Written by Jim Cummings.
OK, so you’re totally on board with The Resilient Investor‘s goal of being “ready for anything”—you’ve clarified your own idea of where the world seems to be headed, while also realizing that you don’t really know when or how one of the countless wild cards in play might change the game in fundamental ways. You get that focusing significant energy Close to Home will pay off no matter how the future unfolds; perhaps you’re also committed to pushing our society in those enticing Evolutionary directions.
And yes, you recognize that there is a chance of painful disruptions to life here on American Easy Street. Maybe you think any hiccups are unlikely to be severe . . . or you harbor a secret dread that’s too nebulous to really figure out how to address. You certainly aren’t into being a serious Prepper, stockpiling supplies, fine-tuning a “go-bag,” and overlaying that kind of dire filter onto your day to day life. If it comes to that, you figure we’re all toast, or we’ll all be in it together, and there are better ways to spend your time in the here and now. But you also have a niggling sense that you could be a little more prepared for a societal speed bump: it’s not so hard to imagine some sort of grid snafu (cyber-attack or solar flare) or regional weather or terror event that could make things rough for a week, or maybe even a few. Just-in-time supply chains, vulnerable water supplies, our reliance on fuels and electricity. . . yeah, there are a few weak links out there.
While we’ve pointed to writers and resources that aim to help you prepare for various Breakdown scenarios, if you don’t really identify as a “Doomer,” you’ve probably held off on digging into all that very deeply. Well, here’s a less-scary entry point for those of you that have been thinking you really consider doing something: a well-curated collection of The Best Emergency Preparedness Supplies from the good folks at Sweethome/Wirecutter.
Tags: close to home strategy, resilience, tangible assets
Written by Jim Cummings.
Paul Gilding is an Australian writer, corporate consultant, and long-time activist. His book “The Great Disruption” lays out a classic Dualist vision: he sees that avoidance of the climate issue is likely to send our economy veering into the edge of the ditch, but he’s convinced that as push really comes to shove, economic and political forces will refocus and direct their efforts to avert disaster.
Paul Gilding website
Includes an ongoing series of articles tracking current events in the context of the Great Disruption.
Book: The Great Disruption
Video: The Great Disruption, How Humankind Can Thrive in the 21st Century
An 18-minute condensed version of his talk on the book’s themes
Video and Audio: Gilding’s picks of the best of his talks
Tags: dreamer, dualist, evolutionary strategy, future, global
Written by Resilient Investor.
Eco-philosopher Joanna Macy is a scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, & deep ecology. She has long been a powerful voice for reconnection with the earth and a reorientation of our society in ways that acknowledge both the losses we have caused (and the pain we feel at that) and the ways that the natural world continues to nourish us. In recent years, she has highlighted the heroic challenge now before us, and encourages us to forge ahead, despite uncertainty about whether we shall succeed in averting global breakdowns.
About Joanna Macy
Video: The Great Turning and uncertainty
A good short introduction to her current themes
Book: Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone
Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone authored Active Hope with the intention of supporting readers in finding ways to respond to the mess in which our world finds itself. The book provides tools and guides the reader through a transformational process, integrating mythology, psychology, spirituality and a holistic approach to science.
Video: Active Hope
This 51 minute video contains footage from a talk by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone, discussing their book “Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy.” In this 2013 talk, the authors share their thoughts on how and why hope arises through action.
Interview: It Looks Bleak; Big Deal, It Looks Bleak
In this interview, Joanna Macy addresses head-on the reality of being alive during the Sixth Great Extinction, and how she continues to live a life of joy while embracing the reality of the crises of our times.
Tags: close to home strategy, dualist, evolutionary strategy, future, personal assets, spiritual practice
