was supposed to be on the brink of its human carrying capacity two centuries ago. Nobody is apologizing for that, in fact there are plenty of people still predicting it. That's not to say that it isn't possible that catastrophe won't come to pass--it is just to point out that doomsday predictions are seldom repudiated--the due date just gets pushed out.