Monday, January 04, 2010

Sounds Like Homesteading to Me

From James Howard Kunstler's latest post, "The Futility Economy" --

Our destination is an everyday economy where you rarely travel far from the place you live, where you have to make provision for you own health, your own old age, your own income, your own diet, your own security, and your own education. If you're really fortunate, some or all of these necessities can be obtained in conjunction with your neighbors in the place where you live -- but don't expect an increasingly mythical federal government to supply any of it. Expect a new and different way of organizing households based on extended families and kinship groups. Be prepared for agriculture to return to the foreground of everyday life, where farming is back at the center of the economy. Think about how you will cultivate your best role in a social network so the things you do will be truly valued by the other people who know you. Learn how to make your own music and write your own scripts. Try to study history. Resist cults. Keep your mind clear and your senses sharp.

One big difference between Kunstler and myself:  he doesn't live this way even though he talks about it, but I have for 40 years now.  This makes me quaint, but Kunstler is actually taken seriously by some.  Go figure.