Self-sufficiency

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A personification of self-reliance as represented by a statue in The American Adventure in the World Showcase pavilion of Walt Disney World's Epcot.

Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid, support, or (in hardline cases) interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of extreme personal or collective (group-based) autonomy.

The term self-sufficiency is usually applied to varieties of sustainable living in which nothing is consumed outside of what is produced by the self-sufficient individuals. Examples of attempts at self-sufficiency in North America include voluntary simplicity, Luddism, homesteading, survivalism, and the back-to-the-land movement.

Practices that enable or aid self-sufficiency include autonomous building, permaculture, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy.

The existence of an effectively closed system makes self-sufficiency a necessity for any form of space colonization, and to an extent ocean colonization.

The term is also applied to limited forms of self-sufficiency, for example growing one's own food or becoming economically independent of state subsidies or (in the case of larger political entities) foreign aid.

Post-modern self-sufficiency

The term ‘post-modern self-sufficiency’ or ‘escape capitalism’ refers to a mode of life that seeks to exist outside industrialized non-agrarian ‘western’ norms. This mode of life-style is usually seen as alternative because it seeks to rely on cutting edge technology to eliminate or greatly reduce the reliance on a capitalistic structure i.e. wage labor.

Paradoxically, escape capitalism usually begins inside the capitalist framework where highly skilled and highly educated labor is exchanged for capital which is then progressively invested into long-term self-sufficiency.

Examples

1. Long-term residential and transport energy provided by investing in automated solar/wind/fuel-cell plant and equipment for the home.
2. Long-term residential and agricultural water provided by investment into automated well/dam/rain & grey water systems.
3. Long-term residential investment into automated hydroponics/green house/orchard fruit and vegetable production.

The key focus of the movement is the use of modern technology to create a significantly high level of quality of life rather than sacrificing quality of life for non-participation in capitalist society.

Most individuals who proscribe to escape capitalism work greatly reduced hours in highly educated ‘contract’ roles that require great expertise. This income supplements their life style for areas like travel, health care and building passive income investment streams.

The following is an assessment of needs to be fulfilled progressively:

1. Housing and land for necessities production e.g. including entertainment, sporting and agricultural considerations.
2. Water and waste management e.g. rain, grey and brown water .
3. Energy including household, transport and capture and processing agricultural consumption e.g. fuel cell plant and equipment.
4. Means to produce marketable goods and services e.g. home call-centre to support highly specialized or skilled industries globally.
5. It is expected that all needs are fulfilled at a level that will support a high level of quality of life

Influential People

• Eustace Conway
• Carla Emery
• John Seymour
• Joel Skousen
• Don Stephens
• Mel Tappan
• Claire Wolfe

External links

• Teach A Man To Fish - Self-Sufficiency in Education
• International Homesteaders Blog Ring
• Foundation for Self-Sufficiency in Central America
• Path to Freedom
• Self Sufficient(ish) UK based online guide
• AchieveAbility: Education is the key to self-sufficiency
• SurvivalBlog
• The Good Life
• Home Power Magazine
• Self Sufficient Life - rural and country style living
• The Modern Homestead
• Five acres and independence, 1973 book, by Maurice Grenville Kains, Dover books. ISBN 0486209741

www.varnasrama.org