Becoming More Self-sufficient

As we are heading into this new year of 2013, today's blog has to do with an aspect of responsibility for the self in the form of becoming more self-sufficient.  It seems clear to me that all of us in this world have been faced with an increasing array of unexpected challenging problems, in the form of larger-than-personal-situations which have to be dealt with. 

As opposed to many smaller societies, the vast majority of individuals in this country would be hard-pressed, without their internal survival programming, if they found themselves in a situation where there is very little likelihood of assistance in the near term.  We have been presented, in the last few years, of many people here in the West, as well as in other areas of the world, being in just such circumstances.  How individuals handle such situations is a true test of what they have become as human beings.

To make it very clear, becoming self-sufficient is the opposite of being dependent.  As one example, there have been a number of reports recently, of people being so dependent on their car's automated directions that they have become perilously lost.

Unfortunately, to be dependent on others has been a long-standing part of our social Programming.  It is also, of course, a result of the passing of the era of the takeover of this country, and the growth of the population.  Also, this dependence is built into the traditional roles, and gender-related expectations, we take on growing up as either male or female.  This has changed to some degree in the last fifty years, but still exists.  However, that change has been more evident in those belonging to the middle- and upper-class members of the population in highly populated areas.  Fortunately, still today, in rural areas both men and women have a need to maintain self-sufficiency, even if it may be within designated roles. 

In any case, many people in the last half-century have been breaking free of this programming, particularly women, which is encouraging in many, but not all, ways.  For example, in the past century, many men had no knowledge of cooking, personal clothing upkeep, housekeeping, childcare, etc., etc.; on the other-hand, many women had no knowledge of finances, car-care, repairing pretty-much anything, etc., etc.

As for women, by having been allowed by law to become more involved in sports and physical-fitness efforts, many have, as a result, become, not only more fit physically, but, as a side benefit, learned how to become more assertive and self-confident overall.  In addition, they have actively worked toward gaining the right to take on, what had been considered male activities and skill-sets.  As evidence of this, women are now the majority of the students in many Universities, (which I consider glorified Vocational Institutions), learning to become Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants, etc.  Breaking into many of the other male-dominated professions has not progressed as fast, however.  As to women learning other skills, outside of their traditional roles, which would enable them to become truly self-sufficient, it does not seem that very many are so-inclined.  Probably the primary reason for this, of course, would be our national focus on money earning as our primary goal in life.

Men, on the other hand, have only more gradually expanded their abilities, for example, a fair number, for one reason or another, have learned to not only cook, but cook well.  I remember, however, that it used to be said, outside of Julia Child, all the best chefs were men. More recently some men have taken on the role of house-husbands, while their wives work outside the home.  This recent role reversal has become a matter of necessity as, in our current economy, more men have lost their employment than women. That, in addition to the fact that vast numbers of sources of employment for men have been exported to other countries, so that many jobs which existed in the past, are no longer there.  Those jobs in the more strong service sector of the economy have traditionally been filled by women.

In times past, I came to the conclusion that Mothers deliberately crippled their sons, by not making them learn basic skills, so that they would have to get married to someone who would do them.  The daughters were taught and made to do those kinds of tasks, so they would be indispensable to the sons of other Mothers.  In many of today's families, neither the sons or daughters are taught to do much of anything, but are catered to and given anything they want, (at least as much as the parents can manage to provide).  We have now become, primarily, a nation of spoiled individuals, looking out for only themselves

I recently watched a video called, "Americans Aren't Dumb"; the video went on to demonstrate, through asking questions of average persons on the street, that the average Americans may not be dumb, but that they are incredibly ignorant and uneducated.  As I have written previously, it is my belief that humans, in general, have within themselves many unacknowledged super powers; additionally humans have many additional advantages in the effort to survive, many of them dormant, including intelligence, the ability to observe and learn, as well as to create and devise whatever is needed.  Unfortunately, our current educational system fails to encourage these powers and abilities, but, instead, suppresses them. 

This does not mean that one needs to succumb to what has become normal.  These days, it is possible to learn almost anything through the wonders of the Internet. I consider it very important to learn how to prepare food, to understand how to use tools, to understand how to construct things.  In addition, learning how we can keep ourselves healthier through educating ourselves about basic nutrition, and the power the AMA has achieved over our lives, in the short-run is essential.  We will, all of us, be dependent, in emergency situations, on those who do know such things.  As one example, no longer are the majority of us even aware of how food is grown, or where it comes from, let alone the detrimental effect of what most choose to consume. 

When the population was much less, and many people lived in rural areas, one learned many survival tools growing up.  The majority of today's younger population know little or nothing about basic skills, such as cooking, fixing mechanical devices, or the sewing/mending/repair of anything.  Taking up some hobbies can assist in the process of learning some of these basic things, such as how to use tools, as well as occupy ourselves with something other than what we are bombarded with. 

By deciding to take responsibility for one's own life in additional ways at this, the beginning of the next phase of your life, seems to be as good as any New Year's Resolution.

So saying, I end this blog entry.

Shirley Gallup