Dear James:

You are a busy man, and no doubt you share your toys nicely, at least at present, so perhaps you will indulge me (not that you are being given any choice) by allowing me to address Eli, quoted above.

Dear Eli:

I thought about asking what planet you are from and if you can get me a ticket to visit…but it required very little thought to realize that I have never wanted to say, “I’m so glad I’m a Gamma. It must be dreadful to be an Alpha and have to think about things and work so hard.” Do you really, truly, hold by your statement that “We have cheap food and cheap cars and a zillion entertainment options and that’s all the human condition requires?”

Talk about statements that leave people of our experiences, lifetimes, dedication to achievement, and joy in learning and thinking totally dumbfounded, you just managed. I have no idea how to start a dialogue with you other than pointing out that by pre-Clinton accounting meaures the unemployment figure is on the order of 16% and a better estimate in some ways is 20%.

Go find your galoshes and raincoat, Sonny, because you’re going to need them.

LBT

What a little bundle of sunshine you were, yesterday, but one can only applaud in awe over how acidly you articulated your grim conclusions. Yes, of course that is a compliment!

One of the most priceless commodities of the coming anti-Industrial revolution is going to be knowledge of all sorts, theoretical and practical, obscure and “common place” at present. To one’s survival supplies I suggest adding textbooks written between 1890 and 1940 and an encyclopaedia and other reference works on CD. The time will come when a nice, clear diagram of how a toilet works will be very useful (for those who have the water and power to get it into a house), and others will benefit from clear instructions on how to build a relatively sanitary outhouse…and what chemicals they should have stocked when they were available. (Lime, I think, but since I have never needed to know–I had better go look it up.)

For far too long we have lived in a “call the man” or “throw it out and buy a new one” society. At some point there won’t be a Roto-Rooter man or electric can openers at the general store. What makes microwave ovens work? What are marigolds good for? What common tree provides the basic ingredient of aspirin?How are electrical plugs replaced, and do you have an extra one? Answers to simple questions like those may provide what little luxury is to be found if we descend into the new dark age.

Regards,

LBT