General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Since Free Traders believe that America should lower its standard of living to help the third world [View all]Zalatix
(8,994 posts)I've been thinking this over and tossing it around with my wife. Please forgive if this sounds overly analytical...
If I had a garden and plenty of meat nearby I wouldn't need a car so much, of course. And walking never hurt anyone. However I would prefer to drive rather than walk to the next Comic Con and I bring a lot of comic books, anime, etc. which I'd need a car for. What I want is one of the cars of old, hybridized with the tech of new - eco friendly cars that last for decades. Modern industry does not even ALLOW that. Everything is planned to break down!
In actuality we do have chickens. 6 hens (for eggs) which we feed using compost heaps. They go for the worms, too, and the compost helps grow food. We're not ready for meat chickens yet and the eggs don't come often - laying too many eggs destroys a hen's calcium levels.
Your food security seems to be based on a certain degree of decentralization. I like that aspect. We need more of that in America.
Clothes that last for life? I'd settle for pieces that last for 10-20 years. Not happening in America or most of the modern world - gotta buy, buy, buy! Weave once and wear for 10 years? Hmmmmmmm, actually I could go for that. Or I could barter with someone else and call it a localized version of Comparative Advantage. (Long explanation)
Washing dishes and clothes? I really like the idea of throwing dishes in the dish washer and clothes in the washer and dryer, letting it take care of the work, while I do something else. HOWEVER... today's washers and dryers break down inside of 1-2 years. They make new models of these things every 6 months according to what the manager at Best Buy told me. SIX MONTHS!!! WTF! These things used to last 10 years or more!
So now you present a valid logical question: how much time does the average person lose hand-washing clothes and dishes, versus working their rear end off to afford a dishwasher or clothes washer/dryer that keeps breaking down?
I must have a refrigerator. But again, corporations have it so they don't last, either. I can do without the fancy computers on the dishwasher, though. Which takes me back to the question in the previous paragraph.
I must concede that if electricity is lost, you have the advantage.
However I can NOT live without computers. Computers can be incredibly eco-friendly if you use them to substitute resource-heavy stuff, most classically the reading and making of books. Keep them running cool and you add 2 years to their lifespan. But again... why aren't computers made to last??? Also, MP3's save me resources because I don't need to buy CDs (just the mp3's), and I listen to a LOT of music while I work. But my wife, kids and I go to concerts about once every 6 months, too. You guys probably have tons of musicians in walking distance.
On the surface of this issue, computers are the one thing I would say I'd miss if I lived near you, and I'm not sure about computers since you're posting on the DU, and you guys probably do have refrigerators. I do have but one objection: what about access to medicine and medical services?
Then there are all the huge advantages that come with your way of life.
The biggest advantage, that can't be easily matched here, is your strong community. In the modern world we fall prey to economic collapses from time to time - depressions. We're running a big risk of a dollar collapse, for instance.
You know the drill, big time gurus are out now talking about stocking up on gold. Gold is stupid. In an economic collapse situation, you can't defend it easily if it's in your possession, and if you have stocks of it "elsewhere" someone's going to steal it - basically, gold that is not in your hands will never make it to your possession. Others who think they are smarter than the crowd, say that you should own a farm. This is actually a smarter idea. Hyperinflation, which people fear could happen soon, means one apple will cost $1000. Ye olde apple tree is now a well of red gold. Owning a farm? Now that's an empire. Let me label this, "localized food security".
BUT... what no one talks about in an economic collapse is, alongside a good garden or farm, the one most important thing of all: your community. When you say "and really enjoy yourself catching up on the latest gossip, discussing politics, movies, whatever you want to", that means when an economy collapses around you, you have these people to rely on. Combine that with the localized food security that you seem to enjoy, and you have what you need to ride out the kind of collapse that America is now flirting with.
So let's get back to the whole hand-washing stuff lifestyle. The bicycle-powered washing machine you posted info about, seriously? Do they have stuff like that where you live? Could you power that thing with solar? Without the battery setup, that would be like fusing a modern lifestyle with some honest exercise. And keeping some equipment off the trash heap, too.