After reading a brief article on Time magazine's website title the Dropout Economy, a thought came to mind as this may be part of a larger trend in American society that may be unavoidable. Simply put, this is a trend away from dependence on the State to maintain one's living standards and more on discovering novel ways to survive outside of the perceived normal set of behaviors (going to college, getting a house with a loan, have children going to public school, and etc).
In many ways this is akin to the ideas of Agorism where one seeks/creates black and grey markets to sustain one's self, but without the explicit movement toward such ends which gets to the point of the title of the thread. The title is an emphasis on the development of a new kind of individual American, one that does not take politics or economics as explicit theories to coordinate one's actions, rather an individual that lives the theories in question without knowing it. Such an individual with a libertarian viewpoint born out of necessity for one's survival is what I call an Agoran (person of the marketplace (the Agora)).
These individuals often come from a wide range of backgrounds some are dropouts from college, others are former desk jockeys for a multinational, some are explicitly survivalists in the classic sense or other backgrounds as well, but all these individuals seem to be operating independent of one and another. Every one of them seems to coordinate based on the reality of their situations and needs. Thus, they focus on what can make their lives sustainable and mobile (economically and/or physically). Whether it's homeschooling or using the Internet to freelance odd jobs (technological or otherwise), these people are practically living their lives separate from the current culture.
Sometimes they do depend on that dominant culture to get things done like medical care or technical assistance, but they largely seem to live apart. They may not be aware of the significance their own behaviors but the effects are felt. The fact that many of them are dropouts or self-educated seems to be a major trend right now as universities are still reporting reduced enrollment despite the economic downturn (historically speaking in the last three downturns/busts the university enrollments nationally averaged higher than when in booms). As well as the adoption of social media services as an alternative to their governmental analogs (employment agencies, public libraries, city commerce departments, and etc).
What this all means is that despite any possible recovery in the economy a new American culture is beginning to take root in the population. Whether or not this culture takes a dominant role in the future of the United States (and possibly the world), I won't speculate on what cannot be known for certain, but I suspect this Agoran culture will become a tenacious force in the world. And the fact that its shadow can be seen casting on the United States today should be considered an omen of things to come.
"The power of liberty going forward is in decentralization. Not in leaders, but in decentralized activism. In a market process." -- liberty student
Amen, Lady! High school dropout wannabe survivalist, whose goal is to live off of rent and be a subsistence farmer in New England typing here! Glad to see that I'm not so crazy after all.
Jackson LaRose: Amen, Lady! High school dropout wannabe survivalist, whose goal is to live off of rent and be a subsistence farmer in New England typing here! Glad to see that I'm not so crazy after all.
Yep, I'll be heading to New England by the end of the year in search of such prospects too
that's a good point. i think about the youth a lot in terms of the 'drop-out'. the inattention or lack of focus in the classroom. I think back to personal experience, but also to a former job of mine in which I was tending to youth that in current social terms, the victimless and victim crimes, that these youth participated in also had to do with a fed up mentality. The youth were simply fed up with 'boring' work. Give them something more meaningful to partake with, something they felt actually had to do with them, and their joy would blossom. Give them activities that got them out of the institution they were sent to by a judge or social worker or family, then they were all for it. Give them something productive that moved their lives in a felt way 'forward', and they would meet the challenge head-on. Give them work that was not readily understood to have anything to do with their lives and watch their attention level drop and notice their verbal disgusts increase, 'What does this have to do with me?'. A lot of it, like doing their math still or turning in their english paper, on a certain level was good for them in order to navigate this culture as they grew in age. Of course what child sees that far away investment become meaningful, not many. Yet the point is these were youth that became disgusted with their social relations at a very young age. They are outsiders very quickly, and the way in is to join a gang or hang out with the friends and just get away from it all. They are outsiders cause their parents are going through rough times, mom died or dad is a drug-addict or one of their friends committed suicide (which is not uncommon anymore in some sections of society). These events are a wall of reality. Bam! A big dose of how life could be so much better if only there was a way to get past the hard-times. Where a society of people are joining in to help each other out and sadly it's gang life or other means. I say sadly because of the violence that entails in such social groups. Yet the cause is vivid, especially when a person sits down and talks with such youth. They don't know what to do with their lives and find quite a bit that is going on to be pointless, boring, or just pure non-sense. Sounds like me at times, yet I handle it at times a bit better, in terms of aggression, than they have, or I don't find my escape in a drug or suicide. It's deeply seeded and growing. Mainly it was the youth dropping out, and that's been around for some generations, but what about the wall of reality when statist-politics is seen as pointless, boring, or just pure non-sense.
anyways, good post, got me self-reflecting on the wilderness, community life, but not only on myself but on some of the people I've met in life. thanks.
Hard Rain:Yep, I'll be heading to New England by the end of the year in search of such prospects too
Any specific locations in mind? Free-stater, maybe?
It is a departure from established culture, and I'd like to embrace it.
I do odd jobs that pay me decently while I'm in school. I can take my money that I make and save it somewhere. I can do most of my work through use of the Internet. I always get the line "When are you going to get a real job?" ...one nice thing about the Internet, is that I don't need a 9-5 40 hours a week punch-in punch-out job for 35 years with a pension plan. I jump around doing what I want and where I'm most needed, and it works out wonderfully for me. With regime uncertainty and the value of fiat currencies jumping around and all these regulations and changes in the job market, why would I want to shackle myself down? The market is very ad-hoc and pays great for those who perform. I'm happy with it, and sticking to it.
"Settling down" is another matter altogether. I need a dowry to be convinced to do that. :p
The process of K-12, college, 35 year job is a boring one. I see it as the blueprint of the lives of people who don't know what they want to do, but just want an easy way out. I've only been seeing it this way recently. This is how my parent's generation grew up. They don't understand that this process is no longer desirable by anyone, or the market. It's largely social pressure/parental pressure that pushes people through this process today. What success was yesterday is different from success today.
I guess some people are interested in performing and making a difference, while others just want to be popular.
Jackson LaRose: Hard Rain:Yep, I'll be heading to New England by the end of the year in search of such prospects too Any specific locations in mind? Free-stater, maybe?
I've been thinking of checking out NH for a few months, maybe next year. Get a feel for the job opportunities and the life out there. If the FSP were to reach their lofty goal of 20,000 FSPers, there would be a libertarian (at worst minarchist-libertarian) for every 60 people!
here! here! Giant Joe. here! here!
I believe Hard Rain is the most active poster on the forum from the Porcupine group, could be wrong, certainly one of.
Giant_Joe: I've been thinking of checking out NH for a few months, maybe next year. Get a feel for the job opportunities and the life out there. If the FSP were to reach their lofty goal of 20,000 FSPers, there would be a libertarian (at worst minarchist-libertarian) for every 60 people!
likely better odds than that because that doesn't count the liberty minded people who already lived in NH
Just an addendum here. We aren't the first mass movement of "drop-outs". This is a great book I picked up at a flea market. Talks about the real counter-culture of the 60's and early 70's, not the Phish listening, pay-for-dreadlocks types you see loafing around college towns.
+1 for FSP. Moving to NH in the 10 year plan for sure.
Also, I suggest everyone learn how to grow/raise food. It's like the grasshopper and the ant. Those living high on the hog and calling you a kook now will be much more willing to heed your advice when they are stuck in the bread lines, and you've got fresh eggs and beer.
Jackson LaRose: Just an addendum here. We aren't the first mass movement of "drop-outs". This is a great book I picked up at a flea market. Talks about the real counter-culture of the 60's and early 70's, not the Phish listening, pay-for-dreadlocks types you see loafing around college towns.
Yes, good find. What I see here is a continuation of preface eras trending to this, but other factors slowed it up or weakened its hold such as a lack of distributed technology (Internet, wireless communication, and etc) as well as a deepened economic downturn. Even though the 1970s saw probably the worse economic troubles since the Great Depression, the fact is that for most people it wasn't felt until much later around the time of Ford and Carter. And by then many of the so-called hippies have moved on to live in the dominant culture. Today, the story is much different, we have the technology to communicate across the world (and demographics), the economy has resulted in a segment of society that cannot be sustained (those that have bought the pleasures of today on tomorrow), and possibly other factors not seen (such as religion, local governments, and etc).
Ladyattis,
The internet is huge for rapidly disseminating information and ideas, without being beholden to the large, centralized media conglomerates.
The legacy of the counter-culture has also helped keep the flame alive to a degree. Combined with the slow death of cultural conservatism in this country, many are getting exposed to alternative ideas and philosophies, spurred on by our economic woes, and the two wars of aggression currently being waged.
In the 60's required the triple sledgehammers of psychedelics, the civil rights movement, and the draft to even crack the mighty edifice of the establishment. Thankfully, it was never fully repaired. I believe our society is at the precipice of cultural (r)evolution, it just needs one more nudge. We need to ensure that the free thinkers are there to pick up the pieces.
I don't have anything definite yet. I'm returning to my home country in a few weeks to sort out my affairs before I make the final move back here in about 6 months.
Joe: I believe Hard Rain is the most active poster on the forum from the Porcupine group, could be wrong, certainly one of.
While I do have an interest in the FSP I'm not a card-carrying member or affiliate of them. I didn't want to make that sort of commitment until I was very certain I'd be on the ground in New Hampshire.
Hard Rain: Joe: I believe Hard Rain is the most active poster on the forum from the Porcupine group, could be wrong, certainly one of. While I do have an interest in the FSP I'm not a card-carrying member or affiliate of them. I didn't want to make that sort of commitment until I was very certain I'd be on the ground in New Hampshire.
I know what you mean. Although I hope to move shortly, to be safe, when signing up I made sure to give myself as much time as possible before I 'had' to move.
Hard Rain:I don't have anything definite yet.
Well, I would forget about CT, MA, or RI. All three completely strangled by the weight of social democracy. I'd stick to the top three (VT, NH, or ME). Believe me, I live in CT. The only prob with the more northern states in New England is getting a job if you are outside of a city.
Once the states run out of money to imprison them, gang lords will be offering drop outs the opportunity to become millionaires running drugs around the country. Coupled with battle-hardened cartels migrating out of Mexico after defeating the state's final desperate attempt to eradicate them, there will be a drop out army fighting the U.S. government with unlimited cash.
If there is any kind of brain to this whole government operation, they will legalize drugs before they are destroyed. I'm not counting on it.
The fallacies of intellectual communism, a compilation - On the nature of power
Stranger:If there is any kind of brain to this whole government operation, they will legalize drugs before they are destroyed. I'm not counting on it.
It's only a matter of time. They gave up on the prohibition of alcohol after all, right? Then again, the reason that drugs are still illegal is because certain ones are direct threats to the state. Look what happened in the 60's. Either way they are screwed. They fight the drug lords, or they fight to keep a mass "turn-on" from occurring. Psychedelics elucidate, rather than stupefy.
Jackson LaRose:It's only a matter of time. They gave up on the prohibition of alcohol after all, right?
The government was much more rational at the time (they did defeat two world-class empires).
Today's government is so senile it can't even beat terrorists.
Stranger:Today's government is so senile it can't even beat terrorists.
LOL, good point.
Jackson LaRose: Hard Rain:I don't have anything definite yet. Well, I would forget about CT, MA, or RI. All three completely strangled by the weight of social democracy. I'd stick to the top three (VT, NH, or ME). Believe me, I live in CT. The only prob with the more northern states in New England is getting a job if you are outside of a city.
Yeah, I figured I'd start out in a city like Manchester. Closer to the time I'll head over the FSP forums and check for a place to stay and a job.
Stranger:Once the states run out of money to imprison them, gang lords will be offering drop outs the opportunity to become millionaires running drugs around the country. Coupled with battle-hardened cartels migrating out of Mexico after defeating the state's final desperate attempt to eradicate them, there will be a drop out army fighting the U.S. government with unlimited cash. If there is any kind of brain to this whole government operation, they will legalize drugs before they are destroyed. I'm not counting on it.
most, if not all, that passed through the institution I was at and others that I'd visited, you get to see first-hand that when the youth come in their problems are the gang's over the hill or their parents. Yet in time, even the gang over the hill became their friends on the inside and it was I that was the enemy as I was perceived as a much bigger cause of their problems in time. Many would state, that them being there wasn't helping them at all but it only solidified their perception that much of the problems that existed back home end up stemming from the state. Though their problems back home would persist, they had a new culprit to blame it on. The gov't, ie. institutions of cops, judges, social workers, PO's, etc... only made worse.
If anything, the institutional life they experienced changed one thing, it opened up their minds and they would often verbalize that their problems that happened back home were becoming less and less in comparison to all the hardships the state put them through. The state became a common enemy to what were formerly bitter enemies when they first came to the institution, they turned their attention towards the state. They would even talk about how they couldn't go back home and be friends like this and sometimes worried how they might appear to others that knew they hung out together. The repeat offenders knew how to play the ropes and the institution was to blame so being there definitely had the reverse effect. Instead of the institution helping, it actually creates it's own enemies. Just like the over-reaching institutions that imprison the population at large.
wilderness:The state became a common enemy to what were formerly bitter enemies when they first came to the institution, they turned their attention towards the state.
Maybe there will be a drug lord/ Michigan Militia coalition in the future!
Jackson LaRose: wilderness:The state became a common enemy to what were formerly bitter enemies when they first came to the institution, they turned their attention towards the state. Maybe there will be a drug lord/ Michigan Militia coalition in the future!
I don't think such a coalition would be necessary. If they both weaken the state from their own angle, then they will reinforce each other without needing any formal relationship.
That is an ecological fact.
For some reason this song seems to run in my head after reading what I've written. O_O
Stranger:I don't think such a coalition would be necessary. If they both weaken the state from their own angle, then they will reinforce each other without needing any formal relationship.
Yeah, I was kind of kidding anyhow. But what you said makes sense.