Dying gracefully on a flatulant planet

I am writing this as a hypothetical scenario based off of a brilliantly written (albeit terrifying) thread here on ATS:

Dangerous Gas may be cause of super-charged weather, mass die-offs, quakes and more

First, a few asides:

1. Could the man made climate change theory being touted in the press just be a cover for what is really happening? Think about it. IF the media came out and said that we would all be dead in 5 years, there would be mass panic. Tell us we are OK for another 100 years, and it doesn't seem all that bad.

2. I wonder what effect the contracting/expanding polar icecaps play in this. Scientists believe that the New Madrid fault is the result of the ground "springing back" after centuries of being weighed down by massive ice sheets during the last ice age. That is local... think planetary- massive amounts of pressure are released when they melt back... followed by massive amounts of pressure being reapplied as they have expanded again over the past few years... just a thought.

So... here is the question: Can "we go softly into that good night"... or would humanity pass as it has lived, with war and mayhem?

This is the scenario. Events happen that the MSM can't deny:

May, 20XX: A huge underground methane pocket explodes in Siberia blasting a crater dozens of miles across.
May, 20XX: Volcanoes in Kamchatka begin erupting at once, following the methane blast
June, 20XX: A large hydrogen sulfide release spews from the Atlantic... prevailing winds carries the gas over New England killing millions
June, 20XX: The President briefs the nation of our fate; scientists estimate that we have 5 years left

We have no science that can save us. Scientists estimate that it could take centuries for planetary recovery, ruling out the elites in thier bunkers. In short... every single man, woman and child will be dead in 5 years. This isn't a scenario in which we are all dead in a few weeks (think asteroid) where society just melts down. We have a bit of lead time. So, what do we do?

My first thought is that the banking industry would suffer an immediate collapse... why pay your loans off? The banks surely cannot repossess EVERYTHING. Banking would have to be immediately suspended.

Second, could we keep basic services in place until the end? What about food supplies?

Could the government opt to redistribute all of the banking wealth to its citizens? Fix the value of the dollar, and fix ALL prices nationwide... give everyone the means to enjoy what little time that we have left? (I am no fan of wealth redistribution- but this is the end, afterall)

Sadly, if history is any indication... it will be chaos. It doesn't have to be.

Could the end finally unite us through destruction? Or, would we die as we have lived?

Your thoughts?

a reply to: madmac5150

Very interesting speculation Madmac. I have had similar struddling going on in my head too. I have to wonder that you may be correct. It may be that TPTB have known for quite a while that things are going to change and they are funneling what resources they can into redoubts and buried enclaves to preserve what they can. Not saying it is so, just speculating like you have. In any event, ANY EVENT, all this fighting and squabbling serves us no good. Peace

a reply to: madmac5150



Obviously there is difficulty in reconstructing temperature that far back. What we can say is that there are some drastic swings driven by one or more factors we don't understand.

At certain times in Earth's history, the % of free methane was much higher and oxygen was much lower. Methane's effects on global climate is not well understood but the methane being released in the present has been locked up for many 10's of thousands of years. I for one am worried about abrupt climate change ending life on Earth as we know it. Based on these graphs, I think I have a good reason to be nervous about it.

Late edit: Love the title and I will not be dying gracefully.

This was also explored on "Morgan Freeman's Beyond the Wormhole", and it was suggested that this has happened in the past, and it will very likely happen again. I truly hate doom porn, but it does seem like this could be playing out. Terrifying to think of.

a reply to: madmac5150

The Earth has a wonderful history of cycles. Its not precise but, it is fairly regular. Where we are in a cycle can be the end or the beginning.

originally posted by: Iamthatbish
a reply to: madmac5150

The Earth has a wonderful history of cycles. Its not precise but, it is faulty regular. Where we are in a cycle can be the end or the beginning.

Which is why I just don't buy the man made climate change crap. We aren't significant enough to change the planet on a fundamental level, as is implied. We are far too small for that. All 7 billion of us, standing shoulder to shoulder could fit within the state of Rhode Island. When the Earth does cycle, we are foolish to believe that we had anything to do with it, let alone do anything to stop it. We are but fleas on a mammoth dog.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

Everyone of us will fight til our last breath... that is simple survival. I am just hoping that we would not become barbarians in the process...