I've been having a browse around here for a couple of days and it looks a lovely place full of nice people (you'll let me in now right?) so I thought I would introduce myself and maybe join in a little.
I've been concerned about the state of the world for a long time, and recent events have focussed my thoughts. Most of my worries have been about what I expect the world to look like for my children rather than me, but recently I have realised that things could worsen in the near future.
So I've decided to take action. I've been doing a little basic risk analysis; what might happen, timescales, potential impacts, what I could to do to mitigate those impacts. This has let me prioritise and focus on specific actions.
I'm creating a prioritised list system so that I can keep things nice and steady and sensible, not go overboard, not be silly, or get distracted by the shinies.
So:
- Things to buy/acquire
- Practical things to do
- Knowledge/skills to learn.
What am I worried about? In the short term (five years or so) my concerns are a loss of personal income, some sort of distribution chain failure, or a major financial systems issue (crash or failure). I also live somewhere moderately impacted by weather events, so having to temporarily relocate is one contingency I'm considering.
In the longer term I expect a shift in social structure towards that envisaged in cyberpunk culture, i.e. power shifting inexorably towards a limited elite and/or major corporations and a substantial reduction in government function and ability. For what it is worth, I don't think that is a good thing either in practical or moral terms. However, I don't think the world will get too far down that route as I think over next thirty to fifty years the impact of climate change on populations, society, and resource management is going to alter the world and I wouldn't want to begin to guess in what ways.
Thus my short term aims are to make my family secure for relatively short periods of scarcity. My long term target is to make sure my children are as prepared to look after themselves in a difficult, unpredictable world as I can make them.
My current three target list:
- Buy: Build a two week food stock stored out of the kitchen (not forgetting a tin-opener and a working stove).
- Do (and a little bit of buy): Put together a basic GHB to live in the car.
- Learn: Do lots more reading, planning, and developing my plans in more detail.
I'm looking forward to participating and learning lots from all your knowledge and experience.
Cheers,