June 2 (World News Trust) -- For
approximately ten days last month I traveled across the United States
from my former home in New Mexico to my new home in Vermont. My journey
has been the culmination of years of researching and soul searching in
response to the odyssey of my species and the earth community which has
now entered an irreversible trajectory of collapse.
At the completion of this transition, I feel compelled to clarify a
number of issues around my relocation and relocation in general.
Obviously, for the past two years on this website I have been talking
about relocation as one piece in the complex tapestry of collapse
preparation. Therefore, I feel that I owe it to regular readers and
subscribers of Truth To Power to let you know that I've taken this
enormous step since many of you have relocated long before I did, and
many more of you are contemplating doing so. I believe that where we
choose to stay or move to is monumentally important in terms of how we
prepare or do not prepare for collapse. I do not believe that everyone
should relocate, and I certainly do not believe that everyone should
relocate in Vermont since relocation is a highly individual decision
encompassing myriad factors, and one size definitely does not fit all.
I hasten to add that I just arrived in Vermont a few days ago and that
I do not have elaborate plans for making a seamless transition into
some groovy ecovillage where I intend to live happily ever after in
harmonious community with other collapse watchers. I'm taking this
process one step at a time and may be settling in at some point in
shared living space with friends where a process will be implemented
for addressing conflict and the logistics of inhabiting our common
dwelling places together. Should such a group coalesce, there will be
formidable challenges and hopefully, extraordinary moments of
celebration as people come together and confront the demons we have all
introjected from empire, not to mention the fundamentals of survival.
As a seasoned Buddhist might say, I have a plan, but plans from moment
to moment must be open to change. Relocation and living in community as
collapse exacerbates will be a long, demanding, arduous process, but I
have taken the first step, as have many of you.
Relocation involves much more than logically choosing a geographical
area inside or outside the United States, taking into consideration the climate,
access to arable land, water, wood, and other resources for living
sustainably -- a decision requiring most individuals to carefully weigh
the assets and liabilities of any given place and then acquiring the
financial resources necessary to make the transition. Just deciding
where one wants to live is challenging enough; equally stressful for
most people is finding the means to relocate, and as the price of gas
and just about everything else soars, it feels as if the sands of time
are running out and against those who have not yet made their move.
What seems to get less attention when the topic of relocation is
discussed is the emotional factor -- that is, the goodbyes, the myriad
feelings that surface as one leaves a place and people, perhaps even
immediate family members -- in order to relocate in an unfamiliar venue.
What is already an emotionally challenging experience may become more
agonizing as family and friends living in denial of collapse perceive
one's decision to relocate as extreme, bizarre, or dangerous. But the
emotions associated with leaving are usually rivaled by those one
experiences when arriving at the new destination -- feelings of
unfamiliarity, disorientation, ungroundedness, anxiety, paranoia, and
disconnection. None of us is an expert in relocation even if we have
moved many times in our lives. After all, relocation engendered by
one's awareness of collapse is not the same as simply moving to another
state or country under pre-collapse circumstances.
In other words, other relocations in one's life may have been motivated
by job change, the end or beginning of a relationship, the desire to be
closer to family, or a hundred other conventional reasons. In those
instances, moving is less emotionally complicated. One simply takes
care of the business of moving, experiences the typical emotions around
saying goodbyes, and then moves on. Relocation needs to happen, so we
relocate. Done.
Because the prime motivating factor for many individuals in current
time is preparation for the demise of empire, one is almost certain to
feel passionate about the decision, but the quality of feeling about
relocating will be experienced differently than with respect to prior
moves. Typically, when people relocate in anticipation of collapse,
many second thoughts and pejorative inner voices, as well as some
skeptical external voices from well-meaning friends or family, are
likely to scream things like: "What the hell are you doing? Are you
crazy? Don't you think this is a little extreme? What if you're wrong,
and after a few years of crisis, the world just goes on as it was?
Won't you regret your move?"
After relocating, even if the new setting is structured and one's
living arrangements are already well in place, a plethora of other
thoughts and feelings may surface -- as stated above: a sense of
disorientation, ungroundedness, fear, anxiety, ambivalence. These
emotions will vary in intensity and frequency depending on how
different the new setting is from the old, but because the intention of
relocation is to settle into a very different milieu, they are likely
to be ubiquitous. What will invariably come to the forefront of
consciousness is the need to trust oneself and one's decision about
relocating. It will be important to mentally return to the months or
years of preparation one has put into the relocation and remind oneself
of all the reasons for making the transition, and to reach out to fellow
relocaters and friends who support ones' decision.
At this point, relocation becomes a highly emotional and, dare I say,
spiritual issue. Any time I am faced with trusting myself or others,
I'm in the territory of mystery, and mystery is about something greater
than my own human ego. The more experience one has in consciously
living beyond the parameters of one's ego and intentionally inhabiting
the domain of one's life purpose, the less stressful the transition is
apt to be because the "muscles" of trust have been sufficiently
exercised in the context of other issues. Relocation is never easy, but
it can be made easier by trusting the process that brought one to make
the decision, trusting allies who have already earned one's trust,
taking action, and finally waking up in the new location with all the
attendant emotions and challenges and feeling, not denying them.
Having allies and a structure in place in the new setting is important,
but in any event, unforeseen challenges will arise. Such is the nature
of the journey of relocation. The toxicity of the culture of empire is
a prime motivator for most of us as we relocate, and one aspect of that
toxicity is the need for certainty and predictability. When we step out
of empire and into our journey, into a new way of thinking and living,
we invariably sign up for uncertainty and anxiety and guarantee that
our survival and well being depend on trust as much as strategy.
For me, collapse is about far more than survival. In fact, survival may
be the least important issue. What matters much more for me is the
possibility of creating a new way of being in the world that rejects
empire and its values and offers the opportunity for creating and
maintaining community based on serving the earth community.
Well, if you're now thinking, "All right, already, enough of the
spiritual babble, what about the logistics?" I will tell you why I
chose Vermont as my destination; my understanding of the state based on
my research suggests the following*: First, Vermont is sparsely
populated with about 630,000 residents. It has abundant water and
arable land with ample access to firewood which of course will be
critical for woodstove and pellet stove heating as home heating oil,
the predominant means of heating in the Northeast, becomes increasingly
unaffordable. The state has no billboards, and residents must pay for
any trash they do not recycle. In addition, Vermont is currently
fine-tuning its own state healthcare system, Catamount, which provides
reimbursement for anyone making less than $2600 a month. Residents can
also buy health insurance through Catamount on a sliding scale. Just
this past week, Vermont was rated
second only to Iowa in the quality of its healthcare for children. The
state also has an abundance of small farms, a thriving organic dairy
industry, and a strong emphasis on eating and buying local.
Most notably, Vermont is an incredibly rural state with only three
towns of 15,000 or more: Burlington, Rutland, and the state's capital,
Montpelier. When traveling throughout the state one has the feeling
that one has left the U.S. and is inhabiting some other country because
rural Vermont bears little resemblance to "McAmerica". Furthermore,
Vermont is third in the nation for the amount of money it spends per
capita on education, and small private and state-funded colleges are
ubiquitous. Also, an Amtrak line runs from Montreal to New York City,
and trains can be boarded daily from Rutland to the Big Apple.
Perhaps most enticing about Vermont is the remarkable environmental
consciousness of the majority of its citizens and the sense of
community and mutual support they demonstrate. In fact, I have never
known a state, and I have lived in many, where cooperation is as valued
as it is in Vermont. A great deal of focus is now being placed by
Vermonters on renewable energy with widespread Peak Oil awareness and
preparation. As for the arts, Vermont is an oasis of music and visual
arts, and some have said that one cannot throw a stone in Vermont
without hitting a writer.
Politically, the state tends to balance conservatism -- fiscal
restraint, balanced budgets and a "live and let live" sensibility and
neighbor helping neighbo -- with a long history of support for
progressive causes, from support for abolition in the 19th century to
support for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered persons in the
21st. Seen from opposite ends of the political spectrum, Vermont is the
most radical state in the nation -- the only state where one does not need
a permit to carry a handgun and at the same time, a state where LGBT
individuals feel safely able to become an integral part of community
life. Vermont has a rich history of supporting human rights and was the
first state to outlaw slavery.
In addition, a strong movement for Vermont independence, yes secession,
is the passion of a significant number of Vermonters. Familiarity with
Vermont's history reveals a long-standing tradition of independence
modeled on the democratic republic template of the Founders of the
United States. In-depth information about the "once and future Republic
of Vermont" can be obtained at the Vermont Commons
website where Truth To Power has a regular blogspot and where authors
promoting independence offer a treasure-trove of information and
support for their cause. Many supporters of Vermont independence
believe that it will become an increasingly viable option as the
collapse of empire intensifies and globalization is supplanted by
localization.
However, as with any venue, Vermont has daunting challenges, not the
least of which is its winters. Home heating oil costs this coming
winter will be astronomical, and renewable energy for heating will be a
critical necessity. Because of its long winters, newcomers quickly
discover that they must participate in seasonal outdoor activities such
as downhill or cross country skiing or snow shoeing in order to prevent
"cabin fever" and to assist them in emotionally adapting to the
season's length. The pay-off for those long winters, however, is lush
summers and resplendent autumn foliage that bolster the state's tourism
and fine arts enterprises. Because of Vermont's low population and its
de-emphasis on growth, finding gainful employment is challenging.
Public transportation is still inadequate in Vermont as it is in most
regions of the nation which means that unless Vermonters work at home,
they are required to drive fairly long distances to their jobs. At this
writing, a few stores are selling gas at $3.89 in Vermont, but most
Vermonters anticipate rising gas prices very soon. Culturally, Vermont
is mono, rather than multi-cultural, the predominant ethnicity being
Anglo-American. In addition, LGBT individuals in the state are working
hard to get legislation passed that would make civil marriages legal.
As for my own rationale for leaving the Southwestern U.S., I have been
researching the issue for several years, and in the light of what are
certain to be lethal water shortages and climate changes that are
likely to make that region uninhabitable, especially as energy
blackouts become more frequent, I felt compelled to move north. Through
a series of connections with friends in the Northeast, I chose Vermont
for many of the reasons stated above, but also because it felt like the
best option for me. I have also carefully considered relocating outside
the U.S., but as the Terminal Triangle that I have written about so
often -- Peak Oil, climate change, and global economic meltdown exacerbate
and engulf the entire planet, the assertion that leaving the U.S. is
absolutely necessary for one's survival has felt increasingly spurious
to me.
If you feel motivated to relocate, be advised: the sooner the better.
Time is running out. Also, it is important to understand that no place
is perfectly safe, no place offers one all of the attributes that make
for sustainable living, and certainly no place is without challenges.
Most importantly, the emotional and spiritual aspects of collapse must
be attended to with as much ardor as the logistical aspects because
they loom at least as large, if not larger, than the fundamental
process of continuing to breathe air, eat food, drink water, and
maintain one's basic creature comforts.
During my transition to Vermont I was able to offer more postings on
the site than I had anticipated. I suppose I expected more disruption
of daily postings than actually occurred, and for the fact that I was
able to continue postings most days during the transition, I'm
grateful. Truth To Power now has a new home as well as many subscribers
in the Green Mountain State. I look forward to posting news regarding
local political and sustainability projects in Vermont which may be
useful to all Truth To Power readers everywhere, and I support all of
you who are considering relocation. Choose the place that is best for
you, and go there soon.
*With special thanks to Rob Williams, Professor of History at Champlain College and Editor of VT Commons, for fact-checking information about Vermont in this article.
***
CAROLYN BAKER, Ph.D., not only manages the Speaking Truth To Power website, but is a professor of history and author of her latest book, Coming
Out From Christian Fundamentalism: Affirming Sensuality, Social
Justice, and The Sacred. This book and her previous two books, U.S. History Uncensored: What Your High School Textbook Didn't Tell You and The Journey of Forgiveness, may be purchased at this site. she is available for speaking engagements and author events and can be contacted at
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