Week 12
Self-Sufficiency
We hear about self-sufficiency often. When we are students, our education is meant to be a door to future self-sufficiency. When we are adults, paying our own bills and managing our finances is an assumed benchmark of our demonstration of self-sufficiency. We become independent as we leave home, and are responsible for maintaining our spiritual, social, and economic self-sufficiency. Sometimes we do better than others. Most of us rely on friends, family, organizations, or even governments when we are weak or experience a period of lack. Does that mean that we are not self-sufficient? By definition, yes. Dependence on someone or something else for something we cannot supply for ourselves is a lack of self-sufficiency. But, is that something that is a goal that we should be working toward, and helps along the way lead to that accomplishment in the end? If that is the case, should we be investing in one another to help develop mutual self-sufficiency as we progress through life?
This video is a different way of looking at people's lack of self-sufficiency. If you can only grow as large as your environment allows, how do those environments limit self-sufficiency for some? If our environments could be changed to allow for growth, shouldn't that be our goal as communities and governments? Growth is a part of the purpose of life. Growth that is limited or stunted impacts individuals and generations and is unnecessary with the amount of resources this planet has. Giving money to alleviate a problem can be helpful, but changing an environment to allow for, enable and encourage growth is life impacting. Access to opportunities for growth and development are the way that we promote self-sufficiency.
For myself, self-sufficiency and self-reliance are important. I am self-sufficient in many ways and as such, move to a self-reliant model as a community member who interacts with many. I do not weave my own cloth, grind my own wheat, generate my own electricity, or purify my own water- although I am capable of all of those things. I have developed the skills needed to insure self-sufficiency on a survival level if needed, but I have also developed skills to be self-reliant. That means that I am able to learn and be informed, for myself. I am able to be financially stable through work, and savings and spending choices. I have medical insurance and quality healthcare that I can choose to use. I have an understanding of the importance of the things I do to build and maintain me faith. I have familial relationships that I have invested in and developed to be healthy and mutually beneficial. I take responsibility for my life and my actions and try to be prepared for opportunities that might come in the future. I recognize that not everyone is at this stage in life. I recognize that when basic needs are not met, it is difficult to feel self-reliant in ways that allow positive engagement with a community, but that part of being self-sufficient should lead to self-reliance and involvement with communities and societies in ways that combine strengths and talents and improve life for those who struggle.
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