Posted on 05/07/2009 4:08:07 AM PDT by appleseed
I thought is was a good idea to add a page on the site about the core philosophy I have about being survival minded and modern survivalism. My hope is that individuals from those areas will enjoy this site but that the “average Joe” and the “average Jane” will also get a great deal from my site and podcast as well.
The core of my philosophy about being prepared, life style planning, self sufficiency and energy independence can be summed up with in the following 10 core values…
1. Everything you do to “prepare” for emergencies, disasters or economic turmoil should be blended into your life in a way that improves your life even if nothing disastrous ever occurs.
2. Debt is financial cancer! Minimize it, pay it off early and stay away from credit cards.
3. Growing your own food is for everyone not just people that want “organic” fruit and vegetables. To produce your own food, even as little as 10% of what you use reduces your dependence on “the system”. If nothing else gardening is good for your emotional and physical health and increases the value of any property.
4. Tax is theft, the best way to combat it is to understand every legal deduction you can take or create. In general I think “the system” is bad but when it comes to taxation either learn the system or hire a damn good accountant to work it for you. Every dollar you keep can be used to improve your self sufficiency, every dollar taken from you can be used to make your dependence on the government stronger.
5. Food stored is an exceptional investment. Food is increasing in cost faster than just about any investment right now and certainly faster than the rate of inflation. You simply can’t loose by storing additional food that you use on a regular basis.
6. Plan for disaster in the following order of priority - Personal-Localized-Regional-State-National-Global. Despite the real possibility of a true economic melt down or catastrophic terrorist attack or some other major global disaster the most probable “disaster” for any individual is personal. Loss of a job, loss of a family member, a fire or localized weather event are the most probable threats to impact any individual. So plan and prepare for those first, then continue to build going forward.
7. Renewable energy is great if you do it in a way that saves you money (short or long term) but your solar panels are not going to save the planet. Man made global warming is a scam designed to force the U.S. into a global taxation system. If you want to promote solar, wind, hydro, etc. the best way is to develop it in a more cost effective manner. Fuel efficient vehicles are also great. I personally drive a 2006 Jetta TDI diesel that puts many hybrids to shame at 44 MPG! That’s doing 80MPH on average by the way. I bought it because it was affordable, well built and incredibly engineered and cost me a lot less to run even with diesel being a lot more expensive than gas. The lesson is that the best way to promote “green energy” is via economics.
8. Owning land is true wealth. I advise people to strive to own land in the country where taxes are low and restrictions are limited. Even if you live in the city finding, buying and improving land within 3-5 hours of your primary residence makes a lot of sense. If you can use it to get out of the city at some point so much the better.
9. In addition to food, water and other common survival stores use common sense methods of hedging against “disaster”. Pragmatic things like, cash emergency funds, good insurance and secondary income streams are not just for people in “the system”. These types of protection can make you life a lot less miserable when something goes wrong. Make them part of your planning.
10. Your personal philosophy is more important for you than mine! You are the master of your own life and if you don’t agree with my views, great, define, understand and implement your own. The biggest thing you can do is understand that you are in control of your life and that what you do matters. Those two factors have the greatest impact on individual survival across every demographic you can imagine.
#8 - I bought 3+ acres next my property about 2 years ago. I got it at a steal because it is odd shaped on a large lake that had only a small plot suitable for a house. The wealth I gained from it was that I had access to the lake which is loaded with Bass, Crappie, Channel Cats and Bluegill. I have 2 ponds on my property with the same type of fish and this purchase increased my options for my favorite past time. Best part about it, was the land was overgrown with brush but had mature walnut, maple, locust and willow trees which are great for firewood. Also was loaded with Mulberry trees and blackberry bushes which most people could care less about. Spirko makes a good point about buying property for city folks if they ever need to saddle up and move out.
What I would add to the list and it would probably at the top - guns and ammo. In my opinion it would be best to select a rifle that shoots a common round like .223 or 7.62. Any shot gun that has removeable chokes that has a changeable slug barrel. Same goes for a common caliber handgun.
Self Reliant/Survivalist ping list
My additions to this very good list:
1. Learn to hunt, fish, trap and dress food, just in case money or worse affects your ability to purchase meat.
2. Buy a really good book pointing out edible wild items vs poison ones. Berries, mushrooms, nuts, and root veggies can be a lifesaver and a good source of nourishment in a pinch
3. Buy tradable commodities for barter. People in America will not forgo items like toilet paper.
Save for later
My step-son bought one of these a few months back. Yep, it's fun to shoot and looks really cool and makes a good photo op when you're shooting it. However, it cost almost as much as my 500 with changeable barrels that I can actually hunt with for not only birds but deer also. Both can take care of a crazed crackhead that dares to enter my house, but only one can eliminate a threat and harvest meat for the table.
The concept I am trying to reinforce to my wife is that bricks of ammo, in common calibers, can be used as currency when TSHTF and people realize paper money has no value. She gets a little bent when she sees my CC bills. I tell her the $200 I spent today will be worth $600 post-apocalypse.
Also, I cannot emphasize enough the idea that you must team up with others who you trust in order to increase your security and chances of survival. This is a worry of mine, because even those I consider friends are kinda flaky. I don't know a single person who I trust with my life, except, of course Obama.
Related to the above is the quality of your neighbors. I try to make friends with mine, with the goal of creating a web of support and safety, but not everyone is so lucky to live next to Joe Horn. Mine are either hippy/peaceniks who don't like guns, or illegal aliens, who don't like ME.
Hey, worst case scenario: That crack head IS a source of meat for the table! Gross, I know, but I'm just thinking outside the box here.
I've been reading a lot of survivalist fiction lately, so I gots some odd ideas in my head, like raising carp in my back yard pond, like the China men do. Oh, and squirrel as protein source.
Dude, I live outside the box. Probably because life has dealt me that hand, which to me means God is blessing me because dealing with adversity builds character and ruggedness, which only builds faith. I have 3+ foot grass carp in my ponds and if it comes to it, they are my dinner, whether by bow, rod, or firearm. I hate carp by the way. I am blessed in that I have deer, squirrel, rabbits, turkey, ducks, geese, etc. in my area. When I look back at all that I have after all I have been through, my box extends as far as I can see.
Can the "mystery meat" and use it for barter!
#5 Food Storage - Don’t rely on the freezer for dire emergencies. It could break down or the electricity could be cut off. Learn home canning.
Build a solar oven and turn some old pots into solar cookware. Or at least have the necessary materials on hand to make a temporary one at the last minute - foil, cardboard, tape and instructions.
Learn how to dehydrate your food stuffs.
Know where and how you’re going to get drinking water. Learn how to purify it.
Yep, that's what I'm thinking. As far as an oven when shtf - dig a hole about a foot deep and a foot wide. Dig a small air hole connecting facing the wind. Use some of your wood and light to start a fire in the hole. Cover with a grate, put on a cast iron skillet filled with bluegill and enjoy.
I live in Houston proper, but have an acquaintance/friend about 30-40 miles north who will let me camp in his yard for a week or two in his yard. My plan is to bug out to his place, and then strike out from there after the traffic/population has died down.
Another concern is my wife's quasi-trailer park relatives who want to move in with us whenever there is a diasater (thus far, only hurricanes). They do not plan. They do not prepare. But they DO know how to get to my house, sadly, with their dogs and dirty kids. In some circles "Snot-nosed kid" is an insult, but with them it is an accurate descriptor! Oh well, they will provide an excellent source of protein, if necessary.
The best life investment I ever made was buying 130 acres. I wish I had bought more back then.
This has some very good advice. Thanks for finding and posting it.
OMG, I sprayed tea ALL over....lmao
Thanks, I needed a real good laugh.
Thank you for the ping ;)
Been stocking up on bleach.
http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/bleach.htm
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