The Measure of Peak Everything

The average of peaks that seem to matter

Globally, we are likely post-peak conventional oil pumped from Earth’s crust (2018) and the fracking industry is being forced by low prices to stop fracking some fields having a declining return on investment and energy, which will not likely be restarted, hence we are near or post peak fracking. Globally, per capita energy consumption, while nearly flat, may still be growing, and a late signal of being post-peak everything will be zero population growth followed by decline.

But from the point of view of consumers, of denizens of the monetary culture, what will feel like peak everything will be a noticeable decline in GDP. In 2023 peak GDP hit $20,671 per capita with 2024 showing a 2.8% increase ($20,729/capita). This is looking like business as usual, and not peak everything, hence belief in Growth Everlasting continues (if you don’t want to know what GDP is a measure of —don’t think about energy).

I’m guessing that those who think we (they) are living on the downslope are ill informed. An increasing number of regions are on the downslope, but those who want to inform you are seriously unlikely to be traveling in those regions.

But money is pretend wealth. Energy is the wealth of species (and nations). We are near peak per capita energy or a bit beyond. With financial collapse, $8 million in bitcoins won’t get you a cup of tea unless someone is feeling sorry for you, and if in dollar bills, will be less valued than toilet paper.