Reskilling for future survival.

iStock_000005963255Small High Gas PricesAs technological advancement has bulled its way into our lives over the past 40 years, we’ve lost something. Namely, the skills and abilities previous generations took for granted. Let’s call this process deskilling (the loss of skills). As a modern survivalist, it might be a good idea for you to find a mentor, hit the internet, or maybe even the quaint old local library to re-learn how to do a few things your grandfather likely could do.

Your grandparents lived before the throwaway society bloomed in full vigor. They knew how to use, re-use, and make do. They lived in a lower energy society and, with predictions of peak oil, it behooves us to remember how they did it.

Make it a point to learn how to repair your bicycle, insulate the attic, practical gardening, cooking, basic home repair, making sour dough, home energy efficiency. Another one might be hand sewing. Bet your mom or grandmother could give you some pointers here. Clothes used to last a long time when everyone knew how to stitch them up.

None of this stuff is hard but it does need to be remembered and practiced. It could be the difference between thriving or not in an uncertain future.

The Holistic Survival Team