I am a short-term pessimist, and a long-term optimist.
I believe that some difficult times are in our future – some very difficult times. Knowing that I sound like a kook (I wonder myself at times), I think what lies in future will make the Dark Ages pale in comparison.
Since humans have walked upright there have been two significant transitions in human development:
-the move from hunters / gatherers to an agrarian society
-the move from an agrarian society to an industrial society
We are now transitioning from an industrial society into an information society. I would recommend Alvin Toffler’s book Revolutionary Wealth to anyone who wants to read more on this topic.
There are little micro-transitions and trends along the way, but understanding the world in the context of these major transitions helps to put things in perspective, and it gives more clarity to the news of the day – you can understand and recognize the tensions and why they exist.
The first two transitions did not go well at all. They were full of suffering and death. I don’t see us learning from our mistakes and avoiding the pending clash of cultures as the peak of modernity clashes with the emerging post-modern world.
How long will the transition last? I don’t know, but I feel compelled to prepare for the storm brewing in the distance. This blog will journal our steps toward preparing our family and hopefully others so that we can not just survive the storm but thrive. I want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. I hope I can play some small role in helping us emerge on the other side a little faster than we would have otherwise. My prayer and hope is that there are many others out there doing the same.
I am assuming that some one-time event (or series of one-time events) will occur and collapse our just-in-time infrastructure on which we have become so dependent. This will lead to social chaos. I see this as the immediate threat. If we can survive the short-term social unrest, then we can begin working toward long-term survival. Therefore, I am preparing at 2 levels – for the short term collapse and the long term recovery.
Preparations for the short-term will include stocking up supplies for my family and our immediate neighbors. I also feel prompted to move us to a neighborhood that has a stronger sense of community.
Preparations for the long-term will include attempts of trying to create a self-sustaining community amongst many of our friends and family. There are reasons other than surviving the chaos that excite me about this project.
In summary, I will use this blog to process the journey of preparation – spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I will chart our progress, share our plans, and mention how we are processing all of this. Hopefully God will show up and put some wind in our sails along the way. I invite you on this journey with us – share your thoughts and opinions along the way.
