Prepping for the future

Doesn’t feel great, based on the effects of climate change and the local politics.

Yeah, I really really like the Philippines, moreso than Mexico, but the convenience factor when you’ve got so many friends and family in the US is tough to overcome unless you want to completely uproot yourself…

I wish my main exposure to SEA hadn’t been 2+2 Travel forum. That always gave the impression that it was just sex tourist incels there so I never got around to visiting. Thailand in particular seems super rich culturally.

The impact of both of those are dependent on wealth level. Philippines a good place to be relatively wealthy.

If you don’t have to be near a beach, then Guanajuato City would be a great spot as a smaller city. It’s one of my fave smaller cities on the planet. My first impression was, “holy shit, how does this place exist in North America and hardly anyone outside of Mexico knows about it”.

San Miguel de Allende gets all the pub, but Guanajuato is a lot better imo. Unless you prefer a sleepier town (SM is a lot older than GTO, which has a big student population that makes it feel more vibrant).

There is a lot of shady sex tourism for sure, but also a really cool expat scene. Although… that expat scene is kind of sex tourist adjacent, even if its slowly improving.

1 Like

Ehh it’s pretty ubiquitous in certain areas, but once you get outside the main tourist hubs in SEA the sexpats are pretty much gone. Definitely worth visiting. And obviously the value for money is great.

2 Likes

One thing I always wondered is why the locals never turned on the obvious sex and drugs tourists the way Medellin did.

In Medellin the local women are super skeptical of any foreigner and it’s now a lot harder just getting normal dates there than other places in Latin America. Whereas in SEA, it seems like there hasn’t been much backlash against white dudes just visiting and taking advantage of locals.

The wealth disparity is probably greater in SEA, which makes it ‘ok’ for more people, comparatively. Source: Have lived in Thailand and Indonesia, not a sexpat tho.

2 Likes

I found Philippines one of the most depressing countries I have ever visited, but I was only in Manila.

Thailand is also super patriarchal, like there are more prostitutes in Thailand catering for Thai men than for Westerners. It’s still widespread there for women to see relationships and marriage in largely economic terms, it’s for security, not for love. The rural poverty is a contributor to this worldview of course.

2 Likes

Sure, but buying an overpriced metal that serves no purposes in a catastrophe when hoards of unworthy fucks are about to overrun your land seems like a bad investment to me.

1 Like

To those thinking of buying land … is this different than owning a house? Like, if you had a house with a big back yard where you could plant a big garden, does that get it done? Or is the defendability, remote-ness of it, the thing?

I can only speak for myself.

  1. I have a pretty wishcasty dream of living in the mountains and making beats that are inspired by all things nature. Lots of sampling of animal noises, creeks,etc…

  2. There is violence coming. It may not be the worst we can envision but when the next depression hits Id rather be in a remote spot and have the option of going into “society.” Places in the mountains are of high elevation and that’s a big plus when you think about the future of climate change. You also get protection from high winds etc… I honestly believe all houses from here on out should be built underground or something like the ones made from recycled plastic that are hurricane proof.

  3. I love the outdoors and have neglected myself of it for far too long. I’m not sure I have the gumption to succeed but I firmly believe that I would love it if I do.

  4. I’m poor and my best chance of owning land and my own house on it is this scenario. Of course, affordable land could dry up on the drop of a dime. My crack pipe dream would be to have around 4 of these locales in states near b&m casinos. Fallout style if you will.

3 Likes

gotcha thanks. So you’re seeing all out collapse. … Like, owning a small farm or homestead in a populated area isn’t desirable because you see a real chance that THEY are coming for YOU.

Your list feels great to me, minus #2, which doesn’t even feel necessary for the rest of it to be great.

I bought about 6 acres in 2014 in upstate NY, in part to get at #s 1, 3 and 4 on your list. Was an interesting experience. I lived in a tiny off-grid cabin, about 7 miles outside a small town, but still worked my usual (from home) day job and had access to most of modern life … no indoor toilet tho …

Anyway, a while back I bought a house in the small town. … In some ways, it still checks some boxes. It is an old farm so there is space and tillable land. But if they eventually come looking for the liberals, this place isn’t hard to find.

But the old place no longer feels remote or large, So, I can see one day buying a larger plot in a more remote spot. … I still don’t forsee the collapse you do, so for me it’s mostly because I like silence.

Randomly: I agree we’ve lost the chance to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. In my own lifetime (I’m 44) I expect this means more of what we’ve seen. Climate disasters in stressed areas, while middle income folks skate by on insurance and moving to more favorable zones. I didn’t buy here because of climate change, but I think northeast (United States) locations will fare very well in the coming decades, both in terms of liveable situations and land values.

There is still affordable land here. If you’re willing to be remote. Not often mentioned: look for land with elevation change and running water, as these will help you generate energy. You will want more than flat scrubland. And not all land – even near farms – is good for growing, unless you’re able to put in a lot of work.

I don’t go in for all this world-ending prepper stuff, but I’m all about tiny cabins in the woods …

3 Likes

Total social and economic collapse looks like Somalia, not the walking dead. Theres still markets, just run by the local folks with guns.

In social breakdowns, rural areas sometimes see the worst atrocities. Just saying.

2 Likes

:+1: but dude, we don’t till anymore.

I literally just tilled my garden this morning.

i’m just joshing, but apparently it depletes soil in monoculture farming. i guess when it’s your garden the effect is small and compensated by compost etc.

1 Like

What percent of America crops are no till? I don’t know any farmers that go no till.

it’s all a matter of degrees. probably less than 5% of farmers are doing it now, but no-till planters are becoming available.

1 Like