What Does Self-Reliance Really Mean?

What does it mean to be self-reliant?

It means different things to different people. Some folks have spent some of their time and money stockpiling food for an emergency, and have acquired a water purification system.

They now know that no matter what kind of disaster they’re hit with, they’ll be able to feed themselves and their families and have good, clean drinking water.

Some homeowners have taken the huge step of freeing themselves from a very vulnerable U.S. electrical grid and are now generating some of their own electricity with solar panels and wind turbines. They’ve also acquired a solar-powered generator.

They feel empowered by this independence because not only does it allow them to save money, but they can also keep their homes lit and either warm or cool when power outages occur.

Food Insurance

Other people have achieved a level of self-reliance by growing their own vegetables and fruits using open-pollinated, non-genetically modified, heirloom seeds.

Growing food in the warmer months, storing some of it for colder months and re-using seeds they’ve harvested from last year’s crops makes them feel confident that even when food prices soar or food shortages occur, they and their families will be able to enjoy good tasting, nutritious and inexpensive food.

For others, independence comes in the form of privacy. They’ve taken a number of important steps to keep their identities safe from thieves, their Internet browsing as free as possible from observation and their email accounts safe from hacking.

They’ve also done their best to maintain privacy in their consumer, medical and financial affairs. They feel confident that they are unlikely to become victims of many of the privacy intrusions that have plagued those who are less careful.

Packing Heat

To some, self-reliance takes the form of gun ownership. These people follow the local laws regarding their weapons and gain the necessary training.

They learn how to load, use and clean their guns, and they store them properly and safely, out of the reach of children and hidden from potential intruders. They choose appropriate places to keep their guns out of sight yet easily accessible in case they ever need them in a hurry.

Think for just a moment how much self-reliant people contribute to our society. They take pressure off the overtaxed and unreliable electrical grid. They free up more food for people who can’t or don’t wish to stockpile it or grow their own.

They reduce identity theft. They protect law-abiding citizens from lawbreakers. If the Founding Fathers were alive today, they would be handing out medals to self-reliant people because that’s the spirit that made this country great.

Why the Hostility?

But what’s happening instead? Self-reliant people are scorned and held up to ridicule. They’re portrayed as dangerous wackos. They’re mistrusted. They’re watched closely by various government agencies.

Why? What possible reason could anyone have to persecute people who consistently pull themselves up by their bootstraps and take care of their own needs and the needs of their families instead of sponging off society?

There’s only one explanation for why law-abiding citizens who contribute so much to society are the subjects of harassment. And that reason is control. Some people just aren’t happy unless they can control those who want nothing more than to live in peace.

Unfortunately, those obsessed with controlling others often wind up in positions of authority, where they frequently choose to make life miserable for others, just because they can. They can’t stand it when they see people who are happily making it on their own.

Don’t Let Them Control You

Consider this. When people are dependent on the electrical grid, they can be controlled by an on/off switch. When people are dependent upon food stamps, they are dependent upon the government that issues them.

When people don’t grow their own food, they can be controlled by those who produce and sell food to them. When people don’t protect their privacy, they can be controlled by those who spy on them. And when people don’t own guns, they can be controlled by those who do, including criminals.

Self-reliant people, on the other hand, are much more difficult to control. They don’t need or ask for government handouts. They don’t flock to FEMA centers when their power goes out.

They don’t go hungry when store shelves empty or food prices soar. They don’t back down from defending their families and property, meekly handing over their guns to criminals and those who wish to rob them of their Second Amendment rights.

Self-Reliance Is the Key

There are a growing number of patriots in North America who are disgusted when our society teaches people to rely on everyone but themselves.

We cringe when we see how ill-prepared most people are to handle even the slightest of emergencies. We shake our heads in disbelief as we hear politicians claim that stricter gun control laws will save lives when we know that the exact opposite is true.

American patriots realize that the time is eventually going to come when only those who have learned to be self-reliant will survive. But that’s assuming we’re able to maintain our independence in the face of a society that is increasingly hostile toward us.

If you’re not self-reliant, start working on getting there. If you’re halfway there, get all the way there. If you’re all the way there, help others get there.

That’s my advice. Our self-reliance is what will carry us through when times are tough.