I’m sure your remember this gem. I fully expect it to be recycled for 2022. Except 2022 may just throw the beer in 2021’s face and hit him upside the head with the empty mug. “Stand aside, amateur!”
Remember that a collapse is a process. It can be slow, then fast, then slow, then fast and then incredibly fast. Or it can be a continual slow degradation. It can vary in intensity between locations. Some of the poorest in the world won’t even notice it, while folks in large cities will get their noses rubbed in it if they stay.
Here’s what I’m expecting in the year of our Lord 2022:
Executive Summary
I expect no dramatic improvements in the status quo. What has been happening will continue to happen. While I don’t expect any sudden acceleration in the collapse, it can’t be ruled out. Continue preparing yourself for a long period of bad news. Do the things-all of them. Acquire the tools and supplies you need to live out a long rough stretch. Safeguard your wealth, such as you may have left. Learn the skills that will help see you through.
Wuflu
I fully expect a new variant of Wuflu to show up, right when people are maxing their tolerance for this BS. This variant may or may not be Captain Trips, but it will be played up as his slightly more likable first cousin. Don’t be surprised at new nation-wide lockdowns, vaccine requirements and so on. They are not going to let go of this.
The Economy
I expect inflation to continue rising, and possibly at a breath-taking rate in the second half of the year. ShadowStats currently has us at 15% as calculated by the 80s methodology, and unfortunately inflation has a nasty habit of creating effects that reinforce inflation. The only way I think it will drop is if the Fed overdoes it and rather than a “soft landing”, we get a stall-spin into the ground. If you have a 401(k) or an IRA that’s going up, good for you, but be ready to cash out at a moment’s notice. If you’re sitting on cash, this might be a good time to turn it into a new residence in a state run by adults, such as Florida or Texas. Or food storage-food is always a good thing to have on hand. Firearms and ammo. Tools. All the things you can think of that will help see you through the next decade. And by the way, this is one of those behaviors that reinforces an inflationary trend. Let’s hear it for positive feedback loops!
Energy
Energy is going to be a problem area. Inflation is going to push the cost up, Democrat policies will push it up further, and a war with either/both China and Russia will lead to immediate attacks on our energy infrastructure, probably causing wide-spread and long term outages. Keep your gas tanks at a minimum of 3/4 full and store spare gas, treated with stabilizer, if you can. A generator is a good thing. The new and fashionable “solar generators”, actually battery packs that can be charged from either a wall charger or solar panels, are another good thing. Understand how much power you need to run the critical items and try to meet that number with some extra. For diabetics, the new 12v compressor refrigerators are something you should have to go with that solar generator.
I’ve finally convinced (or perhaps browbeat into) Mrs. Freeholder that a small scale solar setup would be a good thing. I’m looking at a 12 volt, 4 x 100 watt panels with 2 100ah LiFEPo4 batteries. Nothing fancy or flashy. I would like more panels, but this is what I could sell. For now, it could run things like the freezer, the Golden Rod in the gun safe and my radio gear, allowing it to partially pay for itself. In a pinch, it will run the refrigerator, the freezer and the blower on the wood stove. This is a proof-of-concept experiment, to see just what can be done on what is effectively a shoestring budget for the project.
The Supply Chain
The supply chain is stressed and will stay stressed. Any sort of military action we get into will break it. Go over that mental list you have of things that you use frequently, from toilet paper to oil filters. I’m not going to say you need enough of any of that for a decade (unless you own a warehouse and are rich, in which case party on Garth), but I’d have enough for a good while on hand. Any consumable you can think of, you need to consider stocking up as much as possible. This is especially true for things that come from overseas.
Expect continued spot shortages of everything from food to screws. We are too dependent on items that are manufactured outside our borders. We are about to learn why this is a bad idea, and why “just in time” is a tool of the devil. Countries such as China will use our dependency as a lever.
Skills
You can have all the beans, band-aids and bullets in creation, but without skills they’re nearly useless. Build your skill set. It’s one of the reasons I watch YouTube. I despise Google and all things associated with it, but until places like Gab TV, Rumble and others can attract enough content to be viable, YouTube is the place where you can learn just about any skill you might need for the rest of your life. I don’t care what it is you want to learn-first aid/medical topics, building houses/outbuildings/cabins in the wilderness, mechanical or electrical work, bushcraft-whatever it is, there is good information out there. There is also bad information, so your first topic might be how to tell one from the other.
I’m set up for a “Machining Technology” class through the local community college starting in January. I have this silly idea that a small lathe and vertical mill might be great things to have around. I might eventually start a side gig making short run parts for small local companies with needs or just making things you need in order to fix my and my friend’s and neighbor’s stuff. If nothing else, it will exercise my mind, which is always a Good Thing as one ages.
Relationships
Speaking of friends and neighbors, you’ve been working on those relationships, right? Knowing who’s around you and who can and can’t be counted on is going to get more and more important as we go forward. If you haven’t done an area study, it’s a great time to start one.
Miscellaneous Items
Spend time on yourself, even as the crazy continues. You need to tend to your health, both physical and mental. Strengthen yourself, because you’re going to need strength. If you’re religious and rather lapsed as I am, it’s probably a good time to explore your spiritual health as well.
Closing
Watch for Black Swan events. Avoid crowds. Keep your head on a swivel. Shop like a Soviet. And…
