10 questions

I get this sinking feeling sometimes, which I am sure comes as a big surprise given my obsession with doom. I am not sure where it comes from or why it takes me over, but it pushes me to the point of paralysis. So, I hope you are asking, what is the feeling?

I begin wondering, what is the point of doing anything at all? I read and listen to a lot of talk about saving the world in some shape or form and although it may be well-intentioned, would it really be worth it to save the world for humanity? Sure, there are any number of interesting things that people are doing around the world, but “saving the world” seems like it has more to do with maintaining or improving the familiar. Saving the world also is embedded in a deeply held arrogance that we can make things better. I don’t think things can or will get better for the people of the world in the way that we now define the term.

Life might be able to get better at some point, but there are a lot of psychological stumbling blocks in the way. So to find out whether or not you are ready for what the future is about to slap you with, I have assembled the following list of ten questions. Check your score once you are done to find out where you stand…

Question 1: Is my job safe from the current recession?

a) No

b) Yes

Question 2: If I lose my job, the first thing I will do is…

a) file for unemployment

b) look for another similar job

c) take stock of my professional/economic life and try to think of sustainable alternatives to my current career.

Question 3: When I plan my future, the main concern is…

a) where I will spend my retirement

b) whether my pension and social security will be available

c) how I will acquire food, shelter, energy and who will care for me when I am old

Question 4: If I have kids, I tell them…

a) get a college education because they will need it to start a good career

b) they should invest their money in the stock market when they are young so they will have plenty for retirement

c) the future is uncertain and it is best to try to learn a little bit about everything

Question 5: Which of the following matches your vision of the future?

a) Humanity will face and address certain problems adequately

b) Life will be the same with more gadgets and fatter people

c) The future is totally up in the air and I will make the best of it

Question 6: When you are in a tight spot, how many non-family members can you depend on for help?

a) 0

b) 1-2

c) 3 or more

Question 7: How many miles do you live from work?

a) 0

b) less than 10

c) more than 10

d) I travel for work

Question 8: Who do you buy your electricity and water from, where does it come from and how far are you from centralized infrastructure?

a) what?

b) I know who and where it comes from

c) I am off the grid, or able to transition easily off the grid

Question 9: Where does your food come from?

a) chain restaurants and grocery stores

b) local restaurants and grocery stores

c) farmers and my own back yard

d) both b and c

e) a, b, and c

Question 10: Do you have any chronic medical conditions you are treating with medication? Are there non-traditional or dietary techniques to treat your condition?

a) yes and I don’t know

b) yes and no

c) yes and yes

d) no and it doesn’t matter

If you answered all of these questions, I love you. What I tried to do is gauge your level of self-reliance. The top score is 19, which I doubt anyone would get, but it is possible. My score was a 9, but I have a lot of uncertainty in my life right now, so hopefully I can improve that soon. Here are the point breakdowns:

Q 1: a) 0 b) 2

Q 2: a) 0 b) 1 c) 2

Q 3: a) 0 b) 1 c) 2

Q 4: a) 0 b) 0 c) 1

Q 5: a) 0 b) 1 c) 2

Q 6: a) 0 b) 1 c) 2

Q 7: a) 2 b) 1 c) 0 d) -1

Q 8: a) 0 b) 1 c) 2

Q 9: a) -1 b) 0 c) 2 d) 1 e) 0

Q 10: a) -1 b) 0 c) 1 d) 2