Thoughts for Thursday: Self-sustainability?

Last Sunday night I had a really interesting conversation with a couple of people I am close to.
{This topic is a little deep, but I want to preface this by saying that I am not really superstitious and I do not believe in living your life in fear......}
Anyway, our conversation started with us talking about all of the crazy natural disasters that have seemed so frequent and massively destructive.  You might have read Dana's TFT post about them last week.  Then we started getting even deeper into it and we were talking about some of the recent specials we have seen on History Channel such as Life After People.  If you have not seen that particular special,  basically it shows a progression of what would happen to earth if man were to become extinct. 

Then we started talking about what would happen if for one reason or another, we were cut off from the rest of the world.  No electricity, no access to shopping, no media, no sewage, etc......basically living the way people lived up until 150 years ago or so.  What would it take to be self-sustainable?  What goods would be essential in order to live?  We were in agreement that seeds and fresh water would be crucial to our survival, probably the most important items.  And medicine as well.

By coincidence, the morning following our conversation I saw a video on the New York Times Magazine about Living Green.  The video showcases a family in California who are living a self-sustainable lifestyle.  They are doing it not to be prepared in case of a major catastrophe, but to be more environmentally conscious.  I thought it was interesting to see that many of the things they were doing were the same things that my friends and I were talking about.  The video is short but pretty interesting, it is called Life (Mostly) off the Grid.

My thoughts this week are about how much our society has come to depend on modern technology and conveniences.  I am sure that if necessary, many of us would do whatever it takes to survive without any of these things, but I know it would be so hard!

Any thoughts on the subject?

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Other TFT posts this week:

Denise on secret pacts between friends

Jessica on gratitude and acknowledgment

Helmet on "lady cougars"

Dana on traditions

Jenny on random acts of kindness

Robyn on summer plans

Comments

[Dana]

Holy Cow!!! It's Thursday! Gotta go write my TFT... I'll be back later to comment!

xoxo

[Denise H.]

Oh wow, just thinking about this subject gives me anxiety. I would hope that I would be able to cope without all of the technology of today and sometimes I wish that life were more simple like it used to be.

You are right, it would be so hard but I think if we had no choice we would all figure it out.

[Helmet]

Great topic...

I guess the ways we are brought up in modern society with endless luxuries are generally ignoring our instincts. Have we gone too many generations without necessarily having to fend for ourselves to have our basic survival tools kick back in? I can’t imagine it’s like riding a bike…or is it?

BTW thanks for posting my first TFT…once I figure out this site and how it works I can post yours as I feel it’s a defiantly a worthy read…

Final thought…what if the zombies took over…I know huh?

[Robyn]

I read and watched on Nat Geo, The world without us, pretty neat. I would imagine if something happened, it would be something like The Road, by McCarthy. I know you would need water and at some point a basic shelter, if they can semi do it on Survivor, I know I could do it. I would miss the glow of my computer screen, but I'd adjust. I'm going to have to check out that life after people.

[jessica]

my husband would like to get rid of pretty much everything modern and live more primitively. he would LOVE to live off the land, survival type thing. i don't know how long that would last, but yeah... i wish we were less dependent on things like technology. like maybe back to the 80s when we actually had to be near a phone that was STATIONERY to call or get a call.

[Dana]

I don't know if I could do it. I mean, if we had to, we would make it work, but sitting here looking out the window, I am imagining my life without all of the technology and modernness of now. I think it would be harder for Jaz who ONLY knows life with computers, wireless things, cell phones, microwaves... etc.