Saturday, November 27, 2010

Four Insights on Resilience

Four readers share their insights on practical resilience.



The Holy Grail for most commentators who understand the end-game of resource depletion, exponential growth of debt and the culture of extinction is Resilience.Resilience is on the other end of the vulnerability scale from monoculture agriculture, monoculture work (one expertise, one employer) and a monoculture economy (consumerism).


Resilience relies on appropriate technology, low-vulnerability supply chains, a broad foundation of expertise and value creation/income streams, self-reliance and an acute understanding of "less is more" on both material and spiritual levels.


Here are four readers' insights into various aspects of resilience.


Eric A.:

If we take care of ourselves, who cares what happens to the big world?

Chris Martenson has started a new chapter on this, pointing out the one thing we should all focus on is resilience. Doing what works for us in a thousand surprising unimaginable, unforeseen ways--especially if independent of others--is the linchpin of this.


We used to do this pretty well when we didn't expect somebody else always to take care of us. Just have a pantry, a fruit tree, a job, a hobby, some friends, some family. Simple. If we are all independent, who can shake 110 million households that don't need anyone but themselves? Not even the third world war.


This helps go to the heart of being positive and taking action with what we can DO about it. I'm only too aware that if you write about how to plant tomatoes or build and stock a pantry, your readership will probably dwindle in short order. But this sort of thing is different. Everybody understands power. They understand Liberty and freedom from worry. Taking if for one's self is a universal, even as the execution of it is specific and unknowable.


Kevin G.:

I saw your comment about living closer to work as a conservation strategy vs. "magic tech-fixes" to create more fuel. There's a lot there that is spot-on. We can't win the battle against diminishing resources if we don't overcome sprawl (and rising population). In any case, here's an anecdote that's right to your point:

My wife drives a big vehicle that gets low gas mileage (15 mpg: a Jeep with a towing package). She drives to work every day (2 miles each way). That's 20 miles a week commuting and 1.33 gallons of gas. Meanwhile, I have a very "green" coworker that drives an older Prius (a very high-tech bit of "greenness"). He gets around 45 mpg.


However, my coworker lives 12 miles from work. At two trips a day that's 120 miles per week and 2.66 gallons per week. The inexorable mathematics of proximity means the Jeep's fuel consumption (not "per mile" but total) is HALF that of the Prius. It's carbon emissions are likewise about HALF that of the Prius.


Proximity beats technology. Besides, who wants to spend all that time in commuting every day?


Morris P.:

I recommend having an inverter on hand which turns your 12-volt direct-current (DC) vehicle battery electricity into household 120-volt alternate-current (AC) electricity.

You can purchase the inverter, cables and fuse at Amazon. I have provided the links to those items. In addition to the lamp, radio, and fan I have used the inverter to recharge my laptop and rechargeable AA and AAA batteries for flashlights. Overall, very good to have when the lights go off but one thing I have heard discussed is that one needs to be aware that if your house is the only one with a light burning, you may be targeted for a home invasion. Something to think about when night comes.

Inverter: Cobra CPI 1575 1500 Watt 12 Volt DC to 120 Volt AC Power Inverter

Heavy duty cables: Cobra CPI-A4000BC 4-AWG Heavy-Duty AC Power Inverter Cable Kit

The 150 amp fuse: DB Link ANL150 150 Amp ANL Fuses


Bart D.:

There needs to be a new aspirational paradigm that we don't need to 'Spend to Improve' ... which is very much the current ideology we are emersed in. The current ideology is very evident in advertising and marketing ... buy this cosmetic to improve your looks, buy this car to improve your social status, buy this excersise gadget to improve your health, buy this kitchen gadget to improve your cooking ...

Not until you start thinking with genuine objectivity do you realise we are (or have been) brainwashed into believing your existance can ONLY improve by spending as much as you can. I subscribe to thinking and acting being better than spending.


Thank you, Eric, Kevin, Morris and Bart for sharing your practical insights on resilience in the real world.



If you're assembling preparedness/self-reliance tools and supplies, please check out oftwominds.com sponsor www.prepared.pro (Safecastle Royal).



I recently discovered my philosophy professor/mentor Frederic Bender is the author ofThe Culture of Extinction: Toward a Philosophy of Deep Ecology, a topic which resonates with my own Survival+ analysis.




If you would like to post a comment where others can read it, please go toDailyJava.net, (registering only takes a moment), select Of Two Minds-Charles Smith, and then go to The daily topic. To see other readers recent comments, go to New Posts.



Order Survival+: Structuring Prosperity for Yourself and the Nation and/or Survival+ The Primer from your local bookseller or from amazon.com or in ebook and Kindle formats.A 20% discount is available from the publisher.


Of Two Minds is now available via Kindle: Of Two Minds blog-Kindle



Thank you, David C. ($10), for your ongoing extraordinary generosity to this site-- I am greatly honored by your support and readership. Thank you, John N. ($50), for your astonishingly generous contribution via mail to this site-- I am greatly honored by your support and readership.

Terms of Service

All content on this blog is provided by Trewe LLC for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information. These terms and conditions of use are subject to change at anytime and without notice.


Our Privacy Policy:


Correspondents' email is strictly confidential. This site does not collect digital data from visitors or distribute cookies. Advertisements served by a third-party advertising network (Investing Channel) may use cookies or collect information from visitors for the purpose of Interest-Based Advertising; if you wish to opt out of Interest-Based Advertising, please go to Opt out of interest-based advertising (The Network Advertising Initiative). If you have other privacy concerns relating to advertisements, please contact advertisers directly. Websites and blog links on the site's blog roll are posted at my discretion.


PRIVACY NOTICE FOR EEA INDIVIDUALS


This section covers disclosures on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users residing within EEA only. GDPR replaces the existing Directive 95/46/ec, and aims at harmonizing data protection laws in the EU that are fit for purpose in the digital age. The primary objective of the GDPR is to give citizens back control of their personal data. Please follow the link below to access InvestingChannel’s General Data Protection Notice. https://stg.media.investingchannel.com/gdpr-notice/


Notice of Compliance with The California Consumer Protection Act
This site does not collect digital data from visitors or distribute cookies. Advertisements served by a third-party advertising network (Investing Channel) may use cookies or collect information from visitors for the purpose of Interest-Based Advertising. If you do not want any personal information that may be collected by third-party advertising to be sold, please follow the instructions on this page: Limit the Use of My Sensitive Personal Information.


Regarding Cookies:


This site does not collect digital data from visitors or distribute cookies. Advertisements served by third-party advertising networks such as Investing Channel may use cookies or collect information from visitors for the purpose of Interest-Based Advertising; if you wish to opt out of Interest-Based Advertising, please go to Opt out of interest-based advertising (The Network Advertising Initiative) If you have other privacy concerns relating to advertisements, please contact advertisers directly.


Our Commission Policy:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn a commission on purchases of precious metals via BullionVault. I receive no fees or compensation for any other non-advertising links or content posted on my site.

  © Blogger templates Newspaper III by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP