Let's talk about mindset.

[Ayoob]

I'm of the opinion that peak oil will reward the meritocracy.  By that I mean that the most valuable will float to the top, and the least valuable will be skimmed and discarded.  This might look like the next step in evolution or natural selection or whatever you want to call it. 

How do you make yourself valuable?

I've recently had a bunch of experiences with tough people, people that are not afraid to fight with their fists at the drop of a hat.  It's all been peaceful, but it's made me reconsider my position on things.  Maybe I need to be able to handle myself, and consider other things afterwards.  If I can't handle myself, what good does it do me to know how to produce useful goods?  I guess it depends on how useful I can make myself.  ETA:  I don't want this to sound like Intertron Commando BS, I'm not a tough guy.  I know some people who are, and the contrast was very obvious to all of us.

What do you do to make yourselves valuable to those around you?  Do you have a rare skill, are you a skullcrusher, can you make soap, what is it that makes you worth your water?

[RobTzu]

What do you do to make yourselves valuable to those around you?  Do you have a rare skill, are you a skullcrusher, can you make soap, what is it that makes you worth your water?

I have served in a combat zone.  I have, and am comfortable, with weapons.  That does not make me special though.  I think the biggest advantage is that I am preparing.  I am in the process of buying a house 30 minutes outside of the city.  It has a chicken coop, garden, orchad, and bomb shelter (never goes out of style!) and the means to defend it and my family.  I would like to think that the "I told you so" will enhance my leadership skills in the post oil world, and help me to organize my neighbours in the event of societal breakdown. 

[jbizeray]

Six months ago I was in a dead end situation.  Then I saw LATOC.  I thought there must be opportunity here.  I started researching biofuels.  Then somebody sold me an stainless steel alembic which I converted to make biodiesel, high proof alcohol and of course essential oils.  Now I'm director of a biofuels company that is planting jatropha on marginal lands (not used for agriculture) in Madagascar.  Peak oil is not necessarily all bad its just about how you think about it.

For those of you interested in making your own biofuels at home take a look at this:

<a href="http://www.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/hillbillyrocks/BiodieselExtractShort.flv" target="_blank">http://www.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/hillbillyrocks/BiodieselExtractShort.flv</a>

[Torjus]

I have a lot of outdoors skills and experience. Though I wouldn't say I am still skilled enough to call myself exceptional. But as someone has in his signature on peakoil.com: "I don't have to outrun the bear, I only have to outrun you!"

Torjus Gaaren

[jbizeray]

Hey, Torjus I've reading through this forum and your chosen PO lifestyle sounds about the most fun from what I've read and it should last longer than those who are choosing the Thunderdome lifestyle.  What does bear taste like anyway?

[Prairiemule]

Hello,

I am try to make myself useful by re-learning old ranching skills learned in my youth. I figure I can feed my family with a set of fence pliers amoungst other things. I also try to maintain a healthy sense of humor. I figure on becoming a cattle baron, court jester, or official village idiot.

 One thing I will not be is a refugee. Refugees have no hope and are at the mercy of others. By visiting websites like this you have already begun to ask where do I fit in and what can I do to prepare for a upcoming change. That alone sets you apart from the other 90%  the other folks, and we'll refer to them as uh-refugees. It takes a little self analysis for a new doomer to figure "What color is the flame burning my Parachute?" on where you fit in. I have observed over the the last  year at peakoil.com quite a few people who discount their post peak oil potiential. It's amazing to watch those same self described gutless wonders over time pull their shit together tight.

Eat the Elephant one bite at a time and beware of Doomers with Kool-Aid.

Love and Bullets,

Mule

[Nicole]

I grew up on the end of a hoe -- we grew all our own fruits and veggies and preserved anything we didn't eat.  I don't remember all of it by any means, but I am trying to bring it back to my mind on the back patio with container gardening and hand pollinating and all that. 

I can shoot a gun straight and hit the target the first time.  I don't know if I can do this under pressure.

I keep my head in a crisis.  When everyone is still looking around figuring out what happened, I am barking orders and heading for the epicenter.

I can train dogs. 

I have one of those memories -- not photographic, but very, very good.  I can tell you the contents of an book I read when I was 6.  I am stuffing my brain lately with critical info -- right now herbs and natural medicine, but geothermal shelters and defensive/stealth architecture.

I am not allergic to poison ivy or poison oak.  I kid you not; I can eat it like parsley -- no reaction.  That may sound trivial, but think about clearing a field with no calamine in sight. 

I don't mind getting my hands dirty and sweating up a storm.  There will always be holes to dig and if all else fails...

...the world's oldest profession isn't going out of style.   

[Ka-Bar]

Interesting question...

While learning to take care of yourself in tight situations is a valuable skill to have, it's not enough to build a post-peak career on.  There'll be plenty of cheap muscle running around much like now.   I'm studying up on self-defense a little bit myself, if for no other reason than that I'm not planning on always having the police around to settle issues when they crop up.  Whether that's due to lack of funds, lack of government, lack of communications, etc, I'm not sure. 

I'm learning how to do as many different things as possible.  I figure having a large basket of skills means that while I may not be the most valuable person in any given group, I'll have plenty of different niches to fit into.  Once I find a decent niche, I can build on my skills at that point.  That's more or less the way I got into my current career, for what it's worth.

If nothing else, there will be plenty of 'useless eaters' running around with no useful skills whatsoever.  I've already got a leg up on 95% of the population in the states as it is.

[GreenNeck]

One problem with our civilization is that we now have millions of people with few or no 'life' skills. How many could light a fire without matches? The good news is that most 'life' skills can be learned, and there is a lot to choose from:

- basic survival (e.g., the fire-without-matches and the like)
- organic gardening/farming
- animal husbandry (and butchering)
- hunting/fishing/trapping
- collecting edible berries/bark/roots/mushrooms etc.
- making bread/cheese/beer/wine/soap
- food preserving
- making clothes and shoes
- construction
- mechanical repair
- tool making & repairing
- weather forecasting (essential for agriculture!)
- first-aid (know CPR, bone break setting, etc.)
- natural medicine

It is doubtful a single individual can be expert at all this, but a small community can (think Amish village - they are already powered down).

[jbizeray]

I like the Amish notion about things.  Here are a people that seemed to of hung unto their values through think and thin.  They are not perfect but they have social cohesion.
Nicole, from above perhaps you think that I am shocked but I want to know do you have children?  I see that you have have many worthwhile qualities.  Are you prepared to enter into the Thunderdome notion of things just for the adventure?  Is it that you are just prepared to survive like that just for yourself?  I want to know because if that's the case why go on opening car doors, lighting cigarettes or worshipping the ground that a lady walks upon?  And if you can't worship the ground that your lady walks upon whats the point of being with her?
This is "Lets talk about mindset" and from my point of view being able to get along with others and having cohesion is really important.  Loyalty counts!
Sorry for running off at the mouth but maybe the whisky is talking or I am talking from my heart.  And without my heart what is the point of living?

[Nicole]

No, I don't have kids and there's no chance of that happening.  I am most certainly prepared to do what I have to do for myself alone, and by myself if need be.  Maybe that's not "normal," but I expect it's a lot more normal than the stereotypical view of a weak female who's only strong when protecting her cubs.

I sure don't consider it an adventure but, who knows, I might like it compared to talking to computer all day.  I might prefer not to go face hard times alone, but I am sure as hell not going to wait for other people to join up before starting!  Shall I sit around and starve in a labor camp because prince charming hasn't shown up yet?  Or should I prepare mental, physically and economically and see who else comes along for the ride?

Personally, I find too many men get hung up on minutia like opening doors and then fail to show basic respect towards a woman as a person.  They won't keep promises, but they want credit for a door.     I don't want worship, I want a partner (romantic or otherwise) who values my strength and abilities and pushes me to excel as much as they push themselves. 

[jbizeray]

I should think that any man who understood your last few posts should be frightened, very very firghtened indeed of not keeping promises to you.  And credit for swinging a piece of wood on a hinge.  Thats silly!  A good woman in a time of crisis is worth her weight in gold!  Very strong and beautiful!

[Nicole]

Nah, I'm not a violent woman. Unless you get in the way of the coffee pot at 6am. 

[jbizeray]

Nicole, I promise not to get in your way.  And, if you remember to hand me a cup of coffee at 6am you would be my friend for ever!  Goodnight.

[nobody]

It is doubtful a single individual can be expert at all this,

No, but a single individual can become proficient at all these. After all our ancestors did, thinking pioneers, settlers, homesteaders here. Even if a person has or gains vauable skills and would make a valuable member of a self-sufficient community, how do we subsume our personalities enough to get along with others. When being American means being a rugged individualist. Thats why ultimately I think it'll boil down to tribes. Tribes consisting of close friends and family. We see this today with gangs, if you're not part of the gang, you're a stranger/outsider/enemy. My picture of the future is pretty dark.

...the world's oldest profession isn't going out of style.

aahh... you mean a religious leader.