economic trees

ECONOMIC TREES
Yesterday I'm reading the first reader comment. Junk land listings in an urban area, what gives? And I replied it was mostly economic survival. And it suddenly hit me. I'm just like all these other idiots, blinded in the collapse forest by economic trees. Even though I prance around and act all smart, making fun of such idiotic advice as how to get rich during the Depression ( money will be worthless after PODA starts, so investment advice is fundamentally flawed ), I'm just as blinded by economics. I'm so concerned over surviving the economic collapse that I don't focus enough on surviving through the collapse. You know, the time period after money is useless and government has collapsed into just another competing crime gang but before a militarily strong system of governance has restored order. And that interval could last far more than a mere few years.
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My advice is too severe for short term, natural disaster type survivalists. I really do wish they are right and I am wrong. Even if I am wrong about the collapse of civilization due to cheap and abundant oil running out ( abiotic oil theory, even if true, still won't be our salvation because, as pointed out by a reader, it isn't replenishing itself anywhere near as quick as we are using it ) I can still separate loyal minions from their money by pimping the fantasy of collapse. Even if I'm wrong I can still milk this cow. I hope I'm wrong so me and my children die of natural old age rather than simmering in the stew pot. I don't honestly believe that I am mistaken, but prudence alone dictates I at least acknowledge the possibility. On the other hand, my advice for the collapse would now seem to be too tame. I can see you all nodding sagely, having reached this conclusion years ago. Hey, I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes. But I think I need to focus more on surviving the gulf between when economics no longer matter and when order is restored to a castle near you. Can't promise it will be swift or sure, but it will be something I'll try to think on.
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I think the simple truth of the matter is that 90% of junk land still leaves you vulnerable to attack. You have to be close enough to town to go to work or go shopping. If you live far enough out in the middle of no where you are vulnerable to insane gas prices. It has already become much more expensive to both buy a vehicle ( new cost as much as a house twenty years ago, used cost three times what it used to because of that fact and because of Cash For Detroit ) and to keep it running. You do remember the five bucks a gallon surge last year, right? From one hurricane. Setting aside the fact that we are running out of oil, just normal disruptions now spike gasoline prices beyond affordability. But that seems to be an article for another day. Right now, let's just make a blanket statement that almost all of us need to live close to town. My location is no safer from townies. I might have a nice 360 buffer of two to three hundred miles from the outside world, but I have to be close enough to town that all the mouth breathing asshat wearing crankhead idiots will eventually wander on out to my place and have a look at what's not nailed down. By that time I will be unemployed and vigilantly be sitting on my roof hoping to sniper one of them so I can put his skull on a nice pole outside the subdivision. But it is still a problem I don't need. Eventually I'll have to come down when I need to take a dump and then they'll ambush me. Damn zombies.
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There is no real safe place to live. There are places that are not as exposed. Some that are marginally safer. In my darker moods, I do admit that all of this preparation is only good to keep you from being the first in the stew pot. You are buying time but eventually you will be killed. I offer no guarantees. So, yes, we should all fanatically prepare to postpone death. Then, after that, we should in fact relax and enjoy life. Once you've prepared past a certain point it does little good to keep it up. The continual presence of neighbors is a constant threat you can't buy your way out of. Your insurance is to extend your life, not to make yourself immortal. So take my panic and ranting with a grain of salt. Panic, prepare, then relax. Now, getting back to my point, as if I actually ever had one, preparing economically is a pretty safe bet. You must of course prepare for lack of oil, but long before that you have to survive the economic collapse. It will effect every one of us. I'm not misleading you by focusing on economics, but I know I must branch out. It isn't all about insulating yourself from the dollar death. As if I needed more to worry about. Hell, I think I earn my $60-$90 a month writing for eleven hundred readers. I put a lot of stress into what might happen. I think I might like it, because otherwise why do it? But enough of all this damn navel gazing. We have plenty to worry about as it is.
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Be afraid, be very afraid. Because surviving the economic collapse is just the beginning. But something you can't ignore. Rawles or Creekmore ( no offense guys, you're just not paranoid enough ) will be happy to have you jump ship from the sinking USS Bison to their Good Time Happy Happy Joy cruise liner. They sell optimism, not me. Stay tuned, gluttons for punishment.
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