Early Adapter Strategies for the Modern Economic Depression
Successful adaptation to the often difficult and always changing conditions in the early stages of a modern economic depression can be further complicated by lagging regulatory viewpoints, unrealistic social mores and other deterrents.
Outside The (Cardboard) Box offers some thoughts on strategies & tactics to aide you in navigating the shifting currents frequently encountered during such a fluid period.
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Reader glennroberts commented in a previous post: “I have a guy who lives next door who raises goats and chickens. It might be a good thing to have fresh eggs and goat milk but he’s doing it in a residential neighborhood. Someone turned him in and now he has 30 days to get rid of the goats and the chickens. He also raises parakeets and is fighting the city of Las Vegas to keep them.”
What glenroberts seems to be unaware of is that his next-door neighbor is exhibiting ‘Early Adapter’ traits. That is, behaving as someone who readily adapts their lifestyle in advance of deteriorating economic conditions. The pitfall of being an early adapter is that conventional society (economic laggards) will often view the early adapter with, at a minimum, scathing disdain and, at the extreme, harsh legal sanction. In the case of glenroberts’ neighbor, the minimum is likely represented by the tipster (a Squealing Rat-Bastard) who contacted the authorities, and the maximum is initially represented by local zoning officials (The Man).
I say “initially” as legal sanctions typically expand in parallel with the early adapter’s inclination to argue for their right to survive on their own terms. With the subsequent inclusion of the City Council, the Health Department, Law Enforcement and, in more extreme cases, State & Federal government agencies & the Military into the mix, the early adapter faces nearly insurmountable odds. As all socio-economic stratas are ultimately devoured by the ensuing economic debacle, disdain for the early adapter eventually turns to envy and legal sanction potentially become confiscation.
As part of our ongoing series on how to conceal adaptive activities and strategies for after discovery, we’re here to offer you a few possible “Do’s” and some absolute “Don’ts” as you strive to compensate for further personal economic deterioration.
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Flying Below Radar
It’s worth restating that, to the extent possible, you keep your adaptive activities out of view of the general public and especially the regulatory authorities. In any community there are already certain locales and certain goings-on that the public and the authorities would rather avoid. This natural reaction opens the door to some Strategies for Stealth while Hiding in Plain Sight:
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Leper Colony – The simple act of hanging a sign on your domicile can provide a surprising amount of adaptive breathing room. Dressing in rags & a cowl when in public only furthers the effect. Have 15 or 20 roommates? It won’t even raise an eyebrow.
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‘Needle Users Anonymous’ Support Group – This is effective if you have a lot of retail traffic. It insures that not only will you be left alone but so will your patrons.
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Ebola Research Institute – When a city inspector knocks on your door, further the effect by answering in a Hazmat suit…..and a little animal blood spattered about on the porch really closes the sale!
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A Divine Epiphany
Once your adaptive activities (perhaps raising animals in an area that restricts the practice) have been discovered, a strategy to mitigate the newfound regulatory intrusion is in order. Along those lines, freedom of religious expression is one of the cornerstones of our nation’s founding. As such, the exercise of that right is one of the most staunchly defended of all. As an extreme hypothetical example, let’s say a church or a “mosque” were teaching their members that the U.S. was “the Great Satan” and deserved overthrow or even outright destruction. You might think that the Government would immediately and harshly shut the hypothetical “mosque” down and jail the subversive elements. You would be wrong.
Our nation’s protection of religious freedoms insures that, as long as you only ‘hate’ the conservative white middle class, you’re in the clear to spout whatever insanity you desire. There are also significant tax benefits for a recognized religion (please consult a tax professional for more information specific to your situation).
As part of OUR expression of religious freedom here at Outside The (Cardboard) Box, we have started our own religion (that primarily worships beer) and recently canonized Bill Seidman, a divinely guided man, who led his people (briefly in the early ‘90s) thru the S&L wasteland to the land of milk, honey & Fiscal Conservatism (and appears to have hoisted a few in his day!). Now let’s get on to some religion options for you early adapters!
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Goat Entrail ‘Readings’ - In the case of glennroberts’ neighbor, we might suggest the formation of a Wiccan coven or some sort of Voodoo hierarchy that would explain the chickens & the goats. An occasional ritual slaughter of a goat or chicken on the front lawn goes a long way towards legitimizing your religious practices and NOBODY messes with a Voodoo priest! Tacking some of the inedible portions of the ‘sacrament’ on the front door is an effective addition.
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Sacred Cow Shelter - If you’re raising beef cattle in your tract home or condo, claiming to be Hindu may keep you out of the Regulatory stewpot. The trick here is to conceal all aspects of butchering and explain the now missing ‘sacred cow’ as having been ‘placed’ in a good permanent home. A secondary market for the Sacred Cow Shelter is to sell cow blood to the Ebola Research Institute.
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Definitely avoid:
Questioning Government – Stick with expression of religious freedom. In that way you’re generally viewed by authorities as marginalized. On the other hand, exercising your right to free speech by questioning government is a quick way to get a tax audit or, in extreme cases, burned alive or a bullet in the brain…..
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Religious Polygamy – Nothing get’s non-adaptive people’s hackles up more than a man getting a lot marital sex. If you are male(s) with a significant number of female “roommates” and have fathered a number of children with different women, refer to the women as “Ho’s” and have them refer to you as “my babies’ daddy”. In this instance, while you should probably avoid association with ANY religion, you might get away with claiming to be a wayward branch of The Nation of Islam. Again, just make sure women aren’t referred to as “wives” and that men are not referred to as spiritual leaders. The more debased your group appears to the casual observer, the more likely you’ll be left alone.
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Rastafarianism (location dependent) – Unless you reside in California, claiming to be Rastafarian for purposes of cultivating your “sacrament” will only cause you regulatory headaches until State & Federal laws are relaxed. Within California, a religious claim is not necessary for cultivation; however a tax benefit may accrue by making such a claim (consult a tax professional).
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While that concludes this installment of Early Adapter Strategies, we welcome reader comments on this and other topics & appreciate your suggestions for future discussions.
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May the wisdom & steadfastness of St. Seidman shine upon you as you face the challenges & hazards of our time!
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