[I_Like_Plants]

We're not going to have all this nifty digital shit in a while, in fact our grow-until-we-crash way of existance means we're likely to be in a world of hurt within a decade or two.

World of hurt defined in Olduvai Theory terms, at the very least, no more hi-tech toys! No more piped-in amplified music from recordings in the mall, or even in the home. No more clicky-clicky digital cameras, not once the batteries wear out, there's no more wall current to charge 'em, and you've sold the damn camera to buy flour anyway.

Baldwin talks about playing his bagpipes for college money, I'm already finding that my art skills are probably going to be my lifeboat, and there's a lot of skepticism about this from most people here.

Let me tell you, once the artificial shit is gone, being a skilled musician or artist isn't going to be that bad a gig. No, it won't get one out of their shift hoeing potatoes, but art/music will be desired, in fact NEEDED, skills.

Once the mall-music and endless blaring of recordings from the 1980s are silenced in the Taco Bells, which by then will be knitting centers or places for people to get together and enjoy berry infusions, live music will come back! The kind of live music R. Crumb mourns the passing of, live music made by everyday people!

Once most of the old magazines have been mulched and the digital cameras are dead artifacts, someone who can sketch Lil' Johnnie playing with his hoop in the street or do a good drawing of how to make a solar oven or how a seed grows, in an interesting poster, will be doing a real service.

People discount real music and art right now because they're so flooded with mass-produced crap that they're just overloaded with visual and aural noise.

[Chaparral]

If you end up in a nice place, harvest and planting time may indeed interfere with your profession in the arts. It might be a good idea to work on both sets of skills now instead of just one. Music, especially jazz and classical, whether with an orchestra or with a quartet is something I value nearly as much as life itself. That is why I chose my Nor Cal area. There is an abiding cultural DNA there so to speak that I believe could coalesce into something worthwhile in just about any scenario. Drafting and illustrating skills have come in handy for me in just about everything I've ever done.

The trick now for all of us is to insert ourselves into a group/region where those things will be more immediately useful than knife-fighting and prostitution.

[Baldwin]

The problem with my pipes are the supplies.

Chanter reeds (the thing that the fingers are on) last 1-1.5 years. They are made from natural cane. They are cheap. 100 years supply would cost $1000

Drone reeds (the big things resting on my shoulders). can be cane or synthetic. Cane lasts about 1-2 years. Synthetics last 3-5 years. I use synthetics. A decent set of synthetics costs $80. Cane varies. No name brands are $16 for a set while name brand can be up to $130.

The bag itself is either synthetic or natural hide. Bags last 1-4 years and cost $175-$300. I use synthetic.

Even my pipe set is synthetic (high density polypenco plastic). The advantage is that my poly pipes will last for my whole life and probably far beyond the grave.

[dukey]

i try not to worry about the future too much >_<
as a society everyone is gonna live through it
all u can do is prepare in a round about way

[PenultimateManStanding]

I'm a pretty good sketch artist, plants, but I've got to wonder how much paper will be available in the future. Let alone pencils. There's a lot of technology that goes into producing paper and pencils.

[Baldwin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', 'I')'m a pretty good sketch artist, plants, but I've got to wonder how much paper will be available in the future. Let alone pencils. There's a lot of technology that goes into producing paper and pencils.

[MaterialExcess]

I'm building up a stash of acoustic guitars and extra strings. Even if I don't earn any money from it, it will be good for my own sanity.

[Stratovarius]

It makes me sad, since I love European metal and electronica...which are both technology intensive forms of music. Although I appreciate all kinds of music unless it's country or bluegrass.

And I agree, only crap-music gets attention now-a-days.

[chukar]

I'm thinking paper and pencils will serve better use as kindling. It's a shame, but that's what I envision.

[Baldwin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('chukar', 'I')'m thinking paper and pencils will serve better use as kindling. It's a shame, but that's what I envision.

[Daculling]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Stratovarius', 'I')t makes me sad, since I love European metal and electronica...which are both technology intensive forms of music. Although I appreciate all kinds of music unless it's country or bluegrass.

[UFCjunkie]

Music aint going anywhere. We have enjoyed music as long as there have been humans. We will continue to dance to tunes for as long as we breath. The music wont sound as on the radio but we will enjoy it, I think even more than we do now, it will be more real.

And all the other things we created such as CDs and TVs and shit will only be missed for one generation, hardly that.

I think the survivours of the new world will be very happy and greatfull.

I hope the earth swallows most of the worthless crap we humans created under the petrolium age, I hope she does her best to destroy it and let the living things grow back insted.

I think the future looking brighter than ever, maybe not for me and alot of other humans, but for this planet.

[grabby]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Chaparral', 'I')f you end up in a nice place, harvest and planting time may indeed interfere with your profession in the arts. It might be a good idea to work on both sets of skills now instead of just one. Music, especially jazz and classical, whether with an orchestra or with a quartet is something I value nearly as much as life itself. That is why I chose my Nor Cal area. There is an abiding cultural DNA there so to speak that I believe could coalesce into something worthwhile in just about any scenario. Drafting and illustrating skills have come in handy for me in just about everything I've ever done.

The trick now for all of us is to insert ourselves into a group/region where those things will be more immediately useful than knife-fighting and prostitution.

[NEOPO]

Yeah I mean even when the titanic was going down the band played on or at least in the movie.
I am sure we could make a decent drumset from human tanned skin and bones, maybe a flute from a femur, a decent rattle from a very dried out babies skull?

Yep "when the music is over turn out the lights"
"and he, he walked on down the hall!"

[Wednesday]

People managed to amuse themselves long before electricity.

In the summer I will crank up the PV cells and whip out the Ramones mp3s. In the winter, I'll just have to play my trumpet or flute.

I'm looking forward to community entertainment. My town already has several community festivals and fairs. I imagine we will just put on a Saturday night dance and make it a regular thing.

Maybe I should look for some sturdy dancin' shoes.

[I_Like_Plants]

Wow quite a popular little thread here....

When my family hit bottom in the 1970s, we ended up in a world where electricity use was a light bulb per room (non 'o' them fancy shades either, just a bare bulb in a socket in the ceiling) and well, the stove was electric. We were too far away from the TV stations to get decent reception, and a working radio.... don't even dream of it. Those were found in cars and it was rare to get a ride in a car. Yet, one of the ways I brought in the odd dollar was with art. The local store, barely larger than my apartment, still had drawing paper and pencils and stuff. Other local artists, hacks maybe, but kind, donated materials to me. High-tech was doing well thousands of miles away, but I never heard about it. I did some pretty decent artworks and sold same. What's funny is, I'll probably get the same dollar amount for the same quality/quantity of work now, that I got back in the late 70s.

I guess what I'm saying is that I lived in a time when things were very Depression-like and art didn't get me out of my foraging and fishing duties, but it was a good side gig.