Talk to me about the future...

[Danny]

Some good stuff to think about. Still, some seems like more long term, save the people ideas, rather then how to thrive, or at least survive, in a downturn.

I think your question flipped peoples soap box triggers so hard they forgot what the question was.

[Danny]

I'm gettin the snip.

I don't think that would help Wes. He'd just get more dogs.

[Shamis]

I'm payin off all my debts now, and buying a gun.

[krampus]

definitely buying a gun, I just wish gunslnger could show me how to use it.

[schwagpad]

I agree everyone who has posted suggestions for being more efficient. People think (or at least act like) giving up these few things will make their life worse. But I disagree. Being mroe efficient will not only give us peace of mind, but foster a sense of community because most of these ideas involve cooperation among local people.

TomDArch: Is a financial system based on continual growth really necessary or desirable? Right now, this is mandated at the highest level each time the Fed hands out a dollar and expects more than a dollar back. It makes sense for encouraging huge corporate profits in a world with unlimited resources and little consequence from their consumption, but that is clearly not the world we live in anymore. Your analogy to Moores law is apt because in both cases we will soon hit a brick wall. Chip designers have seen this coming for decades and we are not too many factors of two away. Computer scientists have been considering radical new designs like optical computing and quantum computing to continue improving, despite this. What is the economic equivalent? Where are the ideas for a financial system that operates under steady consumption and sustainable pollution? I think to do well over the next century we need to go beyond the gospel of growth.

[sendit]

I think to do well over the next century we need to go beyond the gospel of growth.

amen. Growth is not always optimal (and definitely not sustainable on a finite planet with finite resources)
One neat way to think about this comes from the natural step;
The Natural Step Framework's definition of sustainability includes four system conditions (scientific principles) that lead to a sustainable society. These conditions, that must be met in order to have a sustainable society, are as follows:
In a sustainable society, nature is not subject to systematically increasing:

1. concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth's crust;
2. concentrations of substances produced by society;
3. degradation by physical means and, in that society. . .
4. people are not subject to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet their needs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Natural_Step

[anticlmber]

how to survive a downturn:

step 1: smile and laugh because you have your health everything else is trivial
step 2: if for some reason you cannot find happiness see step one.

this was somewhat of the knowldege i gained from my grandmother who came through the depression. she talked of cutting the old coffee grounds with the new and other such tricks. they got by and came out stronger on the other side. they did this by following the rules.

[Saxman]

Yes, but if your health falters during the downturn, you might be in trouble.

[ynot]

I don't drive to the Red anymore. I catch a ride and pitch in for gas. I drive half as much as my last job and inflation has ate up everything I save. The rate of inflation is scary to me. everything costs more faster than ever before.
hell I'm tempted to fill my basement with food water and ammo for when it all goes to hell.

[rhunt]

1.) Pay off/down debt with "stim" check instead of going to walmart - or put it in savings account.

2.) Don't make any major purchases.