Solnit’s book, paradise built in hell, is instructive. Rather than a grim Hobbesian response, disaster is most usually met with its opposite, folks rushing to help and give, not harm and take.
I was derided with the prepper trope, especially by urban types, despite promoting gracious, collectivist, outward facing visions. And the caricature of siege mentality can be equally projected on those retreating to enclaves of privilege, deep within the citadel.
I now own the label, but like you have to spend too much time explaining the nuance, and defusing reflexive assumptions of small minded misanthropy.
George Miller has a lot to answer for, by implanting such bleak, Mad Max fantasies in the Australian popular imagination. Too many misread it as an inevitability, not cautionary tale.
Great article- thank you! My neighbours here and in neighbouring towns (Barrington region, NSW) and I are organising and have formalised governance as a local resilience group. We are low tech skill building and prepping together eg food production and preserving, water, transport etc. One thing I would add is that is that I personally want to live in a community like this, rather than relying on, or trying to preserve or replicate complex and fragile systems. The idea of alternative collaborative systems (as opposed to the extractive and exhausting capitalist mode) is as much of an incentive as needing to survive.
Yes, I completely hear you! There's a widespread longing to live more connected lives, and in that sense the climate crisis is a blessing in disguise as it forces people to finally come together. I live in the Northern Rivers of NSW and lots of community resilience groups have emerged and blossomed these past few years. This is the way :)
Well said.
Solnit’s book, paradise built in hell, is instructive. Rather than a grim Hobbesian response, disaster is most usually met with its opposite, folks rushing to help and give, not harm and take.
I was derided with the prepper trope, especially by urban types, despite promoting gracious, collectivist, outward facing visions. And the caricature of siege mentality can be equally projected on those retreating to enclaves of privilege, deep within the citadel.
I now own the label, but like you have to spend too much time explaining the nuance, and defusing reflexive assumptions of small minded misanthropy.
George Miller has a lot to answer for, by implanting such bleak, Mad Max fantasies in the Australian popular imagination. Too many misread it as an inevitability, not cautionary tale.
yes, absolutely! I love how you so clearly articulated this and wished I had read your comment before writing the article :)
Great article- thank you! My neighbours here and in neighbouring towns (Barrington region, NSW) and I are organising and have formalised governance as a local resilience group. We are low tech skill building and prepping together eg food production and preserving, water, transport etc. One thing I would add is that is that I personally want to live in a community like this, rather than relying on, or trying to preserve or replicate complex and fragile systems. The idea of alternative collaborative systems (as opposed to the extractive and exhausting capitalist mode) is as much of an incentive as needing to survive.
Yes, I completely hear you! There's a widespread longing to live more connected lives, and in that sense the climate crisis is a blessing in disguise as it forces people to finally come together. I live in the Northern Rivers of NSW and lots of community resilience groups have emerged and blossomed these past few years. This is the way :)