So oil dropped almost by half since the article was written. I'm all for development of new energy sources, but just because my family's person-car ration is close to 1 doesn't mean the world will end if gas becomes expensive again.
I think I remember reading another article by this author where he somehow implied that Soviet Union's population was better prepared for financial collapse (due to resourcefulness or whatever). Having lived through that mess myself I disagree. That country had screwed up economy and when fit hit the shan everyone was out for himself and the country was pretty much torn apart and sold by pieces down to tools at factories and telephone wire.
Russia was back in stone age until oil prices picked up. Now they seem to be repeating the same mistake, according to the author, where their economy struggling once that very oil is so cheap.
Listing all the relevant differences between the Soviet Union and the United States in culture, finances, and politics would literally require a book, or even a series of books. I'm all for learning from history, but there's just so many differences between the two that I'm completely unconvinced there's a useful comparison to be drawn.
Which isn't to say there won't be a collapse. Perhaps it will even be worse. I'm simply saying I don't think this argument has much value.
Certainly, if what he described was happening, rather than a run-of-the-mill recession, I would expect commodity prices to be rising, not dropping. Dropping commodity prices are a good thing for the economy; they were probably credit-inflated too.
Not to mention this whole "five stages of collapse" is really just an ass-pull, something this guy said to make it sound like he wasn't just making it up as he goes. See also: The entire self-help book industry, with six-step thises and twelve-step thats.
But generally speaking I don't think it's possible to agree or disagree with a country's preparedness for an economic collapse unless the said collapse actually occurs, otherwise it's just mere speculation.
I think I remember reading another article by this author where he somehow implied that Soviet Union's population was better prepared for financial collapse (due to resourcefulness or whatever). Having lived through that mess myself I disagree. That country had screwed up economy and when fit hit the shan everyone was out for himself and the country was pretty much torn apart and sold by pieces down to tools at factories and telephone wire.
Russia was back in stone age until oil prices picked up. Now they seem to be repeating the same mistake, according to the author, where their economy struggling once that very oil is so cheap.