I've been thinking about what could be useful for people in terms of our current situation-and what looks to be a worsening crisis. I've noticed that a bunch of posts seem to concern themselves with what the poster plans to or has bought. There are several problems with this however. One is financial. Unless you've got unlimited resources you should not assume that VISA won't expect to get paid- and assess some nasty fees if they don't. Likewise your bank/mortgage holder/landlord expects the same as does the phone and electric companies, etc. Whatever happens here- you should not assume that all debts will be erased and you will not need to pay your bills. So as a large number of people live paycheck to paycheck as it is- or are already in debt- adding to it to any degree with lots of purchases is probably not a good idea.

Anway- even if you buy lots of stuff there are problems with that. You are never going to buy a lifetime supply of most anything- and if it's not available anymore-well- you'll just need to do without it. As well, sometimes things happen to stuff- as the tornadoes this past weekend in Kansas showed all too well. So even if these people had bought lots of things to see them through the oil crisis- well- all that stuff is gone now. So- while some times it can be a good idea to buy something- a tool let's say- the answer is not I don't think , to just buy "stuff". That's partly how we got in this mess anyway.....

That said, I think there are more important things you can do to prepare for what is coming down the pike. Building skills is way up there on my list. Everyone should have a number of skills that are of value to both themselves and to others. So if you're an accountant or website designer or social studies teacher- that's not enough. Learn to do other things. You may need these other skills both to earn cash or barter with others or for your own household. What sorts of skills? Well for starters, how about bike repair, carpentry, plumbing, knitting, sewing/repairs, bread baking, wildcrafting, cheesemaking or whatever else you find interesting or useful. Nobody can take these away from you- they're different than "stuff".

As well, building community is really important. Having the skills to build community and organize people, mediate conflicts, encourage and motivate; these are also valuable skills. Having people around you who you can count on, who can likewise count on you and whom you can work together with will get you through a lot.

Tags: world without oil
Current Mood: calm