Thanks, was hoping there would be a thread relating to the topic of places to move to. I was born in CA & my job keeps me here, but the politics & demographics have been shit for a while & are only getting worse, so staying for the long-term might not be an option.
I lived in Branson, MO, for about 5 years--this is app. 30-40 mins south of Springfield. Have some contacts there so that (along w/Arkansas) are possibilites.
I recently visited and travelled throughout the mid-South, liked Tennessee a lot, Ashville of NC was great, and eastern Virginia stood out as well. Haven't done deep research though. Texas & Florida seem like they've gotten too popular & too many Libtards moving there might be a problem, I also worry about demographics (white people REALLY need to get over being ashamed of wanting to be around "their own kind").
Gotta run, will read thread more in-depth later.
@hisich Awesome thanks for joining in the convo. This topic has been on my mind for a long time, and hearing others talk about moving and where they want want to move makes me interested in their thought process and research methods. I know there is no one perfect place to be or move to, but I think getting the most data we can on areas, towns, cities, etc., can be helpful in focusing your research or really just getting a starting place to begin looking. I agree with your statements on TX and FL. I also think that they have become the destination states for people how are leaving "blue states" and it will soon change the demographics and politics in those areas. Not to mention they have become way overpriced as real estate companies/agents are not dumb and are trying to capitalize on this mass migration. Plus, in my opinion at least, I think FL has some of the worst weather out of any state.
I like those areas you mentioned, Tennessee is beautiful and you can find great farmland there. Virginia is similar in my opinion. I think either of those spots was be good choices as you have a greater chance of getting varied topography on your land which is always nice. I'd be very interested to hear your thought process and findings when you start doing research in those areas.
How did you like Branson when you lived there? I've heard it's kind of a tourist town or w.e., but that's just from my parents who visit there. Northern Arkansas has some very good choices, especially around Eureka Springs (I've also heard this town is a tourist town too). Lots of water, good hardiness zone, trees, out of tornado ally, etc., and not bad laws, similar to MO.
I lived in Branson from Summer of 1987 to Summer of 1992--left as soon as I graduated high school. Yeah, was def a crazy tourist town during summer. Being from a county (Ventura) in CA w/probably one of the best climates in the country (if not world) the weather killed me. Hot humid summers, bugs up the ass, long cold winters, very few months of good weather (early Spring & early Fall were ok)--and we were quite poor so had no heat or AC.
Due to really fucked up family disfunction it was a rough 5 years there, hated it & missed CA, didn't fit in and, ironically & hysterically (for a person who very much considers himself "white" now), due to mixed racial heritage faced some racism. I'd probably view it differently now that I'm squarely in middle-age.
Very low population density (and very far away from any really big urban areas), lots of land, favorable demographics (i.e., lots of white people), lower cost-of-living, plentiful water, economy was always good. Still have family in the area, have only visited a few times over the 30 years I've been gone, plan to visit again next year, God-willing.
One factor I've heard that may favor Missouri in the longer-term is its strategic central location in America--looking ahead to a possible break-up of the USA, being in a central location may be advantageous from a trade/economic/strategic perspective. Mormons considered MO their "promised land" & I think the Amish have a presence there as well. I know there is an Amish Store in Branson.
Contact Us | Bulk Food Store | Amish Country Store (amishcountrystoreonline.com)
Arkansas and Missouri are similar to me so I group them together - Pros: prices, prices, prices; cheap for what you can get (amount of land, niceness or house, amount of water i.e. stocked pond, etc., trees, already established infrastructure, etc.) there doesn't seem to be a comparison to any other state, the prices in these two areas seem to still be lowest for what you get...
And maybe that is because people don't want to move here, hey I get it, but my question is are there any better places? Or at least, are they places that allow you to survive the best going to be any different? It's going to be in the middle or no-where, and granted you could be closer to a big city like maybe Dallas or Houston (MAYBE Austin, but again find me farm-able land with a good water source and trees for a decent price somewhere around Austin, idt it's possible that far south), but is that any different then being outside Springfield, MO? Idk maybe it is, I've never been to Springfield so let me know. What I'm saying is country culture is country culture no matter where you go. I've lived in Texas and Louisiana, both in the country, and it was racist af. I mean idk how you live somewhere where you can survive and not have to deal with those things. Anyway I digress....
Pros (cont.): water, trees, etc., are plentiful in these areas so no problem there, decent space/selection (especially in Southern MO), decent cancer rates (More so in MO), more farm-able land (less large pasture land), good pop density, decent marijuana laws (MO is decriminalized for 10grams and has medical, similar in AR), kind of forgotten about states which again could be good or bad hard to say
Cons - Culture suspect even in bigger cities? (not sure on this one just heard people say it sucks), not a lot of pasture as mentioned above, WEATHER, bugs, etc., can still run in to swampy land/pasture that periodically floods, etc., not as good gun laws (don't think MO or AR is constitutional carry), still has some weird laws (abortion, etc.), Tornado ally when getting in to more northern MO
I can speak to this, as someone who moved from a nearby megacity to Arkansas. I originally started off in Northwest Arkansas, near the university in Fayetteville, but bought a house and some land an hour south near Fort Smith.
Pros: echoing a lot of what you mentioned - access to clean water, I only have a little less than half an acre but I've got seven large trees - wood is plentiful, as are fish, game, wild plants, etc. MJ is a bit pricey to buy in the shops in AR, but very obtainable if you have the money - otherwise it isn't too difficult to find through other methods. Cost of living is also low relative to the cities. People are nice and helpful here for the most part - and they are resourceful. Many understand the land and have been working it for generations, still plenty of hard workers and tough folks out this way. Recreationally if you enjoy the outdoors you can have a great time here. Kayaking, rock climbing, spelunking, mountain biking, just about any type of outdoor activity can be found in some shape or form here. I also enjoy early american history (as many of you who listened to the ep may be familiar by now), and there is always something new to explore here.
Cons: small rural southern towns are what they are. not going to find too many places to buy groceries outside of walmart, unless you plan on using online shipping for specific products, you're gonna make due with what you can find in towns. that said, if your intention is homesteading anyway that shouldn't matter too much in the long run. this summer has definitely been pretty brutal weather-wise, though it is slightly worse here in the river valley with the humidity. Prepare to deal with ticks, chiggers, snakes, wasps, and other nasty critters - they are manageable but definitely an adjustment if you're not ready for it. most real estate listings will show you the potential to be in a flood zone, so unless you are willingly living in an area prone to flooding, it can be avoided (outside of the mudfloods of course). I haven't been closer than a few dozen miles away from a tornado, but that is just something you learn to live with in these parts. Also you will pay state income tax here - as well as property taxes on vehicles.
Frame these places in a historical context. For a long time, this area of the world was where disaffected soldiers and homesteaders chose to hide away from the grasps of whatever power player was trying to take their lives or their money. Most people, when traveling west - would either go north through Iowa, or south. Geographically this area is lush and natural, but also harsh and hard to traverse. In the old days, if you wanted to disappear and start a new life in private - this was one of the better places to do so. Its why bootleggers at the turn of the century could simultaneously run moonshine produced in caves here, and (allegedly) build large hot springs bathhouses to escape the cities. Its why native americans have been living here for tens of thousands of years before we showed up.
In all - I am much happier here in a rural small town with my own home than I would ever be continuing to slum it in apartments in big cities. Are there drawbacks? Absolutely. Does it outweigh the current and potential benefits? Not for me.
@alex_trismegistus Right on brother, I appreciate the very detailed response. This was exactly what I was looking for. A few questions if I may...
Concerning medical marijuana in AR, how hard is it get a med card? Do you have to go see a regular MD or do they "med card" clinics and doctors that specifically handle that? Where I live now in CO, it's stupid easy to get a card and you don't have to see a MD just a "red card" doctor who basically signs paperwork and submits it to the state. Just wondering as I generally grow my own cannabis but like to know the details of a states medical marijuana policy and how it is actually implemented. It also looks like in AR that although Medical Cannabis is approved it's still not legal to grow in your home, is that correct? Do you find that to be the case with people you know or do you know people who still grow their own and are left alone, etc.? So weird they would allow medical but not allow you to grow some of your own medicine.
Man, the outdoor activity sounds dope though that's what I needed to hear. I moved from Louisiana (which has little outdoor activity other then finishing) to Colorado (which has tons of outdoor activity) and it's something I value greatly in my life now. Thank you for that information.
Good cons list too, it covers a lot of what would probably be the biggest concerns for someone moving to area like AR. You hit the nail on the head with the small towns description, but as you say it wouldn't be much of a concern if you are planning on homesteading. You would deal with a lot of those kinds of things moving anywhere out in "the country". And yes, the flood zone thing if a big concern. For anyone reading this, or if your interested, there is a site https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/ which you can go on and get the soil composition, flood data, water retention data, basically all the geological and topographic data for any given AOI in the United States, and it is much more accurate then anything you'll find from a real estate agent or on Zillow or w.e. You can just plug in the address, set he AOI, and you get a massive amount of data on that area's geology, topography, etc. It's been really useful in my research.
Do you currently homestead or have any animals on the half acre you live on?
getting a medical card in AR is pretty easy - they have clinics that are basically rubber stamp offices, or you can find a PCP here in town that will hook you up. If you don't have an explicit medical condition (with associated medical records) as listed on the state website, you can get one for "PTSD" which is an extra $100 and is a questionnaire that just about anyone would qualify for if you play it smart. Medical cards have to be renewed yearly, average total cost is going to be between 200-400/year depending on who you go with and what your "diagnosis" is. Additionally - once you get your medical card in Arkansas you can apply and purchase a 30 day pass to buy in Oklahoma ($99 for 30 days). The benefit there is the prices and availability of MJ in OK is actually much better than AR, so if you are buying large amounts it is actually more cost effective to purchase in OK. Where I live is quite literally a few minutes drive to OK, so it is a popular option here - more difficult the farther away you are from OK. It still isn't legal to grow your own plants in AR, however IIRC you can grow up to 6 plants for personal use in Oklahoma. However, unless you have nosy snitch neighbors, or piss off the local government I would imagine it would be fairly easy to grow a plant or two on a plot of land discreetly and with little issue. Probably not something I would do in a suburban neighborhood, but if you've got a few acres on a rural property you're probably going to be left alone. Lately I have seen people around town gathering signatures to put recreational MJ on the ballot this year - so its possible that we could have that soon. The major issues with MJ is since the people handling this are corrupt small town rural politicians, palms still have to be greased and there is still a lot of hurdles to jump through to get licenses to open shops. As an example - medical MJ was passed in AR in 2016, but the first shop in the state didn't open until 2019.
I am not currently homesteading at this time, my wife and I are expecting our first child in a few weeks so most of our priorities have gone towards that. Eventually I will begin building a garden, and will look into some animals as well. My neighbor owns a 13 acre pasture behind my land, and I've been buying fresh eggs and beef from his cows. This is not an unusual circumstance - if you look into local networks it is easy to track down folks like these and work out arrangements to obtain just about anything you are looking for. If you don't have the means to homestead, if you posses other skills or goods you can likely operate in a gray market/barter relationship.
If you end up narrowing down your decision and need some input on specific areas, feel free to DM me. Living relatively close to NWA (Fayetteville, Bentonville, etc) will give you the best of both worlds - opportunities to homestead with good land, but close enough to a reasonably developed civilization for access to specific products, entertainment, well paying jobs, and a decent restaurant or two. However, in my experience trying to purchase a home the prices in that area are rising quickly relative to the rest of the state, as it is a popular landing spot, due to Walmart and Tyson HQ in Bentonville/Rogers and many Texas and big city transplants moving there. Due to the geography and how the cities are laid out, there is little development to be had in the cities so you will either need to get lucky and outbid, or find a piece of land a ways out and build your own. Affordable homes can be found to the north, close to the border of MO, or to the south/southeast of Fayetteville. That said - compared to the rest of the country it is still a great deal more affordable than most.
I chose Fort Smith because you can get a lot more value for a home, at a lower cost than NWA. It is still only 1-2 hours away, if you absolutely need something it is obtainable, or two hours to Tulsa (the closest large city). It is less populated and less "modern" than NWA, and if you want a decent meal you'll likely just have to learn how to cook (something that most Arkansans will tell you anyway). Covid nonsense is nonexistent here - compared to NWA where there are still many people who "comply" with the narrative (state university influence, as well as large corporate influence). If for whatever reason they decide to spin up that nonsense again, you won't have much to worry about here. I haven't worn a mask in probably a year or more, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I'm not sure I would live anywhere else in the state besides these two regions - we looked into Little Rock and we weren't thrilled with it, though your results may vary.
@alex_trismegistus Ah well Congrats my friend on the coming babe! That sounds really exciting and I wish you and your wife the best. Also forgot to put in the last post, get caught up with survival stuff, that I really enjoyed your episode and appreciate the history aspect you bring to the convo. Great stuff and is something I am def interested in. Over the years here in CO my wife and I have explored a bunch of old abandoned mines or production sites that has been super interesting and it's something we are excited about a place that would have similar historical sites to explore. Do you know if you have any mounds or mound monuments, etc., that are out by Fort Smith or AR in general? My wife has gotten into mound builders lore, etc., lately and says that area has some sites (maybe more MO...?) I guess. Idk.
Sounds like the Medical/growing scene is good there so that's a big plus. Huge stoner here so that's something that ranks pretty high on my list. I can't see myself going to state where it is totally illegal, like Texas. it would be too weird after living in CO for 10 years. Like going back in time. So it's dope that AR, MO areas are at least loose with the medical cards and what not. Usually translate to the rest of the enforcement side of things when concerning cannabis, i.e. growing, etc.
Overall I really appreciate all the information, this was the kind of of convo I was hoping to find with this topic post because now it has opened up a whole new area for us to look at and consider. Price is very much a deciding factor and it does seem to be somewhat cheaper around the Fort Smith/South of Fayetteville area. Especially when compared to Texas or Florida, those places have gone off the rails lately. They might correct if the housing market cont. to go the way it is, but maybe not. Blackrock is readying that 30 billion to buy up the housing market so who knows what's going to happen in the future. It will be interesting to see what goes on with them trying to really implement this crap reset. Idk, maybe we'll have to start an intentional community or something, go back to the commune roots. We'll see.
Anyway we are planning our visit out to that area in Oct, we are going to stay in a couple different bnbs and explore around AR and MO so when that time comes I will def take you up on that offer for some more specific advice, thank you I really appreciate that.
@astronautrob ... my folk just moved from Bella Vista in NW Arkansas, one thing to watch out for around the man made lakes in NWA is the rocky ground... their house was pretty neat and had a huge yard, but nothing of value would grow, under the one inch of dirt seemed to be all rocks. I discovered their house (when I had to do some repairs to sell) was sitting on posts and cinderblocks which was a little shocking to me, as most of the houses in KS are on slabs and/or have basements. I seems like a pretty odd way to build anything meant to last. My dad just told me a lot of people do have gardens there, but they usually have raised beds or brought in soil from somewhere. ... don't get me wrong, I always enjoy AR, but if you buying sight unseen, really look at the foundations of the houses and the soil out that way. 🙂
@josh785 Ok right on, that is some really good information. I wonder if in order to create the manmade lake they had to have that rocky "soil" put in all around the area so the water would drain in to the lake instead of going into the soil. Good to know though because when looking there are TONS of what look to be manmade lakes when looking out in that area. Never would of thought to look under the topsoil though, thanks man!
Over the years here in CO my wife and I have explored a bunch of old abandoned mines or production sites that has been super interesting and it's something we are excited about a place that would have similar historical sites to explore. Do you know if you have any mounds or mound monuments, etc., that are out by Fort Smith or AR in general? My wife has gotten into mound builders lore, etc., lately and says that area has some sites (maybe more MO...?) I guess. Idk.
There is a mound site here called Spiro mounds, its about a 20 minute drive over the OK border from here. It is...extremely disappointing. The museum is nothing but replicas, the mounds themselves are not well kept - when I went all the mounds were overgrown, and half wrecked which was attributed to a local construction company 100 years ago that sought to remove the mounds to put up real estate and were stopped before they could completely destroy it. Compared to sites like Cahokia outside of St Louis (which I haven't been to yet) it is certainly not very impressive. I did get a funny throwaway response from the guy working there when I asked him about the giant's bones. Interestingly enough that site is owned by the Oklahoma state Historical Society - which is the only historical society in the country that is recognized by the Smithsonian. Perhaps this should tell you exactly why nothing you see at a place like Spiro mounds could be accurate - or at the very least they have some very spooky gatekeepers. A few years ago when I discovered the place for the first time it was closed right after flooding. I was in the parking lot putting my next destination into the GPS when a marked vehicle seemingly appeared out of nowhere and followed me all the way back onto the main highway. No idea if it was government, security, or what but it was a little weird for there to be that kind of surveillance and protection - especially in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday in a tiny town like Spiro. I wonder if perhaps the flooding may have revealed some type of archeological discovery that they didn't want anyone to know about...
In general, I have found a ton of interesting stuff to explore in the great state of Arkansas. In no particular order, I have written about them on stolenhistory. For anyone interested, here's a link dump.
https://stolenhistory.net/threads/the-crescent-hotel-1886-eureka-springs-ar.831/
https://stolenhistory.net/threads/giant-stone-cut-blocks-in-northwest-arkansas.1616/
https://stolenhistory.net/threads/monte-ne-an-arkansan-retreat-in-ruins.1657/
I have been looking for areas/states with cheap land, good people, reasonable politics and less taxes. I'm in Los Angeles right now and have wanted to get out of CA ever since Trump ran and got elected. The jobs I wanted no longer appealed to me after all the libs' masks came off (before double-masking) and their true selves came out. I didn't even vote for or support him but I got a lot of (what I perceived to be suspicious) looks from people any time I disagreed with or didn't openly support the woke hivemind that seems to exist in every office in L.A. Even guys I used to respect came to work bitching about Orange Man being a bigot and the Russians rigging the election and then freaked out over the Covid plandemic.
Anyway I just wanted to add that I'm from around the same part of Missouri as Greg and also lived in Columbia, MO before So Cal. I have some knowledge of central and eastern MO and still debate whether I want to move back there or look into somewhere that I have no connections but may be a better fit. In Missouri land is cheap, guns are friends, deer and small game are plentiful, water and small lakes can be found all over and it has a lot of trees. Also most of the people in the state are friendly as long as you're friendly towards them (don't act like you are better than them even if you believe you are). A lot of regions aren't as welcoming to outsiders.
That being said, it is also not the most desirable place to live during the time before SHTF. Some cons: the weather isn't pleasant most of the time, occasional tornados, bugs/mosquitos/snakes, the food and culture kinda suck overall, cannabis isn't totally legal, it has a major fault line in the southeast, nuclear reactor in the middle and a state income tax over 5%. Away from the cities and college towns it's mostly people who come home after work (if not on welfare/disability) and binge on food, alcohol and TV plus some bikers and meth heads here and there. From my experience, there aren't many people that I would want to live next to if they started getting desperate. It would be a nice surprise to find a community with a lot of ancap types back there though. After the next crypto bull run, maybe I'll start one. Just have to make enough to do that and outbid Monsanto for ownership of the politicians. Lol
@dbittick This is Gold, thank you Dan. Really great information, especially the fault line and nuclear reactor info, that is the kind of stuff I am really interested in and did not know. Thank you. It sounds bad in CA and I hope you can get out of that area soon. Have you started looking at/researching other places that you think might be better fit for you then going back to MO?
It's funny you mention living in a place that will be desirable during the time BEFORE SHTF (Like it), or even if shit doesn't ever hit he fan (SDEHTF...also I def think shit is hitting the fan but just for argument sake). I lived in rural Louisiana in my later teen years after having lived/moved all over the world and it was like I went back to the early 1900's or something. People are friendly, yes, but only if you look (and later on if they get to know you) act a certain way. If you deviated from that it was just like the hivemind but in reverse (or just the right side of it...?). Not saying MO is like that or anything, just saying that I've experienced that living in a rural setting and it makes me somewhat cautious about moving to a place that would have a similar feel. But honestly, you're probably going to deal with that in any rural setting in mostly any state so idk what one can really do about it. I will say in Western states, like here in CO, the "rural" setting seems to be a BIT more diverse (kind of) and a BIT less religiously dogmatic (kind of). This kind of lends itself to it being overall less racist, but again I say kind of and use all that lightly because it can get real "country" out here too for sure. So not the say CO is better than any other place because it def has it downsides, I just see a little less of that "right" hivemind mentality in the rural areas here. So yea all that to say, this is one of the biggest things we are factoring in when trying to decide where to move. We want to find a place that's in the middle so to speak, if that even exist. Maybe the key is just to be so far away from people you achieve that anyways...? Idk if that's really possible either but it's hard with everything being so polarized, everyone feeling attacked, etc. Maybe someone will get their shit together and start an intentional community with that in mind, idk, but that'd be dope.
What are ancap types?
There is some sort of right or conservative hivemind outside the metro areas. It's not as noticeable until you get far into the farming areas and the towns with no industry left and a lot of poor white people needing something bigger than themselves to identify with. The areas where the Klan was popular. I'm not trying to paint a bleak picture of the people of Missouri in particular, it sounds a lot like how you talk about CO. I think people in most states are in the same rural vs urban, Fox vs CNN paradigm and the social engineers designed it that way. Missouri is generally a "live and let live" state of friendly midwesterners. If you just go with the flow (don't put an "I support Planned Parenthood" sign in your yard), most country people will accept you and leave you alone. The deeply religious folks seemed to be a minority but most people say they are Christian and probably go to mass on Christmas. There are some racist idiots but I've actually heard a lot more racist comments in my time in L.A. than in MO. The few black, latino and Muslim people we had in my small school were usually some of the most liked kids.
I am trying to move somewhere outside city limits, hopefully far from a 5G tower but not too far from civilization. If you decide to isolate far away from people, you should have no problem with the locals (except wandering meth heads looking for shit to steal and pawn). But if you want the option of being able to socialize regularly with open-minded people, it seems you have to live close to a city, college town or tourist destination - where people are more accustomed to diversity and usually a bit more tolerant. We joke about boring vacations in Branson, MO but it is on my radar. The Ozarks area in general is one of the better choices if there is a shitstorm caused by a pole shift or a complete societal breakdown but it's also triangulated by nuke reactors (not saying that they're likely to have a complete meltdown but something to consider). My family is several miles from the Mississippi River, so not a good spot if you take any psychic prediction maps like Cayce's seriously. They are north of the New Madrid fault as well but there are some benefits to moving there, depending on whether the big catastrophe is natural or man-made. Knowing the terrain, where to hunt and fish, where springs and natural sources of water are, what the seasons are like, who you can trust and barter with, etc. is really important. Being in an unfamiliar area with maybe a few new friends, some chickens and a garden when SHTF might work out but I think the long term survival odds aren't very good. Especially if the growing conditions aren't favorable for multiple seasons and armed gangs form raiding parties. Maybe I'm pessimistic but it does all seem like a crapshoot when you look at it from a 30000 ft view. Anything could happen and even the most prepared will need a lot of good fortune. I'm just taking steps to live a freer, more natural, self-sufficient life and hopefully, if the day comes, I'll be in the right place and be ready for it.
I have been looking into some other states that seem to be a good fit though, particularly red ones without state income tax. Mountains would be a plus, I love western Wyoming but the Yellowstone Caldera is probably a deal-breaker. An aunt lives in Florida, I've always liked visiting the gulf coast and considered moving there many years ago but the hurricanes, humidity and large population don't excite me. Texas, well I have barely seen much besides the airports and the Oklahoma border but I have some college friends near Dallas who love it. Western TX/OK/KS/NE are probably great places if SHTF and have cheap land but too flat for me. Tennessee is probably my second choice right now mostly due to proximity to MO and having no state tax. But I also don't want to continue to live away from most of the people I know while dealing with the same weather, humidity, bugs, rednecks, etc. as I would back home and that seems to be most of the south. Plus I'll have to live with being the carpet-bagging yankee in town. Lol who knows, maybe in 10-15 years I'll be sipping margaritas in my new backyard overlooking Arizona Bay. I'll definitely miss the So Cal weather, the mountains, the good weed, the beautiful women and the ocean; it's a shame the banking cabal and their politicians have ruined so much of the country with "progressive" legislation.
Ancap (anarcho-capitalist) meaning people who are right-libertarian and want a stateless, free-market society.
@dbittick Def agree with the reverse hivemind stuff, it's almost as bad as the left hivemind. The only saving grace, like you said, is generally if you aren't too forward with whatever you believe (i.e. planned parenthood sign, etc.), they tend to leave you alone. It seems like they aren't as interested in coverting people, wanting you to think a certain way, etc., as the left hivemind but it's still there. And this is all supposing you are a good white american, right? Cause if you look any different the right hivemind will eat you up quick that's for sure. Either way, I'd like to be in a place with no hivemind,, if that is possible, or at least maybe a lesser hivemind or maybe two really strong hiveminds that cancel each other out....I'll take what I can get at this point.
Concerning that Yellowstone Caldera, don't you think if that thing blew it'd kind of fuck the whole country though (not to mention the world)? There would obviously be a blast zone area where people would die almost instantly, but idk if there would be anywhere in the United States that would survive much better. Idk though, what are your thoughts on that?
@astronautrob I know I'm overgeneralizing, there are still many "normal" people living in flyover country and in the big cities who don't believe all the bullshit and just want to do right by their families, friends, God, etc. Maybe it's more about finding a place where that silent majority is a big enough constituency that neither side (politically) can get fully embedded into the levels of government - the more gridlock and less incumbents, the better. If there were a state that wasn't influenced by corporate media, it would probably have the most rational and open-minded people and most efficient government. Unfortunately, our media (CIA) continues to divide the whole country to keep the many distracted and under the control of the few.
A swing state, or swing county in your desired state, might be a good fit. Swing states seemed more common before the major networks went more noticeably left and Fox News grew in popularity. Most people just voted for who sucked less. Now it seems more Americans are totally invested into one side or the other and the parties have no common ground. If you find a county with around an equal voting split, at least people of different parties/identities are forced to interact and can hopefully see some common ground between them. There should be more cooperation and less fear/suspicion of those who are different because people usually trust real-life experiences over what they were told by tv. For instance, I heard some black guys that moved to my area from more urban/suburban places joke that going out to the country would get them lynched by a white posse. That scenario would seem a bit absurd if you lived there or were looking at local crime data but it could easily seem like reality to a black person without firsthand experience, just going off of media stereotypes of rural America. Seeing the killing of Ahmaud Arbery on every news outlet (along with zero positive stories about race) is enough to convince many that the stereotypes are true and every person of color is a public enemy outside of the city. You can't really tell what a location is like just by pictures or the demographics, you really have to have boots on the ground to sus it out. That's one of the hardest, or at least time-consuming, parts about finding the right location.
If Yellowstone blew it would fuck the whole country in one way or another but if you're in the immediate area (most of WY and MT) it would be certain death. The falling ash would affect a huge part of the country. I attached one of the many maps of the possible fallout from an eruption. Scientists say it's very unlikely to happen in our lifetime so I'm feeling more inclined to bet that it will. Plus the Russians have talked about nuking it, take that with a grain of salt.
@dbittick Yes, totally dig what you're saying. And yes we are overgeneralizing of course, local gov matters too and some areas could be much different then others even in the same state. Like I live in Colorado Springs and although CO is a "blue state" Colorado Springs is a much more conservative city because of multiple factors. Things like the response to covid was a less harsh here then when compared to Denver. And if you go even farther out from the cities you get even less compliance, etc. I think New Mexico is another great example of this. You would think being in the South it would have less compliance, etc., but that place was terrible for harshness of covid response. Especially in reservation areas, the Native Americans cracked down hard with their covid response. So yea I think local culture and local gov matters and lot and because we generalize when we speak we lump whole states in to "blue" and "red" designations and think about them as such. Plus w.e happens for STHTF (WW3, EMP, Yellowstone, Solar Flare, Ben Davidsons thing, etc.), it's going to throw off the government and their ability to exert control. Idk how much it is going to matter if you lived in a "blue" or "red" state is Yellowstone blows, but maybe. I think local gov and community is a lot more important. Like you said though, that's really hard to determine without boots on the ground. It's really one of the reason my relocation search has come back to looking almost strictly in Colorado. I know the areas and I have visited or can visit the areas to try and get to know the local culture, etc.
Did you listen to the Joel Skousen episode that came out Aug 18th (I think)? If so, do you have any thoughts/opinions? It's funny that it was pretty much what this thread is about, good timing eh? Anyway, if you haven't heard it it's worth a listen - although I haven't finish it so I can't speak to the last 40ish mins. He makes some good points/has some good takes. It's always interesting to hear others thoughts on survival and relocation.
There were some things that made me shake my head though. He undervalues the availability of water, either for drinking or for watering a garden, livestock, farm etc. I think he says something like there is always enough fresh drinking water...really? Idk, maybe I guess. Greg kind of addresses it but let's him get away with telling personal stories about his farm, etc. Water is one of my biggest concerns so maybe I overvalue it...? Idk, but I def don't think there is always enough fresh drinking water or enough rain to support a garden, etc. He makes the point about putting in a well, which is a point, but what about water table level in dry areas. Also you can't really water livestock or a farm with a well. To not value water or to not make a distinction in your water source, i.e. valuing flowing water like a river or creek over something stagnant like a pond or well, is a mistake. Water is life. Also focusing too much on whether a state is "blue" or "red" would be my other big critique of the episode. It does matter when you get to the radical states...maybe, but again to the point above if there is a BIG FanShitingHitingMoment (FSHM), it would make the gov ability to control you almost nil. It only matters if we have a fake FSHM, like covid, where it's this like slow roll to them taking your rights, etc. Not saying either scenario or w.e. is more or less valid, really would just depend on your viewpoint and what you believe is going to happen. Interested to hear your thoughts if you listened though.
