Conversations with a Wealthy Prepper

An innocent query yields pathological results

Unfortunately, this quote by the great Mark Twain never loses relevance.

Among the people I read on Substack is Robert Reich. Mr. Reich has written numerous books, including Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future, (also made into the film Inequality for All) which is how I came to know of him. Also, the Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, Robert is a recently retired Professor of Economics and speaks out consistently on our exponentially growing wealth inequality and the danger it poses to democracy. I agree with him on many points, and in reaction to an essay on one of his mentors, Kenneth Galbraith, I posed a question, as I would like to know his thoughts on the concept of degrowth, which I wrote about here.

So far, Robert hasn’t answered my question. I don’t really expect him to. His articles generate hundreds of likes, mine merely hundreds of reads. His influence is on a far different level, and I am sure he responds to comments with cautious selectivity. He may also have reasons to not comment on degrowth, as it would be a monumental task to achieve under the best of circumstances, which clearly these are not, with climate change already threatening the last vestiges of economic justice, and fascist Trump and his Band of Merry Nut Bombs ready to go off. However, I was honored with a response, from someone I will refer to as Chucky which could be his nickname, to protect his identity and in honor of the psychopathic stabby doll made famous in what appear to be a series of some of the dumbest movies ever, a byproduct or should I say waste product of our oh so sophisticated culture.

Chucky’s profile on Substack describes himself as “Just a good ole fashioned lying dog-faced pony soldier.” I’m guessing he was posting a witticism about something dumb Biden said on the campaign trail, but have no interest in figuring it out. As you will see from the dialogue of our conversation, wit may not be Chucky’s strength. He “liked” a comment that said, “Robert Reich is a sad, pathetic little man.” Right. According to his profile, he lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the most expensive places in the country and according to Statista, the average cost of a house in the Bay Area was $1.58 million in 2023, a condo $960,000. The San Francisco Chronicle estimated the homeless population stood around 7,754 in 2022.

As you will see in our “conversation” Chucky is a prepper claiming to have invested in an apocalypse survival compound. Given the expense of living in the Bay Area, the cost of building a such a complex, and hiring Dolph Lundgren to protect you, I would guess that Chucky has done rather well financially. Maybe he’s even a tech bro, one of those gurus who have given so greatly to civilization like Mark Zuckerberg whose platforms have led to teenage suicide, compromised a presidential election, and owning a hobby beef cattle farm for fun. He feeds the cows macadamia nuts and beer. I’m not joking. I can’t make shit that ridiculous up.

My question to Professor Reich

Chicago School Economics and Milton Friedman and his disciples can't be excoriated enough for the damage the rise of neoliberal capitalism has done to the country and the world. A Donald Trump could not have ascended to the presidency without the gross wealth inequality we see now. However, garden variety capitalism is problematic as well. All wealth is derived from the physical resources of the planet, and the climate change crisis is a direct result of that. Agricultural fail at scale looms, and The Green New Deal falls far short of the changes we need to make. Our bodies are filled with plastic and five climate tipping points are at hand, or possibly already exceeded. We will not mine ourselves into a new capitalist economy. It's not physically sustainable, and will further destruction of the planet. Not part of the conversation is a realistic plan in the face of existential threat. This is the only logical vision for surviving our dilemma. Robert, I would be extremely interested in you weighing in. https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/degrowth-the-vision-we-must-demand

My “conversation” with Chucky in Professor Reich’s comment section

My friend Chucky had a thought.

Chucky

god help us. You fuxking nitwit.

Me

Is that all you've got? You must be a speed reader to have gotten through my article so quickly. Pathetic.

(Okay, so I was a little teed off initially, but I give credit where it’s due because…)

Chucky read my article! The rest of our “conversation” occurred there.

Chunky

Yes, he’s “Chunky” now, in honor of what comes out of him.

Your belief system is dangerous. If we moved forward with your policy, you would make the great depression look like the Roaring 20s.

I think Chunky probably meant the Great Depression, not to reference the Roaring Twenties, but I gave him a pass. Roaring Twenties, Great Depression, I mean they were kind of close together. It’s easy to mix up Great Gatsby parties and soup kitchens.

Me

Chuncky, the planet is overheated. The oceans are overheated. Groundwater is running out. The 6th Extinction is under way. In the most basic sense, it's from putting too much energy into the system from fossil fuels. Now we're at the beginning of a mining binge. Even if we are successful in transitioning to a so-called renewable energy economy, it won't support the lives we have grown accustomed to. And renewables depend on fossil fuels to extract. Fossil fuels are running out. The U.S. has only become an oil power because of fracking in the Permian Basin, which is approaching the end of its economic viability to extract. There were over 20 billion dollar climate disasters here alone last year. Our super heated planet is already driving climate refugees. This situation portends complete societal breakdown, locally and globally. Agriculture is threatened everywhere, the foundation of civilization. Being in California, you must be aware of the over pumping of groundwater in your state, the 5th biggest economy in the world. If agriculture fails there, it's a disaster everywhere, and that's just one place in duress.

If we don't bring wanton consumption under control, I guarantee you the Great Depression will look like good times. I don't have a belief system. I read the science, I subscribe to reality.

Chunky Cookie Toss

I hope you are correct. If thats [sic] true, the money I invested in an apocalypse survival compound in an undisclosed location will allow me to thrive while I watch from afar all you poor bastards starve to death.

I noted Chunky’s Cookie Toss’s compassion and wished him well.

Me

That's what I expected from you. I had you pegged in your first response. You'll last a little longer, that's about it. Enjoy.

Chunky responded with a pro tip. How relieved I was to receive a bit of education. I had to rename him again.

Clucky the Headless Wonder

Pro-tip [sic] the science you think you know and read is mostly bullshit, and it's designed to turn you into a basket case, just like the science around COVID-19. The funny thing is I bet in college in the 70s in your VW bus, you didn't trust anything the government told you. Now, you can't live your life without their marching orders. It's pretty pathetic. You helpless fucking sheep.

The sad thing is you're too old to be alive in 60-80 years to see that everything they told you was a giant tucking lie or just completely wrong. And there is no precise science about this. The reality is we probably are warming the planet. But do we know it will lead to the destruction you claim? That answer is likely not.

Me

All you've got are insults, because you're terrified, Clucky. Bye, bye.

Clucky the Headless Chunky Cookie Tosser Wonder

Did I hurt your feelings. [sic]

Me

No, idiots don't hurt my feelings, but thank you for asking.

So ended my conversation with Chucky Clucky Cookie Chunker the Headless, a true erudite and humanitarian. I humbly apologize for this article. It’s terrible. Chunckle didn’t particularly bother me, but he did encourage my penchant for sarcasm when presented with abject stupidity. I was working on an article worth reading about — I’m NOT lying — Artificial Intelligence and its insane energy demands likely to further global warming, another wondrous tech bro innovation nobody asked for. Look for that one next. I’ll be serious. Promise. I do wish to thank Clucky Chunckle for this diversion though, it lowered my blood pressure, and in appreciation I wish to deliver FREE OF CHARGE a complimentary palette of macadamia and beer fed beef AND a Deluxe Ninja Warrior Zombie Killing Kit for that end of days compound. Musk is throwing in a brain chip, and Zuck is volunteering a day of cage fight training. Hey, Chuckles, what’s your address?