I don't see much discussion about working after/if TSHTF. I'm taking the perspective of no TEOTWAWKI 'cause if it gets that bad all bets are off. Maybe a 6 or 7. Have searched the old threads and found nothing very specific. There seem to be a lot of computer geeks here....are you training yourselves for a new direction? I'm in the IS business but I'm just a lowly supervisor of field technicians. (And as you know, supervisors become supervisors because they can't do the real work anymore;) Anyway, I'm scared. I don't see a lot of use for me down the road. Nine months is not a lot of time to change careers. And to top it off, I'm going thru mid-life cisis!!! Just curious what others are doing. thx

-- (rick@ina.com), March 20, 1999

Answers

Over the years I have learned to cut my kids hair and my wife, a couple of friends, her friends and even myself in the mirror. I have had quite a bit of experience and decided that after 2000 I can go from door to door and offer my haircutting services.

By about april, a lot of people will not be able to stand their long hair and will gladly let me cut their hair. Since the government will be down, I think I can get away with that without a license. I have purchased all the equipment and have 1000 business cards printed up.

-- old sailor (old@sailor.com), March 20, 1999.

See the thread "What will you do for a Living?"

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000K uj

-- (check@it.out), March 20, 1999.

I am going to be a mercenary like that guy in Mad Max. Drive around the country in a black porsche with one of those engines sticking out the front and a fifty calber machine gun. When they come and get me I will fight like bang! bang bang bang bang bang!!!! It will be fun being a merecennary. I can banditize shops and kill people and best of all screw women!!

-- Jerry (jj@jj.jj), March 21, 1999.

Not if one of those women kill you first. I'd love to watch, but killing you would be too easy. I want to see you hung by your balls then me behind the wheel of that black porche then bang, bang, bang, right ______ ass!! Fill in the blanks people.

-- Out2GetJerry (Out2GetJerry@ZAP.com), March 21, 1999.

You have a good question! Thanks to who it was that posted the thread.

Making a living is one of the top items I use when talking face to face with people re y2k. I get very little response, probably due to lack of reality.

The top items are currently, Famine, Plague, Health (midwifery and birthing problems primarily), Civil Disorder, Community (which is where I talk about making a living). Banking is dead last.

-- Mitchell Barnes (spanda@inreach.com), March 21, 1999.

We have given this quite a lot of thought too.The problem is choosing something that doesn't need supplies brought in or power and assuming of course that the demand is local & sufficiently worthwhile.

So manual skills such as hairdressing are ideal.

We have planted alot of herbs and bought in some essential oils to make simple creams & cosmetics.Also a quantity of powdered MgCo3 to make talcum powder for babies's bottoms.(We use MgCo3 in the mill anyway so it won't go to waste.)Customers will have to provide their own containers.We shall also be breeding rabbits to sell.I'm sure there are many other ideas out there so get your hats on.

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), March 21, 1999.

Depending on how bad it gets, it will be more than us computer geeks out of work. How about the Vice President (female, usually) in charge of ride-shares and parking lot striping for MegaCorp? How about the "equal opportunity" created jobholder at the DMV who gives the vision test? How about all the H&R Block and CPA tax preparer parasites? How about "slip and fall" lawyers? How about the gals that glue on "man-trap" nails at "Foxy Lady Salon"? Etc.

Most jobs/careers nowadays have nothing to do with basic production. Basic production is all dependent on heavy capital intensive production of food and other commodities, materials, etc. Leaving most people not working in those areas and so free to amuse themselves as feng shui consultants, or whatever.

If (when) TSHTF, that will be "the end of the division of labor" and a lot of these jobs made possible by a high degree of division of labor and specialization. See Gary North's bit on that.
(ttp://www.garynorth.com

I'm collecting books re late 18th century through early 20th century technology (including chemistry, metalworking, etc.)

All kinds of oldfashioned tools will probably come in handy. Anyone still know how to use a hand plane? A hand drill rather than electric? Etc.

-- vbProg (vbProg@MicrosoftAndIntelSucks.com), March 21, 1999.

I will hopefully be doing mostly what i'm doing now- farming. maybe i can even end the year in the black?? A dream?? Maybe if the California carrots and Chilean grapes and Mexican peppers arn't flooding the market i can actually sell them for what it costs to produce them and then even a profit....(or barter)

As for my newspaper writing- well that depends on the USPS I suppose. But i can do lots of stuff- make cheese, raise livestock, spin wool, herbal stuff- many possibilities- it's all things i do now anyway for us, but maybe it would have worth in a world where tax attorneys and human resource managers were worthless.....

-- anita (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), March 21, 1999.