Starve The Beast
Guest article by MSB contributor, Lauren, “How To Starve The Beast”
We’ve been seeing a lot of comments about “starving the Beast”, but like the four levels of preparedness it means something different to everyone.
For one it might simply mean cutting back and not buying as much, while for another it might mean a full disconnect from the “beast’s” world.
Some “starve the beast” by pulling out of business and letting productive land lie fallow. Others might put that same land into higher production but sell direct to consumers rather than dealing through the grocery system.
There are a million and one ways to starve the beast, and I can’t honestly say that any one of them are wrong.
The first question asked must be, what do you see as the beast?
The second question, how do you starve it?
Political – Economic – Social
To me the beast is any system that feeds itself first. The political beast is all about power, maintaining that power in any way necessary. The economic beast needs all products (and thus the people who use them) to be under its control. The social beast must have all people enslaved, to the point where “wrongthink” is literally impossible.
The beast will always feed itself first.
It is the ultimate in selfishness, needing to own everything, and to destroy what it cannot control.
Therefore, the political beast will destroy anyone who doesn’t feed it, put them in jail or blackmail them into compliance.
The economic beast will raise taxes and increase bureaucracy to the point where small businesses literally cannot exist, then blame those same businesses for the lack of product on the shelves.
The social beast…well, we’ve all seen what the social beast does, from cancel culture to “lists” of anyone who will not comply. The social beast does not hesitate to destroy lives in the name of the “greater good,” and lies without concern as long as it serves the cause.
Starving the beast is as individual as the people who see it for what it is, and utterly necessary.
How To Starve The Beast
Existing list of ideas:
- No TV or other media (including sports)
- Only the most absolutely critical spending
- Barter
- Use neighbors and friends for structural work
- “NO BUY/LOW BUY.” Buy used, garage sales, free cycle, etc.
- Passive cooking (solar cooker or equivalent)
- Passive heating.
- A solar water heater can be created which feeds already hot water into the water heater on warm days, then the water heater doesn’t have to work as hard and use as much gas. Same for radiant heating.
- Use the heat in your attic.
- Passive cooling, pulling cool air from an underground cellar or equivalent and pulling it out through the roof vents.
- Insulate, insulate, insulate.
- Rocket mass heaters for any outbuildings.
- Learn dry gardening no matter where you are. Learn to use the water you get.
- Solar hydronic panels.
- Methane and biofuel
- Hydroponics
- Season extensions for your garden.
- Mulch rather than throw away leaves and other waste
- Collect your own seeds
- Re-root greens
- Learn to do your own repairs (vehicles, lawnmowers, home)
- Reuse/reduce/recycle
- Make new things out of ragged clothes (quilts, smaller clothes)
- Book called “Possum Living”
- Cut your own hair
- Make gifts rather than buying them
- Sell unwanted items
- Learn a new hobby or skill
- Use independent stores. Stay out of corporate stores and chain stores
- Shop with cash rather than credit
- Make your own home products: Cleaners, laundry soap, lotions, etc.
- Beekeeping
Please remember that this is neither an exhaustive list nor a list of commandments—take it or not, apply those the fit, and leave the rest.
I would like to know your ideas how to starve the beast.