and every man for himself.
We CANNOT depend on the government to provide for us.
They will provide for themselves first and foremost, and then the rich and famous who have the money and connections.
What we want, we have to make the effort to procure ourselves.
OTOH, we have the advantage because we have not been pampered our whole lives and know how to take care of ourselves. We can grow, preserve, sew, cobble together things, heat with a wood stove, and cook on it.
We’re good to go.
“OTOH, we have the advantage because we have not been pampered our whole lives and know how to take care of ourselves. We can grow, preserve, sew, cobble together things, heat with a wood stove, and cook on it.”
Speak for yourself! I’ve been ‘pampered’ my whole life (born and grew up Upper Middle Class suburb), went to college, and never was without a job.
Even so, I always knew (at least since thinking about it for Y2k) that we were enjoying our high-class lifestyle at the pleasure of China and that, at any time, they could take it all back. My main concerns had been a currency meltdown (much more likely now, by the way), or an EMP - but literally nothing in this life (other than death) is assured, and I thought about that many times (and beat it into my kids, big-time).
And the funny thing is, I have NO CLUE as to what hardened me regarding this - it wasn’t family or friends, they were/are in lala land. The closest I can come, thinking about it, was what my grandmother used to say about my grandfather who cut his teeth in the depression - he would never throw out a bent nail - they could always be straightened out (enough) to be used again.
Like everyone else, I used to throw things out when they wore out or broke (or bent), at least if I had a replacement - but not now, for I do not know when/if there will be anything more coming down the pike...I’m starting to think like my grandfather now...and I also know that the days of being able to buy whatever we want, whenever we want, and cheap, are coming to an end, so I am buying many things now, much of which I may not use, much of it spares for what I have, much of it for contingencies which may or may not happen (like power failures), and much of which will probably outlast me.