The History of the Future
I tend to
view things through the prism of history. I see events and can relate to how
those same things have happened in the past. We are so closely paralleling the
Roman Empire that I feel reviewing it is a good way to predict the future. When
asked how I view TEOTWAWKI I think of the way the Roman Empire fell. No, I do
not see use having hoards of Visigoths raiding Washington DC, but rather the
way the world economy went to hell after Rome fell.
Because of
the way the empire was structured everything became interdependent on the
other. Once the Visigoths toppled the city of Rome there was no one to make
sure the water supplies arrived, the roads were kept up, or commerce kept
going. Anything that was of value was hidden or stolen. With the influence of
Rome gone all of Europe started to fall into smaller fiefdoms and Warchiefs and
Overlords controlled large areas and would swear their allegiance to a king so
that they could keep their control. The Overlord took from the peasant farmers,
and the king took from the Overlords.
I suspect
that something similar to that will happen. Call them Gangs, Militias, private
armies, or what have you, whole sections of a state will be controlled by
powerful lords that will take what they want as a “tax”.
Without gas
to power cars and trucks we will start to have small mills and hamlets return
to the countryside. A farmer in Eaton County will likely not have to leave the
county to sell his wares. Rivers will provide the main travel arteries for
outside markets. Study how Michigan, and most of the Midwest, grew and then
play it backwards. That is what I see coming in the future.
How far
ahead, Quein Sabe? Within my lifetime, possible, my son’s lifetime probable, my
grandkids lifetime, most assuredly.
Both of my
grandfathers had self-sufficient farms. When the depression hit both were able
to carry on a fairly normal life. In fact, during the depression both
grandparents added holding to their farms. My Dad’s father came out of the
depression with four paid off farms, one for each of his kids. I still live on
the farm my Dad inherited.
I believe
the salvation for families will be returning to the old agrarian economy of the
19th century. Using guidelines like Kains’ Five Acres and
Independence and the Robinson’s Have More Plan you can set yourself up for that
type of lifestyle with around five acres.
It will not
be easy, it will be hard work. You will need the whole family committed to
having it working so that you can survive the first years of the shock to the
system.
Am I ready
yet? Hell no. I have a long way to go and I have been working on it since the
1970s. Will I give up? Hell no. I keep plugging away at it day after day. As I
get older I worry my wife and I will not be able to do what we need to if
something does happen. Of course I also feel that whatever happens will not be
an overnight event where we wake up one morning and it is the lead story for
that news cycle. Our decline will come slowly for most of it with a few rapid
drop off cliffs along the way.
Then again,
nothing could change much over the next hundred years. All the preps and
supplies will be just so much junk for the family to deal with after grandpa
passes away. Why in the hell did he have all those bug out bags and ammo?
Prepping should be like insurance, pray you never have to use it but be
thankful you have it just in case.
Anyway, that
is what drives me and my long term plans revolve around that. Make the farm
more sustainable and set aside items that might be useful toward that
eventuality. However that is not my only thoughts and action for my future. My
wife and I still work every day and invest in our retirement accounts and plan
vacations. We still have our current day to day lives to live.
Regardless
of why you prepare or what you are preparing for it is wise to have an end goal
in mind and head for that. I use the prism of history for my lens. It may be
the only way to see the history of the future.
Wolverine
------------------------------------------
Join the APN Forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net
Visit the Michigan Forum at www.MichiganPreppersNetwork.net
No comments:
Post a Comment