What Do I Believe?

Someone got me thinking this weekend - what do I believe will happen?  How can I stay so positive when things seem so dire?  And I guess the answer is.... I believe we will have a long slow descent, like some people in the peak oil community believe (The Long Descent by John Michael Greer and The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler).    I think there will be crisis and then recovery and then crash and then recovery.  As Heinberg says in End of Suburbia, recession after recession.  

I think it is possible that we might have a complete, full on crash into mayhem, but I really hope we don't.  And I think it is less likely.  I think the government will continue, at all costs, to keep the economy going.   It's harder to prepare and stay prepared for a sudden emergency, both physically having enough supplies on hand and emotionally expecting it every minute of every day.  Expecting doom every day is a really tough way to live.  It's hard to be cheerful. 

I think Relocalization and Transition Towns are great ideas, but I don't seem to have the charisma to get anyone in my town to join me, and I got tired of trying.  

So I have opted to work towards preparing for the long descent, re-skilling myself and others if anyone wants to learn, so that eventually I and whoever wants to join me will be self-sufficient.  I also work daily on the Mass Local Food Coop, working towards supporting local farmers, and encouraging more and more people to eat locally, and support the local economy so there will be one if something does happen.  And along the way, I may just buy a few extra cans of soup & tuna every week during my weekly shopping trip! :)