The horror stories emerging from Zimbabwe following its economic collapse and hyperinflation may provide a glimpse of one possible future for a post-Peak Oil world. An article published today illustrates how desperate the hunger is becoming inside the country. Keep in mind that the government has taken totalitarian control of all the media and there probably many even more terrible happenings going on.
From the article:
Pets are being slaughtered for meat in shortage-stricken Zimbabwe and record numbers of animals have been surrendered to shelters or abandoned by owners no longer able to feed them, animal welfare activists say.
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it could not feed surrendered animals or find them new homes and was being forced to kill them and destroy the corpses.
Animals, like people, are being hard hit by Zimbabwe's economic meltdown, with official inflation of more than 7,600 percent, the highest in the world. Independent estimates put real inflation closer to 25,000 percent and the International Monetary Fund has forecast it will reach 100,000 percent by the end of the year.
Just for your own personal reference, remember that dogs (and other pets) can eat a fairly varied diet (i.e. don't panic if you run out of Purina).
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Low Dollar
Here's Jonathans take on our current state of economic affairs.
Local conservative ‘news’ talk show hosts are adamant our economy is strong, however they acknowledge the future is unknown. It’s like a ‘let’s keep a cool head’ message. They don’t talk about how much debt our country carries, or the influence of foreign investment on the dollar.
My personal belief is that at some point you have to pay the piper. I often think about how big and powerful our country is and every once and a while I remember the story of David and Goliath. Our nation is not without it’s weak spots.
Dollar collapse
We're definitely at a critical point. The Fed has apparently shown its hand and decided that they will do everything they can to prevent economic deflation -- including risk runaway hyperinflation. The supporters of inflation see only the erasure of their debt by the devaluation of the currency, without much care for the ramifications -- where most in the country (world?) lose their jobs and are priced out of all commodities, including food.
Possibilities
An insight into something better that could happen with Peak Oil is Cuba, as this article describes
The answer is so simple and fun. People need to help each other convert their homes into autonomy, gradually reducing their use of the oil-energy grid
By the way, has anyone seen this new Peak Oil films, "What A Way to Go" or "Crude Awakening" ?