I wonder how long some of us will be able to survive if... (Fairbanks: houses, incomes) - Alaska (AK) - City-Data Forum

RayinAK · 08-03-2011, 10:16 PM

I wonder how many winters any of us can survive in the interior should the national economy tank? A friend of mine and I were talking about this today, and I thought that this should make for an interesting discussion.

Any ideas, predictions, etc. about such a possibility? Are you prepared to survive? Do you have enough food, water, shelter, the means to heat your shelter, cook you food, or defend your cache from others, etc.?

Metlakatla · 08-03-2011, 10:55 PM

Oh good. This one's going to be fun.

I don't live in the interior anymore and probably won't even spend another winter there though I'm sure I'll visit often as I can.

By the economy tanking, do you mean money becoming worthless?

SE is such survivable land; the interior not so much. I could probably skate by here if things went all to hell but something tells me that even if the economy tanks it won't affect my customer base all that much.

Even it did I think we'd be okay.

stiffnecked · 08-03-2011, 10:57 PM

I'd agree. If I had to pick one place it would be southeast. Probably Prince of Wales too. Though something on the mainland side would sure be right up there.

Marty Van Diest · 08-03-2011, 11:39 PM

I've discussed this with people as well. We also agreed that SE would be the best place to live in the event of total collapse. That is why the Tlingets had such a good society...they had it easy getting food.

It would be tough in the interior. It would not be easy here either.

RayinAK · 08-03-2011, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Oh good. This one's going to be fun.

I don't live in the interior anymore and probably won't even spend another winter there though I'm sure I'll visit often as I can.

By the economy tanking, do you mean money becoming worthless?

SE is such survivable land; the interior not so much. I could probably skate by here if things went all to hell but something tells me that even if the economy tanks it won't affect my customer base all that much.

Even it did I think we'd be okay.

Well, you will certainly be able to farm and fish, therefore surviving for you should be very possible. But in relation to customers, that could be a problem unless they have something to trade with you, since the dollar won't have value.

I could probably make it through one winter, but by Spring it would be iffy just staying here preparing for the next winter. It's possible, but extremely hard to survive the extreme cold weather without fuel to heat one's home. Yes, one can burn wood, but that too requires gasoline in the truck to go and get it. By the way, some folks on fixed incomes have already leaved Fairbanks and moved with their relatives in the lower-48.

ShipOfFools42 · 08-04-2011, 12:02 AM

So wait, there are two different people on this forum who have been discussing this? My god, the thought hasn't even crossed my mind. Why would the economy tank now? I mean, we made it through the Great Depression, is everybody really that worried? If so, I better get to the interior while it's still doable; good lord you people are going to worry me to death.

Bideshi · 08-04-2011, 12:04 AM

I recommend the movie "Into the Wild" for a good preview of that senario.

RayinAK · 08-04-2011, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShipOfFools42

So wait, there are two different people on this forum who have been discussing this? My god, the thought hasn't even crossed my mind. Why would the economy tank now? I mean, we made it through the Great Depression, is everybody really that worried? If so, I better get to the interior while it's still doable; good lord you people are going to worry me to death.

Oh, just go along and play the "if" game. What's there to lose? Just tell us what you would do if the economy tanks. Better than talking about politics; don't you think?

Metlakatla · 08-04-2011, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RayinAK

Well, you will certainly be able to farm and fish, therefore surviving for you should be very possible. But in relation to customers, that could be a problem unless they have something to trade with you, since the dollar won't have value.

I could probably make it through one winter, but by Spring it would be iffy just staying here preparing for the next winter. It's possible, but extremely hard to survive the extreme cold weather without fuel to heat one's home. Yes, one can burn wood, but that too requires gasoline in the truck to go and get it. By the way, some folks on fixed incomes have already leaved Fairbanks and moved with their relatives in the lower-48.

We really can't farm here in southern SE...but we certainly can forage, and things can be grown in greenhouses. Plenty of game and fish; we could get by on wood heat for quite some time and since we live in the woods there are enough trees withing whacking distance that gas wouldn't be an issue. Probably have some cold nights but it rarely gets cold enough for anyone to freeze to death.

I imagine that in the event of cash becoming worthless...some kind of black market of sorts would materialize; enough of my customers are among the very rich that I'd probably be able to get some benefit from that, provided they have access to fuel that the average people don't.

We could live with a fiscal disaster here, I think. But we couldn't live with an environmental one.

It all comes down to food. Like Marty said, it's abundant here, and there are also a lot of people here who are skilled in the procurement of food without using fossil fuel generated means.

Bideshi · 08-04-2011, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShipOfFools42

I mean, we made it through the Great Depression, is everybody really that worried?

No, "we" didn't. It was an entirely different generation of self reliant, hard working people who knew a lot more than we do about living rough and living simple. They had more of a community spirit and were more willing to share. We are the "to hell with you buddy, I've got mine" nation. They trusted in God and family, and many of them had a family farm to go back home to. The dust bowl refugees were able to find work in the Cali fields and orchards because there wasn't any work that "Americans won't do". They made it through that difficult time without turning on one another. This economic disaster will be worse than that one.

How will we do in comparison?