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We found 2 product mentions on r/RespectfulDebate. We ranked the 2 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
I read about these situations in a book called "Happier" by Tal Ben-Shahar. It makes the argument that even activities that appear to be self-sacrificing occur only because of selfish motivations. These motivations are not wrong. In fact, it is better to accept this and live accordingly.
Surely it is apparent that a person would very possibly join the millitary to please his parents, or for financial gain (free college). Charities have the draw of making people feel better about their charitable giving. Parents have the draw of getting a feeling of satisfaction from seeing their children excel. Each of these examples demonstrates how the individual that is doing the giving gets this feeling of satisfaction in return. (In fact, people may even do these things while not realizing they are doing it to impress others.)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0071492399/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=2571725205&ref=pd_sl_51o4zpukvr_b
The end of a fuel supply with a high energy return on energy investment (EROEI) has enormous implications for the future of society. The diversion of infrastructure to compensate for a low EROI energy supply robs the economy of infrastructure necessary to maintain current standards of living.
Indeed, all systems-level simulations, as made famous in the very readable book Beyond the Limits (as low as $0.99 on Amazon), point to an inevitable increase in mortality, decrease in fertility, decrease in average lifespan, decrease in available food, decrease in population, and decrease in standard of living. It's a sobering analysis.
With that said, there is nothing about the analysis that predicts a Malthusian catastrophe. Instead it is a long slow decline due to a consumption overshoot that plays itself out over a hundred years until society adjusts to new energy limitations. Most importantly, the analysis does take into consideration technology and market forces in the systems-level simulations.
Because of the low cost and accessibility of the book, I recommend it to everyone in this forum. You'll walk away with a foundation that will help you handle doomsayers, yet at the same time be sobered by the implications of future energy restrictions.