This dance is for you, Trav:
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I have this story hanging up by my desk at work, and realized today I really should share it more often. It’s especially appropriate for anyone involved in any type of political or social cause — or anyone who pays even the slightest bit of attention to what’s really going in the world.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as if as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen.
The mother filled three pots with water.
In the first, she placed carrots.
In the second she placed eggs.
And the last she placed ground coffee beans.She let them sit and boil without saying a word. About twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she said, “Tell me what you see.”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did, and noted that they felt soft.
She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg inside.
Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, “So, what’s the point, mother?”
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity — boiling water — but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid center. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its insides had become hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
It’s so easy to become numb when you’re surrounded by bad news all the time. Or spiritually broken down by the moral weight on your shoulders and the inevitable disappointment that comes with never seeing your ideal become reality.
A couple months ago I got to a point where anxiety and insomnia were taking over my life and all I saw was bad news coming in on every side. So, at the suggestion of someone very important to me, I took a while off to “defrag” and regain my mental balance. Defragging, for me, came to mean disconnecting from the 24/7 constant connectedness we feel compelled to maintain. Status updates, overflowing Inbox, 1000+ unread Google Reader updates, text messages at all hours of the day — it can really drain a person, and is it worth it?
Think about that feeling you get when you turn your cell phone off. I mean really off, not just the ringer. You feel kinda twitchy right? We are ADDICTED to being ON all the time. What’s most ironic is that with all our means of “connecting” these days, I’ve never felt more disconnected from people. It occurred to me a few weeks ago when I first started this process, that I have over 600 followers on Twitter and over 200 Facebook friends, but how many of them would be able to find my house and visit me if I were sick? How many of them know when my birthday is without Facebook reminding them? How many would have a clue if I had moved to another country and didn’t mention it in a status update? Clearly this connectedness is not real. In fact, it’s more dangerous than no computer at all because it provides an illusion of connectedness, a false sense of community. It’s also an illusion of living.
So — acknowledging this imbalance in my life, I logged out of Twitter and deactivated my Facebook account. I supplemented computer time with things that were REAL and satisfied my SOUL rather than my anxiety: family, delicious food, good books, animal hugs, great music, movies, camping, coffee, bike riding, fresh air, guitar playing, meditation, conversations with neighbors… the list goes on.
Of course I still love technology, it has its place and I’ll always be a geek. I love being a few clicks away from saying hi to my friends in New York and California, getting news updates in real-time on Twitter, finding out what the mainstream media isn’t covering by reading one of my dozens of RSS feeds, and posting stories for my friends on Facebook. But, as with everything, moderation is absolutely necessary — it’s so easy to overdose on information and bad news and forget to live your life.
I’m back now, but re-balanced. I’ll still update and post stories (I could never stay silent on the crimes of our government and cruelties against animals) but I will live life at the same time. I will no longer be a prisoner to pessimism and worry. If the plug ever gets pulled on the Internet, I’ll still have a life and a community around me, and we’ll all be just fine.
Thanks to my Dad for prompting me to unplug, and to TinyBuddha for motivating me to post this — I’d been meaning to for a couple weeks, but their latest Do Happy email update pushed me to finally do it.
“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
- Dalai Lama
I watched on the TV at work as millions of people went hysterical over the new President. Hanging on his every teleprompted word, it was obvious that this man would be able to do whatever he wanted and most Americans would eat it up and not question a thing. After all our efforts to get the word out about Ron Paul and the complete falsity of the Left/Right paradigm, it was nothing but salt in my wounds. How could people fall for such obvious empty rhetoric and lies?
I could question the thought processes of these people forever, but it doesn’t matter, it’s too late. Here it is more than 100 days later and nothing has changed (for the better.) The millions who passionately voted for a new leader (who would be soooo different than Bush) are silent about the fact that we STILL have both wars (plus a new one on the horizon), way more debt/spending, way more taxes, way more unemployment, the same people in charge, and the exact same foreign policy. They will never, ever admit he’s the same as Bush. And McCain. The complete and utter denial means no demand to change direction. They insist we HAVE changed direction. Man, is that Kool Aid strong. The hypocrisy infuriates me to no end. Some of my friends are still arguing “he’s better than McCain” and “that’s Bush’s fault, give him more time” and I’ll admit, I have a hard time not resenting them. I really thought they were smarter than that. I don’t give a s–t if his skin is dark, that’s not an excuse to throw accountability and the Constitution out the window. Everything that was bad when Bush did it is magically okay and excusable because it’s a Democrat doing it now?! The power of political parties is astonishing.
People, especially my generation, are so dependent on Government, they expect it to solve all their problems (I used to expect it too.) They want the Government to educate their children, pay their mortgage, control their food, control their medicine, regulate their sports, cover their mouths when they sneeze, read the fine print of their credit card contracts, save the environment, provide health care, take care of them in their old age, etc… the list goes on for miles. Too few recognize that “a government big enough to give you everything is big enough to take everything you have” (Thomas Jefferson.)
As I conveyed in my Fifth Stage post, I’m still mad as hell, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that people will remain ignorant no matter what. Government is going to get bigger and more evil. The s–t will hit the fan. I’ve tried, but I can’t change those things. But I’ve learned that I CAN do things to take myself and my family out of the equation. All hell may still break loose at any time, the market could nosedive tomorrow, but I won’t be a part of the freaked out mob that’s storming Wal-Mart for food and relying on FEMA after a couple days.
It’s a daily podcast about modern day survivalism. The phrase sounds a bit dramatic perhaps, but it’s really just learning how to cultivate independence — and doesn’t that fit well with libertarianism? Independence on every scale possible: financial, energy, food, every system you can think of. When you remove your dependence on these systems, you automatically improve your life and experience true liberty. You create a life that the Government can’t touch. It’s no surprise the idea is catching on in the libertarian community, even Lew Rockwell is posting articles about it.
Because of this show, in a few months I’ve been able to make plans and take actions that will insure me and my loved one’s survival for at least a few months if something goes wrong, hopefully even longer. It is SO reassuring to know I do NOT have to rely on local, state, or federal gov’t. for food, water, or safety in the event of martial law, flu outbreak, etc. It’s a satisfying middle finger to The System. Finally! I can feel productive in the midst of this depressing and helpless time.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
- Lao Tzu
I’d like to point out: when I first jumped into this, it was VERY intimidating. Maybe it’s just my personality, but I was overwhelmed by all the things some survivalists have done, my little steps felt stupid in comparison. The key is to know yourself, your needs, and your abilities, then adapt your plans accordingly. Anything is better than nothing. Just start small. Plant an organic garden. Start storing food and water. Save up some cash, ditch the credit cards. There are a ton of online resources and plenty of books on this subject, start reading.
Listen to episode 165 on threat probability and threat impacts and you’ll learn the importance of thinking logically when you make plans and take action. For example, it’s more likely that something is going to impact your life on a personal/local scale (job loss, etc.) rather than global nuclear annihilation, so make plans for that before you invest in an underground bomb shelter. Remembering that helps me maintain perspective and not feel overwhelmed.
It’s all about simplification, adaptation, and gradually opting out of the various systems on which you’re dependent. Once you start the learning process, it’s amazing how much you find you’re reliant on others. Do you know how to grow your own food? Get yourself clean water to drink? Start a fire without a lighter? We’ve become so used to consuming services and products (thank you China!), we’ve lost many of these important skills. It’s time to reclaim them, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
If you decide to start taking steps to cultivate your independence, congratulations! You should feel proud. Or— if you’d prefer to ignore all of this and come knocking on my door when the s–t hits the fan, that’s fine — I’ll be glad to direct you to the nearest FEMA facility.
Unlike a clinical death, the time of death for a country is different for everyone. For me it was Election Night, 2000. It happened sometime after I closed my eyes and fell asleep that night, with the TV still on and the networks trying to guess who had won. My country’s heart was stopped by the time the Supreme Court declared George W. Bush the winner. That was it for me. I didn’t know it at the time, but that’s when the seed was planted in my head that the country and the system I grew up knowing and trusting was not real at all, just an illusion. The Statue of Liberty, elections, protests — all desperate attempts at hanging on, like closing your eyes after the alarm clock goes off, hoping you can pick up your place in the dream you were just having. But you know you never make it back there, do you?
It took me until now to realize it. I suppose at the age of 26 I’m lucky to have realized it so soon. There was nothing unique about my route here, I took the mapped out and predictable path: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and finally– Acceptance.
First was denial. That was easy, it was just a fluke election, the machines messed up in one little state. This is AMERICA! Nothing malicious happened, just an “oops.” An oops with over a million dead repercussions and more than one country left in shambles.
The Anger stage lasted from about 2003-2006. This manifested itself in the form of many, many protests, blogs, and arguments. Lots of sign-waving, shouting, pounding on streets, honking my horn, etc. ANYTHING to let the world know I DID NOT AGREE with what was being done in the name of my country.
Bargaining. This stage was a clever one, only now do I see it for what it was. I kept discovering cracks in the foundation, hoping if I wiggled a chisel far enough in, I could get the whole thing to crumble. First it was the obvious immorality of the Iraq invasion and occupation. Surely if the people knew their tax money was being used for mass murder and destruction overseas, they would rise up! Then it was the September 11th attacks. Surely if the people knew their own government helped to carry out the murder of 3,000 of their own citizens, they would rise up! Then it was the Federal Reserve. Surely if the people knew our monetary sytem was nothing but a form of slavery and deception, they would rise up! Then it was Israel.. then it was Pakistan.. then it was Iran..
Then came the Depression stage. Article after article. Proof after proof. Nothing seemed to penetrate the walls of American apathy. Sugar-coated televisions were always picked over the bitter pills of truth. I was exhausted. Shouting from the rooftops did nothing. I tried and tried and tried and tried and tried. Common sense. Reasoning. For years on this blog I wrote straight from my heart. I tried the Socratic method. Color. Black and white. Visual. Audio. Nothing worked, and I’m sick of trying. Should it really be this hard? Should I sacrifice my own happiness trying to save people who don’t want to be saved?
Then came the final straw: the Coronation of King Obama, when millions of Americans gladly welcomed a new politician just like the old one, with new plans for an old socialist system, new legislation for an old bailout trick, new money for old wars. He even has my best friend fooled.
My body, my heart, my soul cannot take it any more. I have collapsed. And I don’t want to get back up. I’m tired of being angry and disappointed every. single. day. I can’t take all the sadness. All the destruction. All the evil. I’m tired of spending my days on guard watching their every move, instead of living my own life. They’ve had me imprisoned for years without me even realizing it.
And so here I sit at the gates of the Acceptance stage. I accept the apathy of my fellow citizens. I accept that they have chosen TV, sugar, and government control over critical thought and liberty. This doesn’t mean I will join them in their gluttony and robotic antics, but it does mean I will no longer take the reins of a bullhorn or paint another protest sign. It means I will live my life again. I will love my family. I will appreciate the goodness still left here on this earth, before it’s inevitably destroyed. I will hang on to that which no politician can ever take from me. My heart, my independence, my dreams. I’m taking my freedom back, the kind of freedom which cannot be contained in the walls of any country or sewn into any flag.
There are 24 hours in every day. I’m taking every one back. There are four seasons to experience, and I want them all. 365 days a year? I want them too.
“God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Please visit TeamTrav.org to listen to some of his favorite songs and see pictures of his beautiful smile we miss so much.
Afterwards, please consider donating to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention so they can keep working to make sure nobody else has to feel the pain he felt.
This song’s for you Trav:
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There are many possible explanations for this — the on-set of Obama’s socialist regime being a MAJOR concern — but the most immediate worry is if Bush and Co. are going to do anything to avoid handing over power (perhaps their favorite: some sort of false-flag event like 9/11) it’ll obviously happen before January 20th, which is only 8 days away.
Eight days to go then we can breathe easy and go back to our TVs, right? Unfortunately, the time to worry doesn’t end on the 20th. For months now there have been mentions of Obama being “tested” as soon as the 21st or 22nd of this month (so say Kissinger, Gates, Powell, Biden, etc.) Like it or not, the stage is set for something big to happen — Bush and his globalist buddies have been very busy the past 8 years. The most immediate threat is the engineered dollar collapse, but war on Iran, war on Pakistan, total economic depression, and domestic rioting are also very real possibilities. Whatever it is, I want to be ready.
Some people’s suggested inventories are rather extensive and daunting (not to mention expensive) and would be hard to fulfill if you’re of average income like myself. I’m trying to find a middle ground — keeping it simple and sticking to the basics, less than 15 items:
* For people with pets: don’t forget about them! Here’s a good list of items to have ready for cats and dogs.
Everybody has their own needs and preferred amenities, so obviously my list is not going to work for everyone, but hopefully it’s a good starting point. I recommend reading the list of 100 Things to Disappear First to determine what you may want to stock up on while you can. I also recommend listening to the Survival Podcast as often as possible!
Too many things to list here, but they would all end with “I told you so” and I really hope I never have to say that.
I’m wrong and am left with a bunch of emergency supplies I should have anyway.
