Joe,
I have begun to read your essays. I find myself drawn to them. I have been studying the work of James Kunstler and Dmitry Orlov as well. At age 54, my insight is telling me and showing me the seemingly endless scams that American and Western life perpetuates. What is portrayed as the truth is indeed a lie, someone is making a buck at your expense every step of the way. I have studied finance since losing my shirt in the tech bubble, only to learn "finance" is a total scam. I now invest accordingly.
I lost my family (another scam?) through divorce seven years ago. My wife had had enough of me. I've lost my two sons in the process, totally feminized, totally indoctrinated in the entitlement, get something for nothing, American culture. They are trading their father's wisdom for the shock of their lives at some point. By divorce decree, I finance their college expenses, most likely a rat hole for the world that awaits them.
My new wife is from Russia. She gives love (relatively) freely, she treats me with respect, and gives me trust and loyalty. Comparing Slavic to American culture is a real eye opener. They have "nothing" by our standards, yet they in my opinion kick our ass culturally, and in community and family life. She is not impressed at all with America, she wants to leave at some point (with me).
I'm still at a high level of "productivity," although I know that you would say this is delusion on my part. As a heart doctor, I know better than most that time and energy are my most precious commodities at this time. In addition, I now see our industry for what it is, despite our best intentions, totally out of control, making Americans slaves to their jobs, for fear of not having health insurance, for fear of illness destroying all one's wealth for the surviving family. Totally nuts!
Perhaps you could help answer a question for me. Preparing for post peak oil, I would like to locate on 40 acres in an agreeable locale. My North Dakota is way too cold, especially as natural gas runs out!!! Kunstler's upstate New York again has six months of clouds, snow and cold. He is less than optimistic on The South. I have narrowed my thinking to the Great Valley, Interstate 81 corridor from Bristol to Harrisburg. I had wondered about Blacksburg, Charlottesville, or Winchester, your old stomping ground! You mention "rednecks" in your "about you." Are they that far North? Could you see yourself residing with such people as we scramble and fight endless wars for the final 500 billion barrels of oil?
Interesting, Dmitry Orlov suggested Belize to me. He wants no part of the insanity that will befall the Boston area. Part of me says own nothing in America, it's just a hook for expenses and taxes, something for the government to control me, be ready to bail out at any time.
My wife is as flexible as they get.
Joe, would Western Virginia be on your "short list" for places to reside in retirement??? I am "fortunate" to have means, but I can tell you I have paid dearly to get where I am. You describe me well in your essays, but at least I'm the 1 out of 20 that sees it!!! I am on the Daytona Speedway, and I'm either going to wreck (heart attack, cancer) or run out of gas (depression, burn out, profound discouragement, etc.) I would love some day to catch tarpon, bonefish, or feel free to compare to Belize as well.
They say you can never go back. Man, did I love being 15! I wonder if it's worth a try? Better to fail than have never tried?
Thanks,
Dan
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Dear Dan,
Your letter hit me right where I live. I don't advise people on these matters, tastes and tolerances being so variable. But I feel like I understand you. However, I have made no great study of these things and can only talk about what I have seen.
First off, I'm obviously with Orlov, or I wouldn't be here. Having said that, I do have experience with the Shenandoah Valley and Western Virginia, being raised there and my family having been there since 1735. All the towns along the corridor are fast becoming or have already become part of the clusterfuck nation. But compared to Boston they may look downright bucolic. I wouldn't recommend Winchester, although I love the historic district where I have been living the past decade. All my roots are there. But Winchester is pretty much falling into in the grip of development, commuter traffic, big box stores, etc. It still gets damned cold there in the winter and hot as hell in the summer, so there are significant rising energy costs.
Another problem is the abysmal intellectual life in Winchester and all the other towns up and down 81. In fact, in nearly all Southern towns, period. It's a very ignorant and smug culture where even most of the people with doctorates have no real intellectual lives, having graduated from places like UVA, etc., though they think they do. It gets lonely if you are one inch left of Jerry Falwell. Yet, my wife has managed to find a niche there in genealogy research and just loves it. Then too, she is a helluva lot nicer and more tolerant of murderous ignorance and the self-importance of Virginians than I am.
As to the rednecks, well, every state in the union has them in one form or another. They just don't all have Southern accents. Then too, people in your class are not likely to even encounter my people, the true rednecks, except when the come to fix the plumbing or whatever. Personally though, I'll take one redneck to a hundred members of Virginia's supposed "landed gentry."
North Carolina has some great small creative rural communities and the weather is significantly warmer. I went to one town in the Raleigh area a couple of years ago and it was marvelous. Hal Crowther, and a bunch of other writers live around there and have blended a nice rural lifestyle with Southern ease and common sense.and a complete understanding of what this country is in for.
Just as an aside, we are starting to see American doctors come down to Belize and live simply but with quiet elegance in the villages, practicing medicine at a slow pace and at very low cost to the locals. Besides the doctors who have set up little private clinics, there are also others from the medical and dental fields. We have a physician's assistant who came down here to live and has become indispensable to us all when the Cuban doctor is in other towns.
One thing for sure: When the shit hits the fan, we won't get hit as hard here in Belize simply because we don't have as much shit. If you ever consider Belize, just give me a call and after the book tour is over I'll introduce you to some fine people, both expats and Belizeans, and some places that are so fucking languid and exotic it takes your breath away. Whatever you choose to do, you can afford a second home here, if you like the simple life from time to time.
I'll be back in Winchester on March 24 to begin working with my publicist and agent in flogging my book. It's a contractual agreement I cannot escape. So feel free to call me at home in Winchester, or come down with your wife and spend a few days with us. We thoroughly enjoy guests, as many readers who have come to visit there can attest.
In art and labor,
Joe
