The future of the world...

[bigpaul]

The Lone Wolf versus the group survival scenario can often seem to be a "one or the other" choice. I think our choices would have to be adaptable enough to change as and when the situation requires it. The Lone Wolf approach is a valid standpoint, but only as long as your environment allows you to follow this route. In a scenario of a short time 6-12months breakdown of society happens i will take the Lone Wolf path, and be confident of toughing it out. If on the other hand we have a total breakdown with no hope of recovering our previous civilization, after a year I would have to start looking for other communities in the hope of starting an agrarian based economy. When the things we associate with our present technological way of life start to break down our survival choices as a solitary unit will be greatly reduced.

this may be, but finding a group of STRANGERS you can trust is something else.

[cryingfreeman]

I would suggest you can never 100% trust anyone outside your own nearest and dearest but I would not allow that to exclude the option of seeking out a community-based solution to the problem. I would further suggest you don't actually NEED to trust everyone implicitly anyway; as long as everyone or at least, the majority, within a small community setup is attuned to the idea of getting by for long periods without outside help, then that's a reasonably firm basis to build on.

[bigpaul]

I would suggest you can never 100% trust anyone outside your own nearest and dearest but I would not allow that to exclude the option of seeking out a community-based solution to the problem. I would further suggest you don't actually NEED to trust everyone implicitly anyway; as long as everyone or at least, the majority, within a small community setup is attuned to the idea of getting by for long periods without outside help, then that's a reasonably firm basis to build on.

Thank you CF but i dont fancy getting knifed in the back by a complete stranger whilst i sleep! i'll stick to the "Lone wolf" principle, i'm used to being on my own for long periods/months/years anyway.

[Tartar Horde]

The Lone Wolf approach as opposed to the group, comes down to logistics in the long run. A well supplied family unit could live off stores cached, the duration of time that family unit survives is relative to the amount of food they have stored or can grow/scavenge etc. In one scenario the family has run out of food and so has to seek other people, groups to survive.
If on the other hand our "family" has the means to eventually put land into production growing cereals etc, just like the "homesteaders" did in the USA/Australia I see no reason why a Lone wolf family unit could not do the same. Ploughing the land would eventually have to be done with Horses or Oxen, where do you start! how many acres of cereal would one family need to supply both humans and Animals?

[bigpaul]

John Seymour always reckoned you needed 5 acres!

[Tartar Horde]

John Seymour always reckoned you needed 5 acres!

Is that 5acres of cereal, or total mate

[bigpaul]

John Seymour always reckoned you needed 5 acres!

Is that 5acres of cereal, or total mate

if you read"the complete book of self-sufficiency" he says "if i had an acre of good well-drained land i think i would keep a cow and a goat, a few pigs and maybe a dozen hens". when he talks about "a 5 acre holding" that also includes "wheat for bread, barley for beer, every kind of vegetable, every type of meat, eggs and honey". so in short its 5 acres in TOTAL.

[Pami]

Was wondering if anyone knows anything about ecovillages? It seems that everyone has their own individual home but works together in farming etc. We've been considering renting off our house ( in the suburbs) and trying our hand there. Not sure if it's that easy though. I'd be grateful for any input.

[NorthernRaider]

[Pami]