Comments on: Neighborhood secession & novel research

By: Matt Mullenix

Matt Mullenix — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:01:57 +0000

Benjamin,
I’d love to hear more about your neighborhood and your book. I think “opting out” (aka hiding in plain sight) may become the last practical choice for those wishing to escape some of the worst effects of our current economy. At least, it can do no harm.

I wonder, however, about the viability of any larger “movement” in this direction. It seems possible that reaching a certain size may trigger a response from the minders of the dominant economy. What if, as I asked over at our blog, all Americans began producing (growing, gathering, hunting) just 10% of their food? Performed 20% of their own services?

Could our economy survive that? How long would it be before we heard about action necessary to prohibit a larger movement toward self-sufficiency? It’s a strange time.

By: Benjamin Parzybok

Benjamin Parzybok — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:27:53 +0000

Hi Matt – secession coming along quite well, thanks. Our neighborhood is an unusual one in the city (Portland, OR), in that the lot-size varies tremendously in this part of the city with some lots as large as an acre. For that reason there’s a big urban farming movement here. On our street in particular, a tremendous amount of canning/bartering/trading happens, and most families have chicken coops.

Ourtright secession is not a terribly realistic goal, of course, as @kingrat mentions above, but I liked your ideas of a quiet opting-out of the larger system by focussing on the neighborhood for as much as possible.

The reason I originally searched though is because the book I’m working on has a neighborhood (or about a dozen neighborhoods, really) secede. It becomes a country within the city. And that, too, seems to be progressing along.

By: Matt Mullenix

Matt Mullenix — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:02:19 +0000

Benjamin, ,many thanks for the nice mention! How goes the secession in your neighborhood?

By: Ez

Ez — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:54:10 +0000

I don’t think succession needs to be the goal. If everyone bought more local more often it can create a happy medium. If you succeed do your friends who live outside the zone need a security check? Is it like Marshall law or just kicking out city services of all kinds? What will it be in the novel?

By: king rat

king rat — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:36:39 +0000

Opting out of the broader economy has huge risks though. Put all your money into your local gardens but them comes a drought… or even just the mere fact that tening local gardens is a lot more labor intensive than larger mechanized farms. Fine if you like to garden, but could be devastating for the woman with a family to watch over. Where does she get the time? There are trade offs. Some may prefer to go local like that but it’s not a clear cut win.