An honest evaluation quickly exposes the obvious disconnect that plagues the mindset of the individuals living in the centers of the modernized civilizations. Even the “American Dream” has become a sham and has been transformed into almost the polar opposite of what it once meant.
A goal of many was once to no longer be a serf, owned by the king and the lords which held authority over them. A dream of many who came to the new world was the opportunity of a new life, where a man could be his own king, have his own property, and live his own life as he saw fit. Many of the methods used in an attempt to obtain this goal may not have been appropriate, but the goal itself is a virtuous one.
If a man is to exist upon this earth, should he not have the opportunity to be a steward over a portion of it while he is here?
Over time, the original goal of owning a piece of land, having a dwelling place, and being able to provide for the needs of one’s own family from that piece of land was for the most part dismissed and replaced. The people were lured out of the country into cities. The industrial revolution pulled the men out of their homes and further away from their families. The government schools pulled the kids out of the homes. The women’s suffrage movement pulled the women out of the homes.
Eventually, everyone left home and the house was empty.
If the implementations of these transitions would have been attempted simultaneously, no one would have went for it, because people would have been able to see what was happening. However, when these changes are slowly implemented over time, many people remain unaware of the agenda. In one generation, the man is taken away from his family. This becomes common. The next generation accepts it as status quo and operates within the new parameters.
Step by step the family is dismantled and led away from freedom.
Zoning laws and ordinances restricted the use of whatever tiny portion of land the family now had within the city limits, and they were charged an ever increasing “rent” for that land in the form of property tax. Many of the freedoms people once enjoyed were restricted, and even things like the option of having beneficial livestock were restricted or removed.
In so many cities no goat, chicken, pig or cow is permitted. Basically, any animal that can provide you with food like eggs, milk, of meat is illegal. Other “companion animals” like cats and dogs are fine, but if the animal can be used in a tangible way to decrease your reliance on the system, it is simply not allowed.
As the cities become bigger and more densely populated, the cost of living increases.
Remember that in order to sustain a physical existence, physical needs must be met. The things we need are physical, like food, clothing, building materials and so on. These physical commodities come from physical land and physical space. The less of that land and space you can personally utilize, the more dependent that you become on others, and the more they can charge you to provide you with those things.
A densely populated city has an increased demand and a decreased ability to supply those demands for itself. Though many raw materials can be processed and refined in a city, the original material itself must come from some other portion of land elsewhere.
Over the years, I’ve traveled through a lot of major cities in the United States, from coast to coast and from Canada to Mexico. I fully understand that anyone is free to live in these cities if they so desire. I get that. Many will love the city that they inhabit and enjoy all that it has to offer. I understand that as well, and I have no goal to tell anyone that they are wrong for living their life in the location that they choose. Ultimately, it is their choice and their freedom to do as they wish with their one life here.
However, I also have the freedom to choose otherwise. My goals in life may be different, and my frame of reference may be different too. Therefore, as I evaluate existence and how to get what I want out of it from my opportunity here, I will continue to choose cautiously and wisely.
I would never desire to live in a studio apartment high in a massive city surrounded by concrete and skyscrapers. To me, that form of life appears to be too similar to being a portfolio in a filing cabinet or a box of cereal on a shelf inside a grocery store.
It also grieves me that many living in such conditions are so prone to passionately rant about protecting the earth. The actual connection to it that they possess is minimal, and I believe that they are living in the center of the destruction of the earth. They will fight hard for causes like preventing deforestation and yet they only see a few, conveniently placed trees on a daily basis. They fight for such causes because they have been trained to and it seems virtuous to them. Yet, almost all that they are exposed to is unnatural, over-processed and manufactured.
The wild, natural, and raw have no place in their lives any longer.
It is amazing to me that apartments in such cities can be so small and yet cost so much. When I consider a monthly rent of $1000, which is low in some places, and compare it to the places that still exist in the US where an acre of land can carry the same price tag, I marvel.
The money needed to inhabit the apartment for 30 days is equal to the amount needed to purchase the acre of raw land.
The environment, time limit, and options for use could hardly be more different. Again, I’m not saying that everyone living such a life has been tricked into it and I know full well that people have the freedom to choose such things. Still, from my perspective, I grow ever more concerned.
You see, it is within these massive concentrations of population that the real decisions are made. When I consider how little so many of these people actually possess, I can’t help but wonder. Many have just become serfs again. Though they are no longer servants of the king and the lords, they are basically servants to the governments and banks. A rented apartment is not an actual possession. Neither is a rented or leased vehicle. To only own some furniture and clothing seems strange, when we have the capability and opportunity to acquire so much more.
I do not say this in a greedy way, but instead in a way that contemplates the wisdom of certain investments. There are people out there that will spend more on vehicles than I would on a house, or more on a wardrobe than I would to purchase 10 acres of land. Is it greedy for me to choose such a plot of land instead of some pants and shirts for the same investment of finances?
Or, is it wise?
I cannot feed my family with a pair of pants unless I sell those pants and give up my possession of them. I do not need to sell land in order to feed my family. I only need to plant some seeds in the soil on it and allow some animals to enjoy that patch of the earth. Such thinking has recently become my default setting.
I know that preserving the earth and the resources in it can be an important and virtuous endeavor, but when legislation and designation removed the possibility of utilizing that land to be used, I wonder at the wisdom in it. There are many ways to use the resources that the earth provides without destroying it. When the end result of these activities will be taking all “land rights” and opportunity for self-sufficiency away from the inhabitants of a country, the people themselves will once again become the possession of the governments rather than free people living within a country.
When those in control grow tired of a people, they need only to restrict the food supply and life is quickly over. Time and time again such has been the case, and history will only continue to repeat itself.
The inspiration for this post came from an apple. I picked the apple with my dad and my children. Three generations of us were there enjoying that experience. As we finished the portion of the apples that is generally considered to be edible, all that remained were the stems and cores. Inside these cores is where the seeds are, and this is the part that the vast majority of people discard.
When is the last time that you enjoyed an apple and saved the seeds?
Have you ever?
For many of us, the thought never even crosses our minds. Why not? Often, we have no opportunity to use these seeds. If we do not have land available to plant the seeds in, and if we are not familiar with growing our own food, why would we ever consider the value or potential of such things?
It is in these moments that the incredible has become unimportant.
To drive this point home, let’s do some simple calculations.
If a man eats two apples a month from the time that he is age 5 until the time that he is 50, he will eat 24 apples per year for 45 years, or 1080 apples in that time. If each apple has just four seeds in it, that means he would have wound up with 4320 apple seeds. If he chose to plant each of those seeds and only half of them survived, he’d have grown 2160 apple trees. If those apple trees took 5 years to bear fruit, lived for only 20 years each, and only produced 20 apples a year, how many apples would he have wound up with by the time that he was 70 years old and the last of those trees had died?
Each tree would bear fruit for 15 years, at 20 apples per year, so each tree would have produced 300 apples. If you have ever seen an apple tree, you know that many will produce this many apples or more in a good year, but I’m using conservative numbers to illustrate my point. In those 65 years of life from when the man first started planted the seeds to the time that the last trees died when they reached 20 years old, the man would have grown 648,000 apples. If the price of an apple is $0.50 each, that’s $324,000 worth of food.
To me, that is incredible even if it has become unimportant to others.
If the man was like most people these days, he wouldn’t really have been throwing away $324,000 by not planting the seeds. In fact, he would have had no opportunity to really do so. Personally, I do not want to have no opportunity. I do not want my freedom to be further restricted.
In short, we have removed the seeds from the apple cores. These seeds will be planted. Eventually we will either have apples to eat or trees to sell or trade (hopefully). When those trees die, perhaps I’ll butcher some pigs and use the wood to make my own apple wood smoked bacon free from GMO feed and Sodium Nitrate. I’ll pick my own apples, save the seeds and give the hogs the cores and stems to eat.
If someone in a city somewhere would rather buy whatever mass-produced, insecticide soaked apples at the local super-center and dispose of the cores and seeds in their garbage can so that they can help fill a landfill somewhere, they certainly have that freedom. However, I have the freedom not to listen to them when they tell me how to save the earth.
The goal of this post is not to offend city-dwellers, I've lived in them too. I was simply hoping to provide some food for thought.
Thanks for your time and for giving me your ear for a moment.
As always, I’m @papa-pepper and here’s the proof:
proof-of-core
FOLLOW
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What a great post ! Upvoted and reblogged! No wonder you havent been posting as much as usual! It takes time to create a masterpiece! And you are so right! I consider myself lucky to have a small piece of land, althoug its 1 hr drive from town,( or else who could afford it! ) its mine! And it will be my sons when i am gone!for that i am very lucky and grateful! BRAVO papa-pepper! 👍😉👏👏👏
Upvoted and resteemed?!?!?!?!
You're awesome!
Great post, I agree with most of what it says, but I had a thought...
You say that some people own so little - just clothes - but are you aware that a growing population of people is choosing to be digital nomads? They own nothing but a laptop and the clothes they have on their back. This gives them freedom to go almost anywhere at any time.
It's just food for thought :)
And I must say that reading your post made me realize just how sweet that freedom can be. It's a bit zen as it's practically freedom from all possessions, but the end goal is the same - freedom from the rat race.
Increadible - two totally different approaches and the same end goal.
Well, I'm going back to my hamsterwheel XD planting my binary apple seeds :)
Thank you for your post :)
I meant that many have in their possession things like cars, boats, houses etc, that they do not own.
The amazing car parked in front of the majestic house are just things that the bank owns, and that the people will have to work a long hard time for and pay a lot in interest for just to attempt to actually "own" them one day.
Those people are not free to just leave and go where they please, and become wage slaves attempting to maintain possession of their creature comforts.
There was a time when all I owned was on a school bus, and I had very little. Many times in this life I've just dumped what I had accumulated and moved on with almost nothing, so I understand what you are saying.
Yeah, debt is a problem... It perpetuates the lifestyle slavery.
I wonder, did you read the milionair fastlane (book)? It talks about this a lot.
I found it quite good.
Personally no amount of slavery, debt and un-privacy would drive me to ditch urban comfort. But, the perpetually worsening food quality could...
I bet your chicken never smell like fish...
p.s. If you have your own chicken how do you ensure the eggs are free of harmfull bacteria?
We cook the eggs and wash our hands a lot. Other than that, I'm not sure, but no issues yet.
"Chicken smelling like fish?" - News to me (thankfully)
I've never read that book, and I agree, the urban setting does allow certain comforts, but I'm more comfortable in the wild, and cities are a close enough drive if and when we want.
Thanks for the discussion @mrlogic.
Always a pleasure :)
HAHA. Proof of core. I love you.
My dream is to purchase a plot of land. My husband and I really crave a minimum of 5 acres so I can have my aquaponics gardens with a supply of fresh fish and veggies that I harvest. I've actually wanted so much more land to be more like a conservation with small cabins dotting the countryside for invited guests and people who need a retreat from their busy lives. This dream is so real to me and I can't stand that fact that money is holding me back from living a life close to the earth and her bounty. One day.... One day,
Did you stop reading my blog and start reading my mind?
Wonderful post @papa-pepper. I see that there is a big movement for people to not own things now too, rent everything - have nothing to show for it in the end. You see it all over, don't own a vehicle - rent it. Don't own a home - rent one, and so on.
They say how that gives you freedom because you are not tied down, to me it is just another step towards slavery.
It is a sad scheme, even "mortgage" means "death-grip" and will cost you way more in the end.
People are free to choose, but I hope that we can start choosing wisely.
Check out the post today from @krnel for some more great ideas along with line of thought.
I was in that thought camp as well for a while, but if the whole thing is going to go down again the ownership is not prudent. The ROI can disappear in a blink and property taxation will skyrocket. Even having a property bought and paid for is no guarantee... you must look at what and how change is occurring, it's general trend and hope on timing it well.
Allodial vs feudal land rights - we lost allodial rights in the US a long time ago. We're all serfs now.
I completely agree that "bought and paid for" property in no guarantee.
For now though, ownership gives one opportunity, and that is what I would like, opportunity.
I had some fine fixins a beach house (sold due to increasing taxes, insurances, and being a target (lawsuit or robbery), a Porsche or two, etc. I got hit in 2008 but hung on to the property... sold the Porsche/s as they were just targets (foolishly I used to collect my rents in my low income properties in that... talk about a stupid thing to do). I also sold those as well, bought after 2008 crash for pennies on the dollar, now I am awaiting the next paradigm shift to find out where I will park my old carcass and or what to invest in. But yes you are correct the tax breaks for property are still beneficial... wish I still had me some of that.
Wow... rolling with the punches of life.
Yeah I've been punched a lot... that's why I'm in the business I'm in.
This post has been linked to from another place on Steem.
Advanced Steem Metrics Report for 11th October 2016 by @ontofractal
How to Grow Your Own Apple Trees From Seeds by @englishtchrivy
CUANDO LO INCREIBLE SE TORNA IRRELEVANTE - Lamentando la Obvia Desconexion de las Civilizaciones Modernas y Probablemente Perdiendo $324.000 by @traducciones
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You're great No doubt!
Thanks @dresden - You're not so bad yourself!
Ah, "the trappings of life" as they are called... and for a good reason.
What we actually need versus what we've been convinced we want through emotional manipulation because somehow that denotes success as a human.
I think I'll start carrying seeds with me and randomly plant them in or on free public land. That way, if the seeds amount to anything, the plants/trees can feed birds, animals and people and no taxes will be owed by anyone. Project Pepper Freedom.
Guerrilla Gardening - Johnny Appleseed Style
Nothing tastes better than the fruits of your own labor!
Literal fruits of labor!
I like it, thanks!
totaly agree and resteemed
Thanks man!
Outstanding. Thank You. Two Thumbs and Both Big Toes UP on this post.
WOW!
I appreciate that encouragement @specreman!
THANKS BIG TIME!
Top notch Philosophical views!
I like it, deep thoughts and all...
Athough you may differ from many people with your views, You sure make alot of sense to me. Good Post PAPA
That is encouraging.
I like to think, and try not to offend, but it's nice when people understand.
Thanks!
Very enjoyable read
I am glad, it was enjoyable to think and right too!
(plus applying it has its own benefits)
Thanks @otisbrown!
@papa-pepper
Heard ya loud and clear!
-enjoyed the apple - right now while reading this.
The good thing in the place where I live is they encourage greens here so there's so many fruiting trees on the stroll paths and even in the woods. Many unused landfills are financed by the government to be used by the people for gardening and most of those "volkstuin" (read as folks - town) or public gardens are strictly organic. I'll be moving the rest of my apple and plum trees there because I got no more space in my almost forest looking garden haha.
Nicely done!
@papa-pepper I just wrote an article on how you can grow your own apple trees on seeds and in containers inspired by this very post!
Thanks for this reply, and feel free to link in situations like this on my posts.
I found it on my own a few moments ago, but thanks for making sure that I wouldn't miss it.
CHECK OUT THE POST FROM englishtchrivy BY CLICKING HERE
@papa-pepper will do and thank you for posting the article here
Helps a great lot!
You're welcome!
Great piece Señor Papa. Thanks!!
Gracias... and we did get to eat a few of the things you sent... at least the hogs enjoyed the rest... ;-(
Well, at least I got to contribute to your bacon addiction. ;)
What did you get to try?
DM'd that info.
Thanks for increasing the bacon production!
That was an incredible gesture!
Awesome post @papa-pepper as usual!
full $teem ahead!
I am glad that you approve.
Well said.
Thank you!
(also, my apologies... I never even followed you until last night (though I think perhaps I may have accidentally 'unfollowed' you of something...))
Not sure, but expect some upvotes in the future, and thanks!
This is a great post, @papa-pepper...
Thank you @bola!
Another great post from @papa-pepper! Now working on the Spanish translation...
Wow!
Thanks again for all your hard work!
Ok, here it is:
CUANDO LO INCREIBLE SE TORNA IRRELEVANTE - Lamentando la Obvia Desconexion de las Civilizaciones Modernas y Probablemente Perdiendo $324.000
Resteemed.
I am a faithful follower of his work, without fear this is the best congrats friend @ potato-pepper
Thanks @jlufer!
I always appreciate your support!
I really like the posts you publish and wish I could write such good; followed and upvoted ;-)
Well, I try to do my best, and all you can do is the same.
Thanks for the upvote, comment, and follow; I'll follow you back!
This is an incredible post, @papa-pepper! I agree wholeheartedly with every word you have written here.
WOW!
Thanks for the encouragement and for letting me know!
You bet! I have been wanting to start growing herbs and foods for a while, and you may just push me to do so.
I'll push!
Sorry for cutting in @papa-pepper, but here is a great item I use to grow indoors (no electricity like the first aquaponics unit I bought).
http://gardentowerproject.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=56
Hmmm... interesting.
I seen some similar things, but not this specific one.
Thanks for sharing, I'll hopefully be getting into aquaponics too.
Excellent "food" for thought.
The next questions is :
If Peter Piper planted a peck of Papa-Pepper's peppers. A peck of Papa-Pepper's peppers Peter Piper planted. If Peter Piper planted a peck of Papa-Pepper's peppers, how many pecks of Peter Piper's peppers would Peter Piper pick if he lived to be 65?
That would be a pile of papa-pepper's pepper that peter piper probably picked.
Precisely
Great post my friend, now i really wish to plant some apples. :-)
Me too.
At least I've got the seeds.
"Eventually, everyone left home and the house was empty." You are so correct! My grandmother lives with us and so does my older sister with her husband and son. So, we have 4 generations under our roof. It's a way better way to live. My Dad read your post and he says to keep these coming. Steem ON!
WOW!
Thanks for letting me know that about your dad, it is so encouraging to papa!
I'd like to translate this post into Chinese if that's okay with you!