Customer Reviews

Surviving Off Off-Grid: Decolonizing the Industrial Mind

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

You've probably read plenty of books that tell you how to survive off the grid. This book doesn't have a misprint in the title. It teaches you why you should be getting on with surviving off "off-grid". In other words, a whole lot less dependant. Off-grid living focuses on such things as using technology to produce electricity (perhaps wind or photovoltaic cells) Off-off-grid living would pose the question "How can I thrive without electricity?". This book doesn't describe the backwoodsman skills you might employ to eke out an existence as a hunter gatherer. Rather, it lays out a belief system that is as old as humankind, but largely forgotton in the western world of grid-connected luxury.

The belief system you will be introduced to as you read is the basis for all planning, designing and action contained in the book. So, while it's chock full of excellent examples and suggestions about HOW to go about becoming more self reliant, once you understand WHY it is so important and natural to do so, you will be on your own exciting journey into actually living it!

Michael Bunker is a colourful character. He's like John Wayne, John Calvin, Grizzly Adams and Thomas Cromwell rolled into one Texas-sized individual. Bunker doesn't pull his punches and this book is written in a direct and forceful manner. You can tell it has the ring of authenticity that comes from someone who genuinely practices what he preaches. Bunker lives in an Agrarian community in central Texas with his family and they largely produce what they need there. This book is a distillation of his learnings, mistakes and successes and has been literally field-tested for years prior to making it into print.

So, if you want a book that thinks survival is all "Check out my cool bunker!" then go get one of the hundreds of books out there that cover this stuff. But if you want to learn how and why to live with meaningful and fulfilling process, relationships and freedom, click on the link to "Check out Michael Bunker!"

There are many books out there that tell you how to live off-grid, but none of them go into the detail of the 'why' like this one. Our thinking has been so cluttered, and our distractions so numerable, that we often never really sit down and think about the reasons we do what we do. Pulling our head out from all the noise, this book gives a reality check, and makes us take a good hard look at ourselves. Just going along to get along no longer seems wise, because this book introduces a new paradigm in living off the grid. Read it, you'll see what I mean.

I stumbled upon this book in my research for "prepping" and "survival" information which I have been actively pursuing over the last year. I read most of the reviews both positive and negative and decided it was worth the money, because even the negative reviews didn't say the information was useless, only that the reviewer didn't agree with the conclusions/or philosophy of the author. After finishing the book, I can honestly say it WAS worth the money. The book completely challenged the most basic assumptions and beliefs about life and sustaining life in the future. This understanding is the primary piece of the "survival/prepping" paradigm puzzle that I was missing and had given me so much trouble. Trying to balance living in a modern world, preparing for the worst, and then guessing how long the disruptions would last ultimately increased my stress levels, lack of confidence, and led me to institute many incorrect "survival" systems that are actually unnecessary if your fundamental understanding of the world and your place in it is congruent with the actual reality present. Not only does this book challenge the reader, but it almost seemed as if the author was sitting right next to me answering the questions that popped into my head during that given section. Obviously, the author has spent numerous quality hours researching and structuring the material in a way to try to anticipate any questions the reader has while balancing the presentation of the information as to not scare off or offend any not so open-mined persons or individuals that have never been presented a philosophy in this way. This book is for every human being alive on this earth, whether you end up agreeing completely with this author's conclusions or not. No matter what, it will expand your thought process and require you to at least defend your personal philosophy against a plethora of information presented. Enjoy.

This is one of the most profound books I've read in years. It directly applies to current world events as well as the history of the last century. It provides answers and hope. Practical, thoughtful, inspiring, and challenging...it caused me to think about things in ways I've never considered before. The book goes into some "how" but more importantly the "why" and "what now" - which the author defines as "Decolonizing the mind". It is about a new way of thinking.

This isn't your typical survival book. This book essentially states that survival isn't just about making it through to when things are "normal" (as in the case of short-term survival with power outages, etc.) but rather a way of life that is sustainable and better. A way of life free from slavery to "the grid" (power, debt, consumerism). This book explores the way of life of prior generations, the founders of this nation, and people for thousands of years before that.

There is so much useful content to this book that it is hard to summarize. Some of the key parts I appreciated were:
1. A historical background of prior civilizations such as Greece and Rome and their relevance to industrialized nations today.
2. How to analyze whether the benefits of a given technology outweigh the dependence and slavery required to maintain it.
3. The author is intellectually honest about his faith and where he is coming from so you can make an informed decision about the information he provides.
4. Several self-help tests to show you your level of slavery and dependence on the grid system.
5. A very personal story of the author's grandmother that strikes a chord with the situation many of us have faced or will face with our loved ones in an urban/industrial/consumer way of life.
6. Particularly fascinating for me was a chapter on land that involved an example for how an "off off-grid" community could form, expand, and thrive together.
7. Some moments of humor throughout. The author is not afraid to make fun of some of his attempts to move "off off-grid" for your benefit (and so you can learn from his mistakes).
8. Surviving Off Off-Grid goes into intermediate steps for moving out of the system.
9. There are some interesting ideas about how some specialization is good in agrarian/off-grid life (i.e. - not everyone is a farmer). That people can absolutely use the skills they are gifted with in an "off off-grid" life. The problem today is that most people are hyper specialized into uselessness (...including myself).

Overall, this is the new standard for the off-grid agrarian movement in my opinion. It left me wanting to learn more...so the main downside to the book was that after 350 pages or so...it seemed to have an abrupt ending. Hopefully there will be additional books to follow-up on such an interesting topic.

This book is about a revolution in your mind that will eventually lead to a revolution in the way you live. It is about freedom and hope...and leaving behind a system that is falling apart. I ordered several extra copies of the book for family and friends because I want them to see how things were, how they are, and what they could be if we return to the old paths.

I included a chapter listing below for those who may want to see it:
Chapter 1 - Defining Terms
Chapter 2 - Revolution
Chapter 3 - Something Must Be Done
Chapter 4 - Debt Slavery
Chapter 5 - The Grid
Chapter 6 - Light and Heat
Chapter 7 - Cool Stuff
Chapter 8 - Land... Of The Free
Chapter 9 - Different Strokes
Chapter 10 - Water
Chapter 11 - Food, Part 1
Chapter 12 - Food, Part 2
Chapter 13 - Food, Part 3
Chapter 14 - Preserving the Harvest
Chapter 15 - Building
Chapter 16 - Answering Objections

This book on some levels broke my heart. How far we've fallen as a people from personal independence and strength to selling ourselves willingly into bondage for garbage goods, services and ideas. Michael Bunker does an incredible job illustrating how we went down this road to dependence on things that were supposed to "save time" for us. This quote gives a taste: "However, it is notable that, prior to the advent of grid power, the people could only be subjugated by military power, or by the persuasive power of philosophy or religion. Historically, coercion had to come from outside the individual person, group, or society. It was readily identifiable. If people were slaves, they were slaves to superior might. They could see their chains." Until I finished this book I did not realize how profoundly heavy the chains that I willingly used to bind myself to slavery in the worldy system were until I could feel them pulling me down. Once you become aware of them, can "see" them you'll never be able to go back. I've been a survivalist, a "prepper" for a long time, thinking I could buy enough goods to get me over the hump of TSHTF and then just "start growing things" once the worst was over. What a dead end trap that is, and this book helped me see that. You can't "buy" your way into survival, it's a foolish idea. It's no secret to all of us that our lives are about to change beyond recognizing, that's why we are all searching for a way out. This book is a giant first step for those that don't know where to get started, as the author delves into the most important part of making a change: getting your MIND in the right place. For those like me that were already well down the path of living "off-grid" with our survival gear and grandiose plans of outlasting TSHTF, this book shows a divergent path by taking us through our presuppositions about what survival really is, and shows us the true path to personal freedom. It's so far from where all of us probably reside mentally he has to start with defining terms, such as what survival really is, to taking us through ending debt slavery down to the basics of evaluating land, food, water, and shelter. This book is really different from the usual "buy this and you'll be free" survival book. It's not just a "how" book, but a "why" book as well. It helped me view the plans that we made critically and to look at each part in terms of the whole, and the outcomes and consequences of the choices we've made in the past as well as for the future. I can't recommend it enough, it's that valuable. It provides true hope.

In "Surviving Off Off-Grid," Mr. Bunker begins by taking you through a history of past cultures, their movements away from the land to specialized societies centered in metropolises, and the downfall of those cultures as a result. Once he's shown in history these failures, and compared them in their drastic similarities to current day, especially in the United States, he offers a solution, which actually isn't a new one: it's back to the old paths (Jer 6:16), how it used to be, how God instituted work: he takes you back to the land, back to an agrarian culture and society.

In it, Mr. Bunker describes how people lived before industrialism. He describes how it is possible to live growing your own food, making your own clothes, and drinking water from your own reservoirs. He covers land and farming methods; preserving food, even without canning; storing food for long-term storage; building various types of buildings involved in sustainable living, like green-houses, living quarters (that are developed according to climate), root cellars, barns, etc.; how to have light and heat without electricity; and other information. At the end of the book, he answers common objections to this life-style and worldview.

This book is not a book detailing specific how-tos -- it deals more with the philosophy and generalities of the how-tos, why living this way should be done, and how it has been done in the past. It is more about engaging the minds of people to hopefully see that there is another way to look at their lives and the world around them.

Do you consider yourself a preparedness person? You need to read this book. Has your financial situation only become worse over time, and are you in debt? You need to read this book. Have you had grandparents or great-grandparents that talked of a different time around the farm? Do you try to eat organic foods and stay away from processed foods? Do you see the world around you as just how things are, and haven't considered it may not be the best for you and your family? You need to read this book.

It is my prayer the Lord will use Mr. Bunker's "Surviving Off Off-Grid" book as a means to enlighten those whom He will; and, in the process, bring glory to His name in revealing more of Himself and His will.

If you think you know all about surviving off grid, you need this book. If you don't know anything about surviving off grid, you need this book! Bunker brings some fresh insight in to the "separatist movement" that is starting to gain momentum in this country. Don't look for it to tell you everything you need to do to live off the land, it is more of a why to than a how to book. Sure, there are several chapters that cover food storage, gardening, construction tips and finances, but the great thing about "Surviving Off Off-Grid" is the way it makes you think about everything you thought was right in a whole new way. The mind is the most valuable tool anyone has and Mr. Bunker will really give yours a tune-up. You will be edified and challenged as you are shown what can happen if you seek the old paths and dare to return to a lifestyle that our forefathers enjoyed and the true freedom that comes with living in obedience to God the way the Bible describes, not the way the modernist church espouses. This book will shake you up and probably make a lot of people mad, but it will also change and save some lives too.

A great book. Makes you think about your life and why we live the way we do. Do we really need all the stuff in our lives? After reading this book my wife and i are doing some soul searching about whats really important to us. Everyone should read this book it will open your mind to possibilitys you have never thought of.

We have all been taught to think one way. This, in essence, is what the word 'colonized' means. In order to 'de-colonize' you must be willing to think outside the box. As far as off-grid books go, this one is very outside the box, which makes it quite interesting. The book sparks your interest by the way it comes at the subject. That spark then ignites into a small ember, which carries you through to the well lit burning flame of understanding. If you want to use the information that you've picked up in your off-grid quest, this information will light a fire under you to propel you toward your goal. It may very well be you'll be doing it for a totally different reason than when you began.

This book is very thought provoking. For those who think our current economic system is unstable, Michael Bunker provides not only ideas for going off-grid but a philosophy of living that challenges the notion that city life is good.

As I moved about my house cleaning and cooking today, everything I touched and did had new meaning when judged by Michael standards.
Pam