Mobility vs. Homesteading
(This essay is taken from the book Manifesto of the Free Humans by @dbroze and @Johnvibes. Follow the link for a free pdf of the book)
It is a wonderful experience to witness the beautiful expressions of diversity that spring forth as individuals pursue their own version of freedom. After all, freedom is a personal and individual experience. There is no one size fits all model or path to freedom; the outcome depends on individual preferences and circumstance. This principle holds true with the agorist lifestyle and engaging in counter-economics. Although we are describing what an intentional community may look like from our perspective, some freedom seekers view mobility as the ultimate expression of freedom and may choose to live nomadic lifestyles. Others may choose to opt out of community or neighborhood living and live the life of a hermit. All of these paths are valid and compatible with agorism.
When creating the ideal living situation, many variables must be taken into consideration. Where do you want to live? How many people will live with you? What kind of community do you want? Where will you get your food? How will you make an income or provide for basic necessities?
For some individuals, organizing into Freedom Cells will naturally lead to forming communities and communal living. Some will choose to live in the same neighborhoods or towns, as in the Texas Freedom Grounds, and others will choose to share land. But what of those who say they don't want to live in one place? What about the restless travelers and the noble nomads who would rather live life on the road? Is there a better opportunity to realize freedom in your life and the life of your family by choosing to live nowhere and everywhere?
One of the main reasons we argue for establishing a community with land to tend and defend is the ability to grow your own food and produce your own goods. Growing your own food is a huge step towards independence. Although some creative folks have engineered ways to grow food on top of vehicles, it is extremely difficult to sustain yourself this way. Also, having a piece of land allows for the building of shelters and structures which can store supplies, food, and everything you need to survive an emergency. Granted, one could simply rent out a storage space and keep all these items stored until needed, but what happens when the shit hits the fan and you are on the road, thousands of miles away from your survival supplies?
We believe it is essential for Freedom Cells to begin thinking about having a location to rendezvous in the event of an emergency. If you live in the city, this might include two places; one within the city as a meeting point, and another meeting place outside of the city limits, ideally on a piece of land where you have supplies waiting. If you find yourself on the road during an emergency, you may have trouble finding a safe place to stay and supplies to sustain you. Hopefully we will soon have a large Freedom Cell Network across the globe that will ensure none of our brothers and sisters go without help. On the other hand, if you and your family are living in a bus, RV, or simply towing your tiny house everywhere you go, you have a certain level of freedom that landownersdo not. Two great examples of nomadic anarchist families are the Blushes in Austin, Texas and The Undocumented Humans in Arizona. Most of the families and individuals we know who are living the nomadic life say they enjoy a level of freedom they did not know while paying rent on land, houses, or apartments. There may be times when an emergency requires bugging out of your house or land. The ability to have your house and your vehicle in one machine is definitely a benefit in this situation. Nomads with vehicles will likely have most of their important possessions with them, and will not be faced with the difficult choice of what to take and what to leave behind.
Some free people will prefer solitary travel, either in their vehicles or as hitch-hiking adventurers living off the counter-economy. Others will want to be more secluded and choose to homestead land in the wilderness, far away from other homes and communities. Perhaps this person prefers the independence of seclusion, or they have social anxiety or other issues that make a rural lifestyle preferable. Although the hermits might not be directly connected to a community by physical proximity, they can be connected digitally through FreedomCells.org or other online groups that allow for organizing and exchanging with other freedom-minded individuals.
Whether your path finds you hiding out in caves, sailing on the freedom fleet, nomading on the bus, relaxing in the neighborhood, or living in a community of thousands, the goal is freedom. No matter what living situation you choose there are dozens of methods to participate in the counter-economy. Our preferred place of residence should not prevent us from establishing a powerful alliance of interconnected and interlocking Freedom Cells and free communities.
I am an investigative journalist and liberty activist; a Lead Investigative Reporter for ActivistPost.com and the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com & The Houston Free Thinkers. I have also co-authored three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1 and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2
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Awesome post, @dbroze! I love the wandering life and also having open land communities where people can regroup, build on projects, connect. Wonderful. Resteemed and upvoted! @dakini5d
Thank you for post and links provided. Inspiring document. The community of lonesome nomads. But doesn't this idea a bit contradicts with itself? Tore links with one community for another?