Monday, July 12, 2010

Depression: 1930's vs 2010+

Great food for thought note shared today. They have a point. Sure movies and books have idealized, almost romanticized, the Depression Era to folks today.
A big difference today vs then is location. Sure, a lot of families are getting back to basics, planting a tomato here and there, putting a chicken tractor up in the back yard. Back in the 30's though, farming on some level was much more profound. Even in some "cities" the back yard hog and chickens were commonplace. Now, not so much.

Just ponder the ideas....play out a few "what-if" scenarios in your lifestyle...


»The news headlines have been screaming lately:

Market forecaster sees Dow plunge to 1000
Dow repeats Great Depression pattern
7.9 million jobs lost, many never to return
If you're self-employed like we are, headlines like these make us nervous. So we've gotten caught up in the "preparedness" movement purely out of anxiety.

You see, if our country is heading toward a 1930s-style depression or worse, I fear it won't be "just" an economic depression. We are missing some key elements that were present during the 1930s that will make that decade-long economic disaster a relative walk in the park compared to today.

Those key factors are a work ethic, independence, civility and a religious foundation.

Remember the old stories of how someone would knock at your grandmother's back door and offer to split some firewood in exchange for a meal? Does anyone honestly think hungry people will do this any more? We're so used to entitlements that the idea of lowering ourselves to exchange labor for food is outrageous. No, today a person who is hard up on their luck and not getting a government handout is much more likely to kick in the back door, tie grandma up, pistol whip her (or worse) and clean the house of any usable items before departing for the next victim. In their minds this is because grandma has no "right" to have food when they don't.

Don't be caught unprepared! Order Gen. Russel Honoré's book "Survival: How a Culture of Preparedness Can Save You and Your Family from Disasters"

The elders in our society often recall with fondness some of the good elements that came out of the horrible Great Depression. They remember the sense of community that sprang up, born of common hardships. They remember how hard the indigent would work to maintain their dignity and not sink to accepting charitable handouts without offering something else in exchange (such as splitting firewood).

But no more.

After decades of government entitlements, many people no longer have a work ethic. My concern is if we encounter the economic depression analysts predict, it will result in societal turmoil – because far too many people haven't the slightest clue how to work, how to exchange labor for food, or how to restrain their most vicious and animalistic desires in order to keep civilization civil.

If it weren't so tragic, it would be laughable to hear people spouting on and on about their "rights." Criminey, folks, most people wouldn't recognize a real "right" if it bit them on the butt. Rights are a gift from God. They do NOT come from the government. All those entitlements – subsidized housing, food stamps, free medical care – are not "rights."

We have the right to life. We have the right to liberty. And we have the right to the pursuit (not the achievement) of happiness. These rights derive from our Creator, not from the fools in Washington.

You do NOT have the "right" to food. It's up to you to get that for yourself or, if you can't, to look to private individuals or organizations to voluntarily provide it. You do NOT have the right to housing, medical care, transportation, unemployment checks, or anything else people bleat about when they want something but don't want to work for it.

Only when we struggle to be as independent as possible are the chains of slavery seen so clearly.

Because we have been so caught up with false "rights" for the last 50 years, we've gotten to the point where we are helpless and dependent and no longer able or willing to achieve anything on our own. And only someone pathetically caught up in a liberal mentality can argue that entitlements help people achieve independence.

This mentality has set the stage for a modern collapse to be worse than any throughout the annals of history.

Right now there are economic forces at work that are beyond our control. We can go from homeowner to homeless in the blink of an eye. It can happen to anyone, no matter how prepared or unprepared they believe themselves to be.

But a work ethic, an independent spirit and a moral foundation are entirely within our control and can be acquired just as quickly. To their ultimate loss, most people choose not to acquire them.

So if we're heading for a depression in this country, we need to brace ourselves for much, much more than financial hardship. We need to brace ourselves against millions of lawless people demanding "entitlements" they have not earned and for which they have no intention of offering anything in exchange.

What does the future hold for America? There are two possibilities – a loss of freedom, or a return of freedom. Sadly, most people don't like freedom. They want someone to rescue them if things go wrong, which means they only like the "freedom" of an extra-long chain.

We have allowed independence to slip into dependence. We have allowed a work ethic to descend into an entitlement mentality.

Our country can survive an economic depression. We've done it before and we can do it again. It won't be easy, but we can do it.

But I fear we cannot survive an economic depression when it's coupled with an unwillingness to embrace a work ethic, independence, civility and religious foundation. Once the artificial props of government entitlements are removed, it will be every man for himself. The results may be anarchy and chaos. And it will give the government a clear opportunity to take advantage of the "crisis" and put in place a government such as we could never imagine.

It was Thomas Jefferson who said, "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

Freedom is hard work, and it isn't free. But too many of our fellow citizens are unwilling to pay the price. Since they get what they pay for, freedom will not be in their future. «

8 comments:

Rocky Mountain Homemaker said...

Great Post. I can remember reading about people who were down and out during the Great Depression who absolutely would not accept handouts. It was either work for something or go without. How sad that attitude is a thing of the past. My husband and I both have pistols. I'm afraid that we will need to keep them handy some day.

Paula said...

That's what I worry about too. Especially since everyone knows we have meat. Though Colin says any farmer will be hit.

Just an Average American Mom said...

Great read! This is so true. It is really sad that it has come to this but being prepared will surely save many!

small farm girl said...

Hi! I'm a first time visitor of your blog. It's funny that I happened to visit when you had posted this one. I have been trying to put into words exactly what you said. Thank you. I feel the same way.

Plainlady's Ponderings said...

Splitting firewood in exchange for food? Who in the world uses wood for cooking/heating these days? (besides us, I mean) I am so glad I live in the country, the city would be scary place to live if hard times really do hit. Yeah I know, theres a lot of folks sufferin' now but believe me, it could get a lot worse and the hard times I have seen in third world countries, well, let's just say most Americans couldn't even come close to handling it. Forget handling it with dignity.

Intentional Living Homestead said...

Just happened across your blog and all I can say about this post is Wow...you are RIGHT on the mark. Even though I live in Canada, I fear the same things here.

I've been to Africa and I'm with the previous comment about "us"...I guess I could say North American has a whole could not handle it.

This post has sure given me something to ponder...thanks for sharing this.

I look forward to reading more of your previous posts and getting to know you and your family.

Blessings.

Brenda said...

I have followed your blog on and off for the past year. May God bless you for this post and may He open the minds and hearts of those who read it. I think this is the best post you have written and it is a message that should be heard and heeded by every American household. May God graciously bless you and enfold your family in His love and protection during these times. And may God, with His infinite mercy and grace, preserve this nation and enable us to rise again as a light for Him.
Blessings to you and your family from a like-minded family.

Anonymous said...

Brenda,

Yes it was a good post but she did not write it or give credit to the person who did .

Jer.6:16

Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

Blog Archive