So I take it you don't think that Archdruid John Michael Greer's advice about "preparedness" will be of very much help to working-class urban apartment dwellers? I don't, either, as much as I like to read his blog for his insights on our encroaching predicament.
How prepared are Americans for collapse? Not at all, from what I am seeing.
You can point out things that are happening all around them. Businesses closed. Entire strip malls board up and then get razed. The price at the pump and the grocery store and rent killing any discretionary income they may have had as their debt and bankruptcy rises. Foreclosed homes in the neighborhood sitting their for years. Want ad sections in the papers, 20 pages thick, now a half a page, and the ads are usually PT dead end jobs, careers for repo men, or vacuum cleaner salesmen. Dumpster diving, couch surfing, people giving up their pets, even trying to sell or give up or kill their children. The government on steroids, stories of police brutality as they are becoming increasingly armed like military units and senseless murders on the rise.
Yet people talk of housing values recovering, of the resumption of economic growth after we get the commie or Muslim out of office and elect Jeb Bush or some other neocon.
Energy? The Keystone pipeline, the untapped discoveries in the Bakken Fields or the Alaskan Arctic will bring back cheap gas, if only we could shoot those "enviro-nazis". Other variations of stupidity include the hydrogen economy, more solar panels, the biomass solution, or that the illuminati control the oil supply and are trying to enslave us by hoarding it from us.
The ones that seem to know what is about to hit us either commit suicide, or have dug these survival bunkers with freeze dried food, and lots of guns and ammo. They will likely be the first ones the DHS and "forces of law and order" go after and pilfer their supplies. Rumor has it that "preppers" are on high on the NSA's "threat list".
How are americans that are have experienced collapse or those who try to help the suffering being treated?
Like shit, like criminals. Cops shut down the shanty towns and tent cities, arrest people for "vagrancy", fine people who are seen pushing around a shopping cart. They harass and shut down homeless shelters and soup kitchens, citing "fire hazards" or that some expensive license or permit is required to feed people, or citing 'health standards'. Anything and everything to steal money from people.
Try to look for one of the few jobs that become available, and you are treated like a criminal. You feel like you are being badgered by a prosecuting attorney at a job interview, and if you survive that torture, then they test your urine, do a thorough back ground check, which increasingly consists of checking your driving record and credit history, and after you get two positive letters of recommendation from your last 2 employers, you get finger printed. So if you have had a bad experience with your last employer and did not lick their boots and kiss their ass while they cattle prodded and bullwhipped you to the point where your physical and mental health were on the brink of harming you, then consider yourself forever locked out of the job market.
And this is just the beginning. While all this is going on, we hear all about Justin Bieber, the latest coronary bypass fecal burger at the local greasy fast food pit, how the Russians have invaded the Ukraine and "insurgents" in the east are fighting what we would be lead to believe is the "legitimate" government in Kiev, and lots of other lies, bullshit, and things that have no relevance or are even detrimental are being sold to a country with the mantras "shut up,be afraid, consume, obey, don't question authority, pay your taxes, cutting food stamps, hot lunches for children, or refusing to raise the minimum wage is for your own good, etc
There seems to be no shortage of useful idiots that have bought into this indoctrination. They are the "number one" crowd, who are arming themselves to the teeth, ready to blame minorities, terrorists, or other phantom enemies for all of their problems
A handful of really-gotta-bead-on-it analysts keep me on track. No matter how many DOrlov podcasts I listen to it never fails to deliver some sound info nuggets. Thanks. After 2 weeks back in the USSA (helping a alzheimers ridden parent) the contrast to Nicaraguas Corn island (where we house sit)with south Floridas "treasure coast" could not be more stark: bookoo empty strip malls, many businesses resorting to putting folks out on U.S.1 waving posters manically to draw in customers, the endless cacophony of radio hawking for new cars and consumerism, and quite a few fat people. What's nice is the general kindness folks exhibit towards each other.... some things "american" I really miss after 7 months in latin america. But not enough to stay. This place has gone around the bend. And for those considering expatriation (I share with Mr. Orlov the opinion it's about the only sane choice going anymore) mucho opportunities to find communities that abide south of the border with good folks.
This comment section seems sane. I'm waiting on my kids to grow (4 more years), then I'm out of this country whatever my kids decide to do. Looking all over Central & S America for a place I can get farmland reasonably priced & live reasonably free of g'ment influence. I want to live in a community that abides. I want to be a strong, contributing member of such a community. Where is that possible? The empire interferes where it wants at the moment. I want away from that.
A reference was made to cultures that regarded crop surpluses as nothing but trouble and sacrificed them to the gods. This is really fascinating. Anyone know which culture was being referred to?
Latin America certainly does seem to be the place to go right now. Came across this link this morning:
http://www.southernchileproperties.com/
Seems as though they have a good reputation. I'm not in the U.S. but I'm seriously thinking of making a trip to South America and having a look around. Gotta save the cash and use it while it's actually worth something...
9 comments:
Excellent interview. Very informative, thank you.
So I take it you don't think that Archdruid John Michael Greer's advice about "preparedness" will be of very much help to working-class urban apartment dwellers? I don't, either, as much as I like to read his blog for his insights on our encroaching predicament.
How prepared are Americans for collapse? Not at all, from what I am seeing.
You can point out things that are happening all around them. Businesses closed. Entire strip malls board up and then get razed. The price at the pump and the grocery store and rent killing any discretionary income they may have had as their debt and bankruptcy rises. Foreclosed homes in the neighborhood sitting their for years. Want ad sections in the papers, 20 pages thick, now a half a page, and the ads are usually PT dead end jobs, careers for repo men, or vacuum cleaner salesmen. Dumpster diving, couch surfing, people giving up their pets, even trying to sell or give up or kill their children. The government on steroids, stories of police brutality as they are becoming increasingly armed like military units and senseless murders on the rise.
Yet people talk of housing values recovering, of the resumption of economic growth after we get the commie or Muslim out of office and elect Jeb Bush or some other neocon.
Energy? The Keystone pipeline, the untapped discoveries in the Bakken Fields or the Alaskan Arctic will bring back cheap gas, if only we could shoot those "enviro-nazis". Other variations of stupidity include the hydrogen economy, more solar panels, the biomass solution, or that the illuminati control the oil supply and are trying to enslave us by hoarding it from us.
The ones that seem to know what is about to hit us either commit suicide, or have dug these survival bunkers with freeze dried food, and lots of guns and ammo. They will likely be the first ones the DHS and "forces of law and order" go after and pilfer their supplies. Rumor has it that "preppers" are on high on the NSA's "threat list".
How are americans that are have experienced collapse or those who try to help the suffering being treated?
Like shit, like criminals. Cops shut down the shanty towns and tent cities, arrest people for "vagrancy", fine people who are seen pushing around a shopping cart. They harass and shut down homeless shelters and soup kitchens, citing "fire hazards" or that some expensive license or permit is required to feed people, or citing 'health standards'. Anything and everything to steal money from people.
Try to look for one of the few jobs that become available, and you are treated like a criminal. You feel like you are being badgered by a prosecuting attorney at a job interview, and if you survive that torture, then they test your urine, do a thorough back ground check, which increasingly consists of checking your driving record and credit history, and after you get two positive letters of recommendation from your last 2 employers, you get finger printed. So if you have had a bad experience with your last employer and did not lick their boots and kiss their ass while they cattle prodded and bullwhipped you to the point where your physical and mental health were on the brink of harming you, then consider yourself forever locked out of the job market.
And this is just the beginning. While all this is going on, we hear all about Justin Bieber, the latest coronary bypass fecal burger at the local greasy fast food pit, how the Russians have invaded the Ukraine and "insurgents" in the east are fighting what we would be lead to believe is the "legitimate" government in Kiev, and lots of other lies, bullshit, and things that have no relevance or are even detrimental are being sold to a country with the mantras "shut up,be afraid, consume, obey, don't question authority, pay your taxes, cutting food stamps, hot lunches for children, or refusing to raise the minimum wage is for your own good, etc
There seems to be no shortage of useful idiots that have bought into this indoctrination. They are the "number one" crowd, who are arming themselves to the teeth, ready to blame minorities, terrorists, or other phantom enemies for all of their problems
I second M.K., thank you very much.
Sure no lack of volume on that: it came on SO loud it vibrated the flower vase off the mantle above the tv!
A handful of really-gotta-bead-on-it analysts keep me on track. No matter how many DOrlov podcasts I listen to it never fails to deliver some sound info nuggets. Thanks. After 2 weeks back in the USSA (helping a alzheimers ridden parent) the contrast to Nicaraguas Corn island (where we house sit)with south Floridas "treasure coast" could not be more stark: bookoo empty strip malls, many businesses resorting to putting folks out on U.S.1 waving posters manically to draw in customers, the endless cacophony of radio hawking for new cars and consumerism, and quite a few fat people. What's nice is the general kindness folks exhibit towards each other.... some things "american" I really miss after 7 months in latin america. But not enough to stay. This place has gone around the bend. And for those considering expatriation (I share with Mr. Orlov the opinion it's about the only sane choice going anymore) mucho opportunities to find communities that abide south of the border with good folks.
This comment section seems sane. I'm waiting on my kids to grow (4 more years), then I'm out of this country whatever my kids decide to do. Looking all over Central & S America for a place I can get farmland reasonably priced & live reasonably free of g'ment influence. I want to live in a community that abides. I want to be a strong, contributing member of such a community. Where is that possible? The empire interferes where it wants at the moment. I want away from that.
A reference was made to cultures that regarded crop surpluses as nothing but trouble and sacrificed them to the gods. This is really fascinating. Anyone know which culture was being referred to?
Latin America certainly does seem to be the place to go right now. Came across this link this morning:
http://www.southernchileproperties.com/
Seems as though they have a good reputation. I'm not in the U.S. but I'm seriously thinking of making a trip to South America and having a look around. Gotta save the cash and use it while it's actually worth something...
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