Time for a schism (or two)?

[oddlots]

Just finished reading Nomi Prins piece that I think Don posted here. It was great criticism.

It occurs to me that I'm probably not alone in feeling that my thinking about the issues that trouble us here is a little passive. I've got several shelves of books including Prins' and EJ's and a host of others. Many of them are half read or at least half digested. Regardless I have an uncomfortable feeling of being a bit un-balanced (think fiddler crab): lots of thought about abstract issues, lots of cheap-seats banter, and absolutely no political involvement.

I'm not complaining about this. One of the great virtues of this site is it's "non-aligned" character. I also think it benefits from it's implicit focus on the individual's concerns in the context of a very complex web (read clusterf#%*) of experience running from, for instance, our particular historical experience of the Dollar Standard in its later years, to out-sourcing, FIRE and peak-cheap-oil etc. I know it was alarm about my family's well-being that got me started thinking about history and economics and, specifically, our own peculiar moment, so it's the right place to start to my mind. (Think O2 masks and aircraft emergency procedures. I.e.: get the mask on yourself first, then your children.)

But once you are breathing freely, your family is secure (sort of), what do you do? I'm kind of unhappy that I don't have a positive set of prescriptions to present to even myself after all this reading and thinking.

Anyone else feeling like this?

[leegs]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

Indeed I have felt like that. But considering that:

The people are ignorant and like it that way.
The leaders are corrupt.
Greed is good.
The oil (and other resources) are running out (yes, I know they aren't really running out, they are just getting more expensive to extract at the same time as demand is increasing)

I'm pretty much convinced that we are totally f'ed. I can't predict the timescale / rate over which the f-ing will unfold, but its inevitable, so why bother with something as distasteful as political involvement.


Of course I have to confess that I'm pretty good at rationalizing my self-absorption, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

[Thailandnotes]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

If I was to move back to the states, I would put in a garden, expand it, maybe sell some stuff at the local market and give away some. It would feel political. I'd be pouring over seed catalogs right about now. I think you have think local to keep your sanity.

[*T*]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

Yes. Tunisia gave me some heart. Support the EFF. Act local.

[ggirod]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

Maybe not a schism, exactly... unity might do the trick.

Quick summary so far .....

I'm kind of unhappy that I don't have a positive set of prescriptions to present to even myself after all this reading and thinking.

You are not alone ...

The oil (and other resources) are running out (yes, I know they aren't really running out, they are just getting more expensive to extract at the same time as demand is increasing)

Very true. Were that problem REALLY to concern the people who run the country, somebody might try to do something, but it doesn't. The people who run the country already have had many servings dining on the carcass of the economy and now they await the collapse to "clean their plate". Watch as their bread wipes up the last of our gravy from the economic plate.

If I was to move back to the states, I would put in a garden, expand it, maybe sell some stuff at the local market and give away some. It would feel political. I'd be pouring over seed catalogs right about now. I think you have think local to keep your sanity.

Very true and a good plan for anyone who sees what is happening. Realistically it is about the only thing people have available at this point. As the bottom 98% of the people slide toward degrees of serfdom, it is an excellent time to hone one's skills for being a serf. In fact, through acquiring, practicing, and then training children in traditional skills some feeling of freedom and control returns to ones life. Those skills will do a lot to prepare children for their future lives. In fact, to the extent that you can do for yourself and your neighbors, and they can do for you, everyone's quality of life will improve.

The real solution to the problem is to unite lots of people to restore democracy by passing a Constitutional amendment to strip corporations of any power to influence elections and politics. ANY power, PERIOD. Instead, politics could be influenced ONLY by human persons, and each human person is limited to expending some reasonable sum of money on political causes. Sadly, it would appear too late for that. With the polarization cultivated in our society it looks unlikely that a resounding majority could gather to demand the amendment.

Now, if you will excuse me, I'll get back to reading my seed catalogs and planning my garden.

[jiimbergin]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

If I was to move back to the states, I would put in a garden, expand it, maybe sell some stuff at the local market and give away some. It would feel political. I'd be pouring over seed catalogs right about now. I think you have think local to keep your sanity.

I have done exactly that. I have a fairly large vegetable garden that I share with family and friends. I also have a fruit garden that has strawberried, blueberries, blackberries and kiwi ( will not produce for another couple years). I also have planted several fruit trees that are fruiting size which I hope produce in the next year or so.

[jtabeb]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

The real solution to the problem is to unite lots of people to restore democracy by passing a Constitutional amendment to strip corporations of any power to influence elections and politics. ANY power, PERIOD. Instead, politics could be influenced ONLY by human persons, and each human person is limited to expending some reasonable sum of money on political causes. Sadly, it would appear too late for that. With the polarization cultivated in our society it looks unlikely that a resounding majority could gather to demand the amendment.

Now, if you will excuse me, I'll get back to reading my seed catalogs and planning my garden.

The Germans learned this after the Nazis and have had Public Finance for elections ever since. You think we MIGHT be able to figure out what happens when you combine the corruption, wealth concentration, and then give Corporations (which have special legal status ) the same rights to free speech as individuals. Those who tell the lie that allowing for free corporate speech leads to more inclusive speech for all need only look at Nazi Germany for the most blatant counter-example ever witnessed.

[sunskyfan]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

An education has value in and of itself just like life. I find the site very educational.

By-the-way ... if you have ever watched a fiddler crab (I have one in my aquarium) the big claw is to the outside world while the little claw is inside its burrow under a rock or something. It defends and intimidates with the big claw and excavates and manages it burrow with the little claw (probably hoping some hot balanced claw female will come and join him ;) ). Though events overcome us it would be completely foolish to be purposefully ignorant of them and a complete waste to spend your life totally consumed by them.

[oddlots]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

By-the-way ... if you have ever watched a fiddler crab (I have one in my aquarium) the big claw is to the outside world while the little claw is inside its burrow under a rock or something. It defends and intimidates with the big claw and excavates and manages it burrow with the little claw (probably hoping some hot balanced claw female will come and join him ;) ). Though events overcome us it would be completely foolish to be purposefully ignorant of them and a complete waste to spend your life totally consumed by them.

I apologize to your pet for misapprehending the meaning of his appendages.

Appreciate the feedback all.

Going tobogganing with my 11 year old.

[leegs]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

I am doing the locally / personally -oriented things, in my own self interest. I live in the country, have started a garden, have stocked up on emergency supplies, am getting ready to build a solar hot water system, quit my white-collar job and live quite a lot more cheaply and have gotten even more handy and skilled at various practical things. I have been an avid and successful hunter for a long time. I have some good friends with varied solid and practical skills different from my own. Some of these things happened long before I lost faith in the system, so its been fairly easy to increase the momentum in the 'right' direction.

Oh, and does spending some of my 401k on long-term practical and useful things count?

[Jay]

Re: Time for a schism (or two)?

I have actually taken a different track, and have moved deeper into the city. While there may be moments of civil unrest, long term peak cheap oil will mandate a push back toward city living. The jobs will be near public transportation and while I think owning farmland is an excellent idea, I don't want to be a farmer. I would rather invest in agriculture. I am aiming to buy a short sale right in the middle of a city, with rentable space. I will make the place as energy efficient as possible and rent out space in the basement and third floor (if need be). I have a deck to grow a few things that I like and might even put in a greenhouse. City living suits me, I like being around a bunch of educated, cultured people and not in the middle of nowhere. I happen to not believe that the end of times is coming and that after a decade of strife, the US will being doing just fine. If the heathens come I have something for them.

If I was very wealthy and had no family ties, I would consider moving abroad, but that isn't my situation. I don't have a foreign bank account (wish I kept the one I used to have in Australia though) or a second passport. And I am not all that worried. I have a lot of local family and close friends. We will all help each other as necessary. And I think it will turn out just fine.