Living a Resilient Life
Dec. 1st, 2021 03:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis article talks about ways to live a resilient life. They're good, but they're not all practical or accessible.
1. Leverage is not your friend.
Debt is a trap. The problem is that modern life is ruinously expensive. Most people are not allowed to make enough money to live on. If they are unable or unwilling to pay what those in power demand, it will simply be taken by force. There are very few opportunities for people to live debt-free.
That said, do look into institutions that make this easier. Credit unions and halal banks are very promising.
2. Have reserves on hand.
This is for people who earn enough to obtain a surplus. It is increasingly rare. There's plenty of good advice, like "Don't pay more than 30% of your income for housing," but most places people must pay more or go homeless. The same factors mean many people don't have room for any reserves. A 2-bedroom apartment is unaffordable at minimum wage everywhere in America; in many places it costs 2-4 times that much. If you live in the suburbs, you probably have storage space; in a city, few people do. If you have it, by all means use it.
3. Practice multiple redundancy.
This is always a good idea. But look at the examples.
If you lose your job do you have some other means of earning an income that you could fall back on quickly?
Specifically, seek the few remaining sources of income that don't require expensive degrees or licenses before you're permitted to beg for a job in them. Most types of creative work you can learn and sell on your own. Some types of computer work, like creating apps, are quite viable for people with those skills. The government has removed most of the bottom rungs from the ladder, but some still exist.
https://www.moneycrashers.com/jobs-require-no-experience/
https://www.businessinsider.com/high-paying-jobs-dont-require-bachelors-degree-2015-10
https://www.lolwot.com/20-jobs-that-you-can-do-from-the-comfort-of-your-home/
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/306578
https://www.webworktravel.com/jobs-to-work-anywhere/
https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/entrepreneur/money-making-skills-can-learn-less-year/
"Could you carpool, take a bus, walk, or ride a bike to all your essential daily destinations if you really had to?"
Few American towns permit this. Places that do tend to be ruinously expensive, because that diversity of transit is valuable. There are not currently enough such places to come anywhere near meeting the demand for them. So, probably your first step is trying to make your neighborhood more accessible to multiple transit modes.
If the power went out could you somehow keep the house warm, operate a few lights, and still put dinner on the table without utilities?
Almost nobody has this. You need either a generator, which is bulky and expensive; or alternative energy like solar panels, which are also expensive but at least the bulk usually goes on the roof. Heating usually means a fireplace or woodstove, which used to be common but are now rare, and banned in some areas. If you don't own a private home, almost none of this is even theoretically an option.
You can, however, probably manage some smaller things. Many emergency tools like radios and flashlights can be found with a hand-crank or battery power. Camping lanterns are fantastic. Genuine oil lamps can still be found, along with their fuel, but you'll have to hunt for them. Candles are cheap and easily found, and will prevent you from tripping in the dark but won't generate enough light to read or work by. A kerosene heater will warm a room quite well, but they reek and have hazards. Cooling in summer is increasingly an issue; the most effective methods require electricity. Water is only helpful in relatively dry heat. But regarding fault tolerance, do stock extra air conditioners, fans, etc. in case your main one goes out because they can buy you a little breathing space because the home becomes dangerously too hot.
4. Keep it simple.
Now this is advice that most people can attempt. For the poor, which is most people now, it's miserable to do without but there are ways to make it more tolerable.
* Simplify your wardrobe.
* Invest in spices. Even if you're stuck eating beans and rice a lot, Asian flavors and African flavors taste totally different.
* Study the Buddhist principle of nonattachment. If you want less, then having little isn't as bothersome; you can focus on needs and important desires.
5. Have a Plan B.
Actually have a PACE sequence of plans.
This requires that you have executive function and agency. Without the first, you can't make plans well; without the second, you can't enact them.
6. Family and community are incredibly important.
This is true. However, not everyone has the opportunity for good ones. It relies on your skills, other people's skills, how well you match or don't, travel abilities -- and most of all, the simple supply of possible contacts in your area. The more unusual you are, or the fewer people in your area, the harder it gets to build a good support network. This is compounded by local factors like a high crime rate, drug abuse, poverty, etc. that may deplete the supply of healthy candidates.
7. Be open to other perspectives.
Generally a good idea, if you are around diverse and competent people. However, if your skill level exceeds average, this is less apt.
You can use media to expand your options. Somewhere out there are people who know more than you about everything, and they've probably recorded at least some of that somehow.
Try to develop good diversity skills. They reduce friction.
8. Have fun.
Also generally a good idea. If you're having fun, it doesn't feel like work.
My favorite example: Don't use the door exercise to practice mindfulness. Play We Didn't Playtest This at All and try to remember to say "Aaaa! Zombies!" before your turn so they don't eat your brain.
Some other ideas ...
* Build your resilience skills. There are many options.
* Intentional neighboring. It does require a supply of functional people, which may be hard to obtain, but it really aims at exchanging strengths and weaknesses so almost everyone has something to give and get.
* Barter. Cash only outcompetes barter when there is enough to exchange for people's needs. When cash gets too low to do its job, people revert to barter or other alternatives. You always have your skills. These are things you can learn to increase your exchange potential.
https://modernsurvivalonline.com/bartering-skills/
https://urbansurvivalsite.com/20-skills-you-can-trade-after-teotwawki/
* Gift economy. Create alternatives to capitalism.
1. Leverage is not your friend.
Debt is a trap. The problem is that modern life is ruinously expensive. Most people are not allowed to make enough money to live on. If they are unable or unwilling to pay what those in power demand, it will simply be taken by force. There are very few opportunities for people to live debt-free.
That said, do look into institutions that make this easier. Credit unions and halal banks are very promising.
2. Have reserves on hand.
This is for people who earn enough to obtain a surplus. It is increasingly rare. There's plenty of good advice, like "Don't pay more than 30% of your income for housing," but most places people must pay more or go homeless. The same factors mean many people don't have room for any reserves. A 2-bedroom apartment is unaffordable at minimum wage everywhere in America; in many places it costs 2-4 times that much. If you live in the suburbs, you probably have storage space; in a city, few people do. If you have it, by all means use it.
3. Practice multiple redundancy.
This is always a good idea. But look at the examples.
If you lose your job do you have some other means of earning an income that you could fall back on quickly?
Specifically, seek the few remaining sources of income that don't require expensive degrees or licenses before you're permitted to beg for a job in them. Most types of creative work you can learn and sell on your own. Some types of computer work, like creating apps, are quite viable for people with those skills. The government has removed most of the bottom rungs from the ladder, but some still exist.
https://www.moneycrashers.com/jobs-require-no-experience/
https://www.businessinsider.com/high-paying-jobs-dont-require-bachelors-degree-2015-10
https://www.lolwot.com/20-jobs-that-you-can-do-from-the-comfort-of-your-home/
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/306578
https://www.webworktravel.com/jobs-to-work-anywhere/
https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/entrepreneur/money-making-skills-can-learn-less-year/
"Could you carpool, take a bus, walk, or ride a bike to all your essential daily destinations if you really had to?"
Few American towns permit this. Places that do tend to be ruinously expensive, because that diversity of transit is valuable. There are not currently enough such places to come anywhere near meeting the demand for them. So, probably your first step is trying to make your neighborhood more accessible to multiple transit modes.
If the power went out could you somehow keep the house warm, operate a few lights, and still put dinner on the table without utilities?
Almost nobody has this. You need either a generator, which is bulky and expensive; or alternative energy like solar panels, which are also expensive but at least the bulk usually goes on the roof. Heating usually means a fireplace or woodstove, which used to be common but are now rare, and banned in some areas. If you don't own a private home, almost none of this is even theoretically an option.
You can, however, probably manage some smaller things. Many emergency tools like radios and flashlights can be found with a hand-crank or battery power. Camping lanterns are fantastic. Genuine oil lamps can still be found, along with their fuel, but you'll have to hunt for them. Candles are cheap and easily found, and will prevent you from tripping in the dark but won't generate enough light to read or work by. A kerosene heater will warm a room quite well, but they reek and have hazards. Cooling in summer is increasingly an issue; the most effective methods require electricity. Water is only helpful in relatively dry heat. But regarding fault tolerance, do stock extra air conditioners, fans, etc. in case your main one goes out because they can buy you a little breathing space because the home becomes dangerously too hot.
4. Keep it simple.
Now this is advice that most people can attempt. For the poor, which is most people now, it's miserable to do without but there are ways to make it more tolerable.
* Simplify your wardrobe.
* Invest in spices. Even if you're stuck eating beans and rice a lot, Asian flavors and African flavors taste totally different.
* Study the Buddhist principle of nonattachment. If you want less, then having little isn't as bothersome; you can focus on needs and important desires.
5. Have a Plan B.
Actually have a PACE sequence of plans.
This requires that you have executive function and agency. Without the first, you can't make plans well; without the second, you can't enact them.
6. Family and community are incredibly important.
This is true. However, not everyone has the opportunity for good ones. It relies on your skills, other people's skills, how well you match or don't, travel abilities -- and most of all, the simple supply of possible contacts in your area. The more unusual you are, or the fewer people in your area, the harder it gets to build a good support network. This is compounded by local factors like a high crime rate, drug abuse, poverty, etc. that may deplete the supply of healthy candidates.
7. Be open to other perspectives.
Generally a good idea, if you are around diverse and competent people. However, if your skill level exceeds average, this is less apt.
You can use media to expand your options. Somewhere out there are people who know more than you about everything, and they've probably recorded at least some of that somehow.
Try to develop good diversity skills. They reduce friction.
8. Have fun.
Also generally a good idea. If you're having fun, it doesn't feel like work.
My favorite example: Don't use the door exercise to practice mindfulness. Play We Didn't Playtest This at All and try to remember to say "Aaaa! Zombies!" before your turn so they don't eat your brain.
Some other ideas ...
* Build your resilience skills. There are many options.
* Intentional neighboring. It does require a supply of functional people, which may be hard to obtain, but it really aims at exchanging strengths and weaknesses so almost everyone has something to give and get.
* Barter. Cash only outcompetes barter when there is enough to exchange for people's needs. When cash gets too low to do its job, people revert to barter or other alternatives. You always have your skills. These are things you can learn to increase your exchange potential.
https://modernsurvivalonline.com/bartering-skills/
https://urbansurvivalsite.com/20-skills-you-can-trade-after-teotwawki/
* Gift economy. Create alternatives to capitalism.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-12-01 05:52 pm (UTC)https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/landbetweengarden/yakani-ekelanna?ref=ksr_email_user_followed_project_finishing_8_hours_reminder
(no subject)
Date: 2021-12-02 02:25 am (UTC)Yes ...
Date: 2021-12-02 02:33 am (UTC)* knowledge of nutrition
* cooking skills
* a basic set of kitchen equipment
* working appliances
* time and energy to cook.
Not everyone has all those things.
The cool thing about spices is that you can just experiment with them until you find something you like, and you can put them into things while cooking or on things afterwards. You can buy a carton of salad mix, put olive oil and vinegar into a mason jar, and add whatever spices you like to make salad dressing.
When I see a donation bin for food at a grocery store, my go-to contribution is spices. Food pantries always have stuff like beans, rice, and potato flakes to give out; spices make those things edible. Usually the spice aisle will have a few different options for packs of multiple spices, so you can easily give someone a basic kit.