Posted on 08/03/2017 10:21:02 PM PDT by Lorianne
Its always interesting reading when someone smug and sanctimonious writes a clueless diatribe about another group of people being smug and sanctimonious. So when I saw that an economist for Moodys and Forbes had written an op-ed calling self-reliant homesteaders delusional, I knew Id be in for some misinformed hilarity.
The article, entitled, Dear Homesteaders, Self-Reliance Is a Delusion was published a couple of days ago on the Forbes website. Youll be forewarned that the article wont be deep in the first paragraph, when the author presents his claim to knowledge about self-reliant living comes from the fact that he is a big fan of shows about doomsday preppers, homesteaders, survivalists, generally people who live off the grid.
And the well-informed opinion of this arbiter of self-reliance?
theres a central delusion in these shows that is never far from my mind when Im watching these shows: off the grid people are not self-reliant, but instead are mooching off of the civil society, government, and safety net the rest of us contribute toThe people in these shows often describe a very romantic vision of the lives they have chosen the ethos underlying it. They describe themselves as fully self-reliant, and criticize the rest of society as being dependent and lacking in this self-reliance. It is morally superior, the story goes, to provide for yourself, take care of your own needs, and often, be prepared to survive if society collapses.
(Excerpt) Read more at theorganicprepper.ca ...
The author is quite ignorant concerning those of us who live in hurricane land. Most of us are to some extent preppers as we are sometimes without power.we know what to do and how to do it.
He is a bubble-born moron.
Put a Trump sticker on your Car and then we can discuss the concept of living in a “Civil Society”.
“Unless you are lucky enough to earn a big, highly lucrative TV contract, THEN self reliance has a new meaning.”
I like the Alaska shows Yukon Men and Life Below Zero.
There’s one guy who has a public job running the town water system but he traps, fishes, and hunts for his family.
It’s humorous to hear him wonder how he’s gonna pay for his supplies after a poor trapping season. (Hint: Use the tens of thousands of dollars talent fee paid for being in the show!)
Your theory holds for those of us that live in Blizzard Land, too!
Ice Storm of 1976 had us out of power with no phones for a week and sub-zero temps that would not let up! You had to crawl across the road on hands and knees to get to the neighbors; it was too icy to even stand up!
I remember my Dad grilling meat from the freezer that wasn’t going to make it - kind of turned the whole thing into a party.
However, I was a 16 year old girl without a TELEPHONE for a WHOLE WEEK! No wonder that storm sticks in my mind, LOL!
Those same people will steal from you and possibly eat you when TSHTF.
This essentially means that people like Ozimek are really reliant them, the reciprocal of his conclusion.
.... The homesteader who is confident their security is in their own hands should go live off-the-grid in Syria and find out how far self-protection takes them.....
If the USA becomes like Syria, as the author gives as an analogy, then the government and military here have failed, and security, planning, stocked resources, and firearms. that he is bashing be an absolute necessity.
He’s a fool, defeated by his own words.
My first thought as well. Looks like Dick is getting nowhere really fast.
Craftsmanship takes time, I guess! ;)
Based on this description in the bio ("Over the next ten years, he and his family lived on and worked the land.") and the time-frame cited, I would say it is not the guy I'm thinking of.
Thanks!
I grew up in wisconsin so I do know the blizzard drill. I will include that large additional group. Gosh we are growing rapidly!
We had some really brutal blizzards. One was so bad that after school was let out I had to count the streets by feeling where they were with my feet. Then I the had to count driveways by feel. I made it but it was about 2 hours to go 1 mile. Didn’t know if it was the right house until I saw the doorknocker
Visibility was zero.
I still refer to really good food as “blizzard Food”.
Nothing scares me more than THAT! So glad you made it.
I remember driving back from FL with my folks one winter. They had taken us girls to Disney for our Christmas Present. We hit a blizzard in Indiana and we were stuck on the highway for many hours. I remember it being scary, but my folks were prepared with snacks and water and we had extra gasoline, so we were OK.
Dad still talks about THAT blizzard, so I know it was much worse than they let on when we were kids.
How DID we ever get around or survive without smart phones and The Weather Channel dictating our lives? LOL!
More than anyone else I’ve ever seen...he’s got “sticktoitevness”.
Nobody but the older generation has that can-do attitude any more. It’s a shame.
But good for you!
I wish I was mooching off society! Not really but working to become as self-sufficient as possible is exhausting. My garden alone takes many labor-intensive hours a day.
BTW - how can ‘self sufficient’ and ‘mooching’ be in the same sentence? This writer has logic issues. As do all liberals.
I’m going to look up his youtube vids and read all I can about him. Inspiring!
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
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