posted on Jan, 3 2009 @ 11:22 AM
Maybe I’m looking at this from the wrong perspective. But I’ve always thought of survival plans as being worst case scenario plans. Commerce and
trade plays an almost nonexistent role in my mind. If you are talking about living off the grid then using the internet and other trade infrastructure
is really counterproductive. Essentially you are just talking about living without electricity in our current society. I actually have a 50 acre farm
(or I should say my parents do) in Northern CA that sits along a navigable waterway (Sacramento River). My “phase 1” bug out plan has always been;
in the result of major catastrophe, terrorist attack (WMD) or other service disrupting phenomena to get me, my immediate family and a few select
people out of the city’s and out to the farm. Once there we can go “off grid” to some degree. The farm has its own well so water is a minor
issue. We can generate our own power (until fuel stores run out) and fish and hunt for food. The problem really comes after society goes for an
extended amount of time without government services. Once infrastructure breaks down stealing and looting will become a major issue. Once people start
looking outside of the cities for their stealing we could have a problem. I’m not sure how long the farm would be defensible. Once people are hungry
and they learn that you have what they have not, we could have problems. Now if you want to have a discussion about what cottage industries will
prosper or be useful in times when society are breaking down; mechanics, repairmen other people that can help get people off the grid will start being
more valuable than a computer technician and most definitely more valuable than a banker. If you are thinking survival don’t make a plan that relies
on anything but YOU.