New Meaning For "First Contact"

Wow! Some of the bloggers I read are making New Year resolutions that put my paltry "get organized," "don't be so frenetic," and so on to shame! They have deep thought resolutions. I especially like Nate Hagens' (of the Oil Drum). Here are snips:

A complementary resolution to de-emphasizing financial capital is to increase emphasis on human and social capital. Of the 100 or so houses within 3 miles of where I live, I have only met 3 families. I intend on taking produce from our root cellar, and perhaps some baked goods or such, and meet real people in my area in the coming weeks. Very new concept for me. My numerous contacts and friends on the ether are of the highest quality, understand the things I am interested in and am studying, and are very bright. But they will not be my neighbors in the future. It's time to meet that train halfway. Many non-linear synergies can be collected using resources close to home.

Resolution #8 Continue to diversify away from financial assets. Portfolio objective by year end: 25% financial capital, 25% natural/built capital, 25% human capital and 25% social capital

...

If we’re to seriously critique the wardrobe of the emperor, we'd better have explicit plans and options for a whole new wardrobe to articulate, otherwise perhaps being quiet and working on said plans is a better idea.

Resolution #5 Unless I'm just talking among friends, I will no longer articulate our societal problems without offering some action plan. There are of course no blanket 'solutions', but there are many suggestions for action that are far better than our default trajectory. I basically realized there is more to this whole thing than the truth. The truth has to come with a plan.

...

We live in special times. Change is needed and will eventually, as always, arrive. Growth is possible but only under unlikely assumptions. Hopefully we can use our remaining highest quality energy and resources towards building something more stable. We have the technology and resources but lack the political will and perhaps the human nature. Technology based 'solutions' should be used more like a crutch than a machete, in my opinion.

Of all the possible futures we face, maintaining social stability and tilting people towards their positive potential, not as producers and consumers of things, but as humans living with each other within limits as much as possible, may perhaps buy us time for something more ambitious. The biggest potential trump card, in both directions, will be human reaction to events and cultural change.