I am not a Prepper.
I am not a Survivalist.
I AM NOT A DOOMER.
I REFUSE TO BE KILLING MYSELF TO KEEP MYSELF ALIVE.
I will not worry about every possible hazard we could face.
I will focus on the future I want to create.
I will steadfastly work towards achieving that future.
I will only worry about the things I can control and leave the rest up to higher powers.
I will follow the principle of ensuring that every function is covered by multiple elements and every element has multiple functions and trust in the resiliency of the system.
I BELIEVE IN MANY FUTURES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE HAPPY, HEALTHY, MEANINGFUL LIVES WITHOUT HAVING TO CONSUME NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES OR RENEWABLE RESOURCES AT AN UNSUSTAINABLE RATE.
I believe that entering such a future is purely a matter of choice, collectively and individually.
I believe that we can choose those futures at any time up to the point of extinction.
I believe that the sooner we choose such a future, the easier the transition will be, the more people will be able to make the transition, and the more comfortable and prosperous that future will be.
I call it The Long Ascent because in the end we will only choose one, but at this point there are many paths open. Where do you want to go?
It is not an easy number to get hold of, but every survey/indiactor of prepper/surivalists average age is somewhere in the 55+ catagory.
ReplyDeleteGranted there is a larger overall population with concerns, but if this is the age demographic in question you have to wonder about some of the issues discussed.
I do believe there are better versus worse possible futures. Whether the "good" future you describe is unknowable - as the future always is. Mainstream Christian doctrine prior to the devestating wars of the 20th century tended to emphasise making the world a better place in the here and now. In effect they believed that you should would work toward building the Kingdom of God rather than wait for Jesuis to bring it with him.
I understand the skepticism, but too much skepticism is as much a flaw as too much panglosian wishful thinking.
I just caught the "typo" - was that on purpose? "Jesuis" = "Iam" in French... I do believe the Christians should be working towards building the Kingdom of God, in model size, recognizing that their efforts will require direct divine intervention to encompass the entire world.
ReplyDeleteI guess I should have added "I AM NOT A DOOMER!" after not being a prepper or survivalist. I love people like Jack Spirko who are "helping you live a better life, if times get tough or even if they don't". It's people who worry themselves and others sick over the future that I have a problem with.
Thank you for this. I strive to be optimistic, and often fail. It takes greater effort for me to be optimistic than pessimistic. Why is this, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteIt's been obvious to me since about 2005 that "life as we know it" can't go on. It's a struggle to prepare for this without falling into gloom, pessimism, and the "we're all gonna die!" mindset. (I mean, eventually we really are all going to die, but hopefully not all at once!).
Anyway, this post of yours feels like a blessing. I'm going to print it out -- or maybe copy it into one of my journals -- and read it over from time to time. Thank you again.