LOCALISM
As I look around social media and talk to other like-minded individuals with their ears to the floor, I notice a trend of interests leaning towards self-sufficiency and self-reliance. The barbarian homesteader in me is absolutely thrilled to see this. One can only hope that this is not a small-scale fad and is leaning more towards a movement in our country.
Anyone that knows me knows that I value myself as a self-reliant individual. I believe that freedom exists only in oneself and only in one’s ability to rely on themselves.
I believe that there is a unique ability in each man to provide for himself no matter what seems to be in his way. Not only is this ability unique, but it is also natural, and it is something to be prideful about; in my humble opinion, it says an awful lot about a man’s character when he does not have the desire for self-sufficiency.
TWITTERING
I recently made a tweet about localism that, while it did not go viral, received over 400 likes and a bit of interaction that surprised me. It is part of the many things that I have seen that give me hope in what I am talking about; there’s great interest brewing in a self-reliant lifestyle.
I think this is happening for a variety of reasons. The first reason is that we are designed as humans to work and move and be creative. It is one of the things that separate us from the other species on the planet and elevate us in the animal kingdom’s hierarchy.
Self-reliance often brings people into somewhat of a homesteading lifestyle, if not directly into homesteading itself. This notion that we do not have to rely on a system over our heads that we have no control over brings about a dream into the human mind that maybe, just maybe, we can do things on our own. Now you and I both know that there is nothing more freeing than not having to rely on anyone or anything.
COMFORT VS WANT
I recently commented to someone that I could live comfortably on $20,000 a year. The thought and concept of this absolutely blew that person’s mind, and they could not fathom why I would be happy this way.
Do not get me wrong, the more money a man makes, the more comfortable life he can live, but life is not about comfort as it is about creation. I would not reject making $10,000 a month. I don’t know anyone who comes from a poverty class of people such as myself or even a middle class, would disagree with me.
That does not mean that it is a necessity for us to live our lives and happiness. Happiness for us as Americans often comes in the form of freedom. Freedom is ingrained into us from a small child and is a unique cultural identity to our country in our country alone.
BEGINNINGS
Frontiersmen, homesteaders, small farmers, and small businesses founded America. This country was created on the backs of hardworking men and women and children, and there is no future for this country without this, this is not to get into political land or take us down into a history lesson, but it is key to my point. This idea that we can grow our own food, fix what breaks, get married and raise children, have a big family, and have a happy life is something that the idea of was more or less lost over the last 30 to 40 years but seems to be making a comeback with the younger generations and even the middle-aged.
Back at the beginning of our country, individual settlements were created here and there, dotting along the eastern coastline. The settlements struggled, and some even failed. These men tried to make it independently and be completely self-reliant in a brand-new world that they knew nothing of.
These settlers had to be saved by the natives of the land. Who knew how to work the land and were self-sufficient in the land. These settlements relied on what we today know and call localism.
TODAY
In modern times we cannot strike out on our own and expect to make it as a lone Wolf. There is an absolute need for the community to band together to face anything that is ahead of us. Through friendships and business dealings, we can support each other on a local level. Allowing our families to be raised in an environment that is less regulated by authorities and more regulated by the values and virtues that come naturally to the human being into the American way of life.
The tweet I mentioned suggested changing the way we live—a suggestion for the beginning of embracing localism. If you live in an urban area, look within a 1-mile radius of your home, if rural, 5 miles, and find those neighbors in your communities that offer services and use them.
Do not hire a lawn company to mow and weed eat your yard for 150 bucks when the kid down the street will do it for $20. That is not about saving you money, that is about creating an opportunity for a future business owner and community member. Don’t call roto rooters; hire bob’s plumbing from a few doors down. That guy down the street that works on cars and has rebuilt some rust buckets, ask him to take a look at that funny sound and how much to fix it.
KNOW THE LOCAL PEOPLE AROUND YOU
We are surrounded by people with skills that would not mind making a little money to support their family with them. If you see that your local area lacks a service, well, then there is a business idea for you. Create that service and plug it into the community.
We live in a world where I would bet that the vast majority of people do not even know their neighbors. Why is that? Because we are self-absorbed. We only have a desire to please ourselves.
That is why kids get parked in front of movies and video games while dad goes out to the bar with the boys and mom plays on Instagram all evening. It is why the family is failing. Divorces are climbing, and childbirth is down, abortion is up, the number of kids in foster care is up.
SOCIETY NO LONGER HAS A PLACE FOR KIDS.
But this seems to be changing. People desire simplicity again. They desire less stress. I think we have come to a place where we have added too much stress and anxiety to life that people are beginning to rebel against it.
Suddenly they want clean foods instead of processed. Suddenly people are looking to work with their hands and not their butts. People have a desire to reconnect with the forests of their ancestors and the planet of their creation.
I think COVID-19 is responsible for all of this. I think the control and narrative have gone on longer than some people can bear it and their response is to return to nature. To become barbaric once more. But even barbarians lived in tribes.
The next stage is for people to reach out to others locally. Do you see someone with a greenhouse in their back yard, a couple of beehives, maybe? How about a garage full of mechanic tools? How about a truck with a ladder rack on top? Shake these people’s hands and introduce yourself. Strike up a friendship.
Maybe it is on social media. I consider several men to be some of the best friends I have ever had, and I have never met them in real life.
It is time to sit through hours and hours and hours of YouTube videos. Read through countless tombs of gardening and self-reliance books. Or hire a coach. Or do both. Take Action. But now, more than ever, we need this. Our society needs this.
Padre
Twitter @HmestedPadre