Self-Reliance in our Contemporary Culture

The less you rely on the system the more free you truly are. I wonder what our founding fathers would say about our current material addiction and government intervention in nearly every aspect of our daily lives.

There is a reason that the opposite of progress is CONgress.

 

1) At least half would be dead from an aneurysm.

2) The remainder would have most of our current government up on charges of treason. Thomas Jefferson would just b*tch slap George W.

 

I would miss it, as I like having the ability to communicate with my friends from all over. Would I miss the TV greatly? Being without it wouldn't ruin my life, nor would it be depressing. Some of the best times we have ever had is when we lost power. We used candles, spent lots of quality time together, and the outside influences were not there. I told 155gunner last week that I am hoping to get away to the ranch this summer, just to get away from everything. Spend a week hunting, shooting, rock collecting, arrow head hunting, hunting for sheds, feeding livestock, riding four wheelers, and swimming. Getting away is good, but I am not ready to totally unplug. If I had no choice, then so be it.

 

I think Survival is like layers. I had a bunch of stuff typed and realized that it didn't go anywhere so I deleted it and will post once it gets a tad more organized. But each post here has had one or two points that stick out and make you want to go Hmmmm.
Take care Be safe Poacher.

 

People talk about having time, I think back to my Grandfather. He started out on a farm, got married opened his own gas station, held onto to that through the depression & WWII, in the end he was president of a company, but yet with that job he still had time for his "Victory" garden. Every year since the depression he planted his garden. Talk about people who knew how to prep. I remember when he died and we cleaned out his garage, he had more stuff stuck away "just in case". Now that I have kids I work more for being ready for anything and the ability to take care of them, this year the garden is going to be started. My young one is looking forward to the garden as well. This winter grandma has been teaching him to knit. He asked me if boys should learn how, my answer was yes indeed you should learn everything you can because you never know when you will need it. Plus next winter my neck will be nice and warm This winter we have been making our own bread. It is better than what you get in at the store. Plus we do other things.

I think you find that the more you rely on your own hard work for things instead of going to town to buy it or running out for dinner because it is easy, you will find that it really doesn't take that much more time. It's all mindset

 

My own POV,
Early times the family stuck together and only struck out on one's own to support the family when things got tough.
Kids are not encouraged to live at home and continue in the family trade.
There are a lot of social norms that have been abandoned through the centuries we vaselate from that confuse what we are and where we are going or rather want to go.
Like many of you I came kicking and screaming into the 20th century , resenting change ,however on the other hand been instrumental in making changes my self , what hypocrisy .
The problem. Being self reliant can only go so far.
Injured or ill or defending your home, alone your in big trouble, not being able to be two places at once,
Nor can you lick your self like a dog, anywhere on your body.
How do you deal with a slice in your back you cant see ?
Not so independent are you ?

At some point it has to be understood that a man/woman can't do it all on their own.
It takes others.
It's not economically practical, but like it or not, it's a fact of life.
Must ignore the economics ? no , not ignore ,but willing to take the risk .
Money will destroy a marriage, if money is the goal.
What's the goal ?
If one another are dependent on their skills, not their wealth in money , they are much further ahead emotionally even if/when they are homeless.
We whom wish to be self reliant conflict with our selves in the along run .
Wanting products others have made to presume our selves not needing any one else. hypocritical .
A new term might be better pursued than self-reliant .
Survivalism is appropriate although the anti survivalist paint them selves a derogatory connotation usually of a social reject ,society has rejected .
Media have painted this picture ,hoping to demonize the culture, creating social rejection.
Any one with a smidgen of self respect and awareness of the media agenda would not participate. IMO
May be the idea of "Alternative-Culture" , like alternative medicine, we choose to think for our self , rather than let media or government think for us.
There is no reason to abandon a few modern conveniences ,say in the subject of defense . if modern criminals are using AKs
it would be suicide to attempt to defend with sticks. let's be realistic .
So for modern medicine problems alternative modern medicine is appropriate . they exist .
It's taking the time to find, and apply them .
Doctors do not have more right over my body than I do.

 

Growing up, I had a few friends that felt as I did, born 100 years too late.
But it's easy as a kid to think that way, not having all the facts, as old people remeniss their own growing up.
As time went by, I learned things weren't so great .
Good ol days are only how one chooses to remember them.

 

I'm willing to work for my running water - running hot water and flush toilets.

I've lived and worked in the old Soviet and in 3rd world countries, I've even lived and worked in the Alaskan Bush.

I know I can 'do without'. My preference is to "Do with" thank you very much......

 

I't not that one should prefer the lesser but that one can still function with in it.