Some lovely people I follow on Facebook made a post:
“People call it ‘living off-grid.’ I call it ‘living like humans did for thousands of years without asking permission.’
“Some say off-grid living is extreme. ‘Why give up modern comforts? Why isolate yourself?” they ask. But when you think about it … what’s truly extreme — collecting your own rainwater, growing your own food, building a small shelter — or needing a monthly subscription just to exist comfortably?”
For starters, I’m not crazy about the term “off-grid” because it has contributed to a lot of rugged-individualist romanticization and other misunderstandings. But, it’s a handy term because everyone can sort of visualize what people mean even though the details are different.
What’s “extreme” is what we are doing to the planet and to traditional / indigenous cultures.
The main thing I see as “extreme” about this lower-footprint life — less reliant on centralized systems that feed fascism and are destroying the planet — is that so many people who I see attempting it are trying to do it without community.
By community I don’t mean that people have to share a house or live on the same piece of land, but I just see a lot of people trying to live a hardscrabble life on raw land surrounded by neighbors they’ve never met or who they actually feel animosity toward.
I also see a huge brain drain, cognitive drain, as people get really super focused on trying to grow all their own food. Instead of plugging into their local social ecosystem. Plugging in includes both supporting existing people and businesses; and bringing ones own various talents and skills and passions to the table.
But yes absolutely let’s collect rainwater off of all the buildings everywhere including in the cities. And let’s reduce our reliance on systems that make us vulnerable and poor.
Yes, it’s a good idea for us to become more involved in our food supply. But that doesn’t mean everybody has to go out to the country and buy raw land and grow potatoes by themselves. (Not a reference to the OP; this is a reference to a big trend that I see in white permie/prepper circles.)
Becoming involved in our food supply can happen anywhere, in the environment of our choice be it a big city, a small town, or yes, a rural area.
BTW becoming involved in our food supply doesn’t mean just growing food (good thing for people like myself, who are actually really bad at growing food). There are many aspects of food preparation and distribution beyond just the growing. Drying and other preserving; fermenting; distributing; making hot meals and prepared foods from those fresh local crops.
But community is the foundation wherever we go. And yes it’s OK to be an introvert who doesn’t want to interact with people all that much.
Yet still, participating in community — plugging into and supporting our local social ecosystem — is fundamental to human survival and thrival. THAT Is a thing that indigenous/non-colonizer peoples have known since the dawn of time and never forgotten.
See their post in its entirety here on my DEEP GREEN Facebook page, And from there you can follow their page (The Wildlanders). They post a lot of very inspiring and interesting content.