Differences in States matter more

As the United States moves in a more troubled future, the states won’t be quite so united. For years we’ve heard that Peak Oil will force everything to be more local. Travel will be restricted. Energy will be limited to what your local region can provide or that you can generate for yourself on your own land. Even entertainment will be more home grown.

Politics will be more local. The Federal government won’t have the reach it does today. There may be people sitting in D. C. making “national policy,” but that won’t affect people very directly in the hinterland. If the rules are followed at all, it’ll be because some local power wants it that way. If the locals don’t want to enforce a particular rule or law, it won’t be enforced.

Think about that when you pick a place to move to. Local norms will be what really matters. You’d better study an area well: it’s history, customs, and practices. What do most people believe? Does it matter which church you belong to? Will you never really fit in because your family hasn’t been in the area for three generations?

When the Soviet Union broke up, many countries regained their independence. They became nationalistic and much more concerned about their local affairs. Many things that predated the Soviet era came back. Much of that was positive, but there was one group that had a very hard time.

Many ethnic Russians settled in these satellite states. When the states became independent, these Russians were stranded. Now many were born in those regions and had never even been to Russia. However, most still spoke Russian and often they even looked markedly different than the people of the host country. Some managed to assimilate, but others have suffered. Many emigrated to Russia. Other found their world shrunk down to little Russian enclaves in hostile territory.

Now picture yourself stranded where you live today. Do you really fit in with the people around you? Is your well being dependent on Federal law trumping local prejudices? Picture your state or region as its own nation. Is it your nation, or will you be a stranger in a strange land? Better find your people while it’s still relatively easy to travel. Your options will only narrow in the future.

-Sixbears