System Breakdown

[Turin Otzaki]

I'm having a lot of inner conflict recently about the prospect of system breakdown as we enter a period of increasing changes over the next few years. On the one hand I don't want to get into that paranoid defensive survivalist mode, get guns and flee the city, and on the other hand I want to make sensible decisions. Ive always wanted to live a more sustainable lifestyle on the land growing things and closer to nature, and it feels more and more of an appropriate way to live. So here's my splurging from my blog today. Be interested in your thoughts about what action if any you are taking.
A lot of writing today as the fears underneath the feelings of disquiet
are lodged out of their hiding holes and crevices. Another thought I
have been 'entertaining' created disquiet the last few days, and that
is, well some self doubt is present about where and how I am living.
Tobie and I were listening to a program yesterday on the radio, a woman
was talking about her greenhouses and the variety of vegetables she
grows on her little farm, the birdlife she has around her...




Tobie
reminisced about his grandparents farm and voiced with some depth of
feeling that is how he wants to live. Surrounded by nature, growing
things, and away form major population centres. Me too. Has always been
the case. And yet here I am in the city conducting business in suburbia.
I feel inner conflict. I see the perfection of my life as it is, (even
with the rain pouring in through the bathroom ceiling!) its a marvel my
life here.
I also have a nagging sense that the economic system is
seriously buckling and it may be wise to remove oneself from the city. I
have conflict about that because I recognise that a fear is motivating
that thought, and a desire to keep Tobie safe. Fear isn't enough to
motivate such a big change. And there's the economics and practicalities
of it. Also if push comes to shove and there is full system breakdown
and lawlessness, there is always uncle Cully's cottage on the Isle of
Luing! Though no soil there to grow things. I think I was kind of hoping
that this business would make enough money to widen my choices and I
could buy a place, but it hasn't so far. I have been looking at places
in the country to rent and those I like are too far away to operate a
business from. So I got all this ping ponging around in my head. I am
taking the possibility of system breakdown seriously, part of my inner
conflict has been facing this real possibility and not wanting to. I
feel a duty to provide a safe place for those close to me to go to...and
I want to make sure I get out in time. And the scary though enters that
it may be too late already, I really needed to have a place up and
running and producing by now. I'm feeling emotionally 'squeezed' by
these considerations.

[alien]

Turin...
I hear you loud & clear about the possibility of system breakdown, and I share a lot of your feelings about wanting to live closer to nature, grow my own food and be as self-sufficient as possible.  I've examined these feelings over the past couple of years, and even though I do live in a relatively remote area, the soil here isn't condusive to growing much, and trying to build a greenhouse in this area where winds are often sustained at over 45mph is... well... easier said than done.    
But my main point is that I think a lot of us are feeling that call to "return to nature" - not just because of a possible impending social/cultural/economic collapse, but because the world most of us live in has gotten so far AWAY from nature, our natural human instincts are being threatened and, in some cases, may already be lost to many.  So we feel these urges to get back to the farm, build the cabin in the woods, get our hands dirty in the soil, and live as we were meant to live.  I think that's a very natural instinct, and for those who CAN do it, probably the best thing in all the worlds.  For those still trying to figure out how to go about it, I honestly think it turns to a matter of Intent - sometimes on a conscious level, but particularly on an unconscious level.  We project what we want, and slowly begin moving in that direction, sometimes aware of it, other times perhaps just doing the things that lead us in the direction of our Intent naturally and at a more subtle level.
When we moved to the desert many years ago, I had to redesign my entire life.  The things I had always done to make a living were no longer available due to distances and demographics, so it forced me to figure out how to operate my own businesses from home, or with some travel involved... but ultimately it forced me to rely on my own wits rather than remaining dependent on the city, as I had been for almost 20 years.  There have been a lot of ups and downs, and it's never easy, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.
And yet, even here, I often feel that sense of "impending collapse" you refer to, and I wonder if we can ever really escape the machinations of the consensus reality within the tonal.  It seems to be almost at the level of an internal instinct to find/create that "safe haven", yet is that even possible?  Seems that no matter how far we go, "it" is never far away, particularly when thinking in terms of global collapse.  Is anywhere safe?  Seriously, I wonder...
Your post just spoke to me, so wanted to share some thoughts.

[Turin Otzaki]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Alien. I am this very moment making respberry jam, and the raspberries come from the USA! I would love to be making this jam with raspberries I have just picked But thanks to the marvels of the caplitalist system, I am making jam right now, well out of season.



Its how I have wanted to live for a long time, and I think the impending possibility of a collapse is like a further nudge "You know what to do, now DO it". I don't know if any where is 'safe' but it sure as hell aint the city. And it also isnt isolationism either. Perhaps near a rural community far from major population centres is best, the remoter the better. These communities tend to be already living a little more self sufficiently anyway. Pretty much any tribal peoples will be good to hang out with! Its ironic that those who would be bleast vulnerable in such a scenario will be the ones we consider most undeveloped. Some tribes will be barely effected by it.





My ideal scenario would be to buy a farm, maybe with a few others, say round a courtyard, and divide them into separate living units and live with others though with ones own personal space. And have enough space for more people to come. Horses, polytunnels, bit of woodland and a stream or river, a good few acres. A warmer location than Scotland would be good ideally. But Im not in a financial position to take off to rural spain or France. A couple of years back I lived in such a place in Scotland, but like you no soil to grow things. Have you looked into what they have done in dry areas in Spain? and also the Israelies are pretty good at converting desert into productive land, think that's what the kibbutz system did.



The whole thing nags me, I feel a responsibility to take part in the transition on all levels in a positive and useful way, to be prepared even if others arnt, so at least they have somewhere to go, family friends and the guys who work for me and their families!! omg I need to build a village!



But anyway, the most intense aspect of it, is that its the way I feel I should be living anyway. I go to the supermarket and I buy six tomatoes in a thick plastic moulded tray, inside a further plastic wrapper, and I just feel I am stealing. I'm not an eco fascist or anything, I buy some organic, free range etc.



I look around the supermarket, see the abundance, feel so blessed for it, and yet I know I don't always appreciate it either, and yet its a bloody wonder of wonders! Unique in the history of humans on this planet to have such variety and choice from all corners of the world brought to us. And I sometimes think, we will look back on this time where we had everything, and appreciate it!

[Nagual LoneWolf]

Great post Turin. I certainly feel as you do. Here in Arizona in the desert I am thankful I'm not living north buried in snow. I remember thinking if times get worse, I could winter here and hunt the forests up north in the summer. I am even working on my fishing skills just in case. Not an easy task I'm finding out.

[Wei Shan Yang]

You guys are all ahead of me. Fantastic to hear about your dreams and plans I was a nature kid, now I've become a city woman,...just realized this. It started after I moved to Washington DC area when I was 22. Talk about rat race...it doesn't get any worse then that. I hated it. The only plus was the cultures that lived there and brought all this diversity to go out and experience. But other than that, smog, traffic, rudeness, working ass off in a building all day, coming home to another building. Concrete everywhere, structure everywhere. When we moved to southern Virginia I fell in love with it, so much better there. We are trying to move back there now. New Mexico is another option, which wouldn't be bad. Also we are considering the DC area again if it means there is a job there, ugh, I so hope we don't end up in DC area again, now especially after reading this thread!



I know how to fish (though out of practice), that's one thing my grandpa used to take us to do on Indian reservations in New Mexico. Growing gardens is another thing...I never did really do that, but my sister is very good at it. Turin you sort of remind me of my sister



Do you guys read survival books? Books by people who talk about surviving naturally. Oh and just remembered...there is a nice video called Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proennke. Its really enjoyable to watch, meditate to even, so peaceful. He talks in the video as he is living alone in Alaska and building his cabin and shows you every step as he does it. http://www.dickproenneke.com/

[ninth octave]

In light of what is has been happening in Egypt over the past serveral days with the global economy coming to a squeeze with fuel and food prices , we as citizens of this planet need to relie better on our survior instincts that have become rusted after the past century or so.
We in America have  the Amish communities that  stick with their strong religious convictions  to withstand the need and use for electricity. These people live in communities  all built with their own hands. They drive horse and buggies and  farm the earth for their food from sun up till sun down. They are self-sufficent in their preparing of  food, shelter, clothing and education.
They are a tourist attraction  ( lLancaster, Pennsylvania) for people  come see and appreciate their modest lifestyle and how they depend on nature's goodness.
 The Amish communities are a fine example of what  it means to be  living , sustaining and maintaining the good earth.

[Guest]