At the GreenLife EcoFest on May 22, 2011 in Grass Valley, California, Dmitry Orlov presented “The Twilight of the Antipodes and the Cultural Flip” about swapping the market economy for gift economies, as humans have done throughout most of history.
He was followed by Michael C. Ruppert, announcing the presence of a new species on the planet — “Post-Petroleum Human.” Afterwards Dmitry and Mike shared the podium with a question and answer session.
Listen to Mike’s presentation on The Lifeboat Hour radio show and watch the video, “Birth of the Post-Petroleum Human.” Watch Dmitry’s presentation video, “The Twilight of the Antipodes and the Cultural Flip.” I’ll post a link to their Q&A when it’s available.
In our Peak Moment Conversation, Mike Ruppert spoke about his observation of this new species of human that is emerging. Post-Petroleum Humans are not distinguished by physical characteristics but by a state of consciousness. They are reaching back into the long human history to remember their essential connection to Mother Earth and all of Life. And they are forging a path to relocalizing their lives while shedding their need for the artifacts and services of this planet-destroying industrial civilization. He also spoke about his work at CollapseNet, daily disseminating important news, empowering members to find one another in their region, and providing other resources. Mike is the author of Confronting Collapse, and the star of the movie Collapse.
Watch Arrival of the Post-Petroleum Human (episode 196.)
Raised in the Soviet Union, Dmitry emigrated in his teens to the US, but visited the USSR during and after its collapse. His book Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects draws similarities between the Soviet collapse and what’s now happening in the US. In our Conversation, he pointed out that the USSR was more resilient than America, because they didn’t have the efficient but vulnerable delivery systems the US has. Dmitry encourages people to simplify and reduce their needs. I’m fascinated by his choice to live with his wife aboard a sailboat, and his idea of creating forest gardens on little-used tropical islands. View his presentation here.
Watch Collapse of the Titans (episode 201).
(Photos courtesy of Darren Aboulafia, CollapseNet.)
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Good work guys,
Don’t forget to keep a sharp hoe.
I took a young permaculture aspirant to Dr. Sut Jhally’s Media Education Foundation in Northampton MA last night to see “Collapse.” I’ve seen it about six times now. I think a very good combination would be the artillery scenes in “Zeitgeist, The Movie,” while President Obama plays golf in cut ins. I attempted to attend people to various programs of sustainability since 1971 with very modest effect. The 25 to 30 somethings just can’t understand that the family farm has been under direct assault since Truman destroyed legal parity after the war. They just can’t understand why corporations cannot simply be unplugged and the world be turned over to Homeland Gardeners al la Cubana. Me, as an older NFO secretary from Wisconsin of the 70’s drought era, know the very real effects of subtle attacks.
Sometimes I agree with the Bee Gees. “Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe” and of it oh how I wish it was pristine clean. My father was a quiet war hero, five Air Metals and Three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and he didn’t do parades, or warrior halls. He prayed to God for forgiveness and taught me real courage. Mother taught me creativity, Grandfather taught me to survive in the wilderness. Mike, Culver City is suicide.
Robin
I just listened to Michael’s speech and it was not only one of his best (they all are), but a warning of what is yet to come and ways to prepare for it.
Ruppert has been one of my heroes since the autum of 2002, when I first heard him speak on http://www.kpfa.org (94.1 FM), out of Berkeley, Ca. about the impending invasion of Iraq. He’s been right on just about everything he has written about since then. I’ve met him twice, at two lectures, and at the second one, he predicted (and warned the audience) about the housing “bubble” and the decline in property value, several years before it happened.
When the video is available for sale, I’ll definitely purchase a copy and show it at public events. Perhaps bring Michael down to speak in person.
I just watched the interview with Michael Ruppert. I don’t know that I buy the new species bit, but I do wholeheartedly agree that we will become a differently focused people; so I suppose it is a useful metaphor.
I’m currently reading THE INVISIBLE GORILLA by Chris Chabris and Dan Simons. The book makes me wonder what humans will be able to see, conceptiualize and comprehend once we become re-attuned to our surroundings. If you can’t see a gorilla in a room, why should we expect to see a salamander as a harbinger of environmental health, or sightings of a new bird species as an indicator of environmental change or biological adaption?
Well, Mr. Ruppert, perhaps you are right.
Alexis, from what the video editor says — early July at the earliest.