If you weren’t forced to have insurance, would you? Is it really necessary? What did people do before big companies came about? Marjory discusses her viewpoint on insurance, how she has lived her life, and what she considers real insurance to be.
(Note: Marjory wanted this note to be added – “the heart of my backup food supplies are foods I’ve grown myself and canned, dried, frozen, or fermented. Grains and beans round out the caloric load, are easy to store, and have good nutrition, but are not a main part of my diet. I love having these extra calories just in case though”)
Marjory Wildcraft is an Expedition Leader and Bioneer Blogger with The [Grow] Network, which is an online community that recognizes the wisdom of “homegrown food on every table.” Marjory has been featured as an expert on sustainable living by National Geographic, she is a speaker at Mother Earth News fairs, and is a returning guest on Coast to Coast AM. She is an author of several books, but is best known for her “Grow Your Own Groceries” video series, which is used by more than 300,000 homesteaders, survivalists, universities, and missionary organizations around the world.
COMMENTS(24)
Dear Marjorie,
I totally respect your outlook on the subject and I can see where you are coming from, but…and its a big but…what about accidents in general–things we cannot control no matter how organic, holistic, responsible and self sufficient we are. I too avoid doctors and their drugs and rely on homeopathy, but if my finger gets severed (lets pretend it wasn’t my fault) I will make my way to the nearest ER in a heartbeat and I don’t want to loose my home and car as a result of a hospital bill.
If I didn’t have insurance would I risk loosing a roof over my head or just throw the finger into the garbage while knowing that the technology exists to repair this but not for me, because I don’t have the cash to pay for it? Only those with enough money or insurance could save their fingers. Do we want to live in a country like that? Do we want to go backward as a society?
This is where catastrophic insurance can become a handy tool. A friend of mind whose English is not her first language said once, “we don’t know what God has in storage for us”! I think that about says it all on that part of the argument.
Secondly, as you said in your video, community is very important. But who decides where community begins or ends? At the end of your road? At the town limits? Outside your church? Within your state? If we pool our funds as a “community on a continent” we can live in a world that is better, safer and more just.
Your barn raising is a form of socialism that you can see with your own eyes and therefore judge to be fair and equal. But you sound like you distrust a larger form of socialism if you are not overseeing it yourself to judge what is fair and equal.
If the majority of the members of that continent vote for some communal form of law,be it health insurance, or paying for a military, etc, then the rest of us must, as members of that group go along with it–even kicking and screaming. Its referred to as the greater good. Its worked so well in the past for us, and even though some these days are trying to rewrite history, I hope and pray they fail in their attempts because if they win, we loose our democratic process.
On the other hand, we can always move to another country if we don’t like this one’s rules. We are still free to do that.
The best,
Darlene Davis
Dear Marjorie,
I totally respect your outlook on the subject and I can see where you are coming from, but…and its a big but…what about accidents in general–things we cannot control no matter how organic, holistic, responsible and self sufficient we are. I too avoid doctors and their drugs and rely on homeopathy, but if my finger gets severed (lets pretend it wasn’t my fault) I will make my way to the nearest ER in a heartbeat and I don’t want to loose my home and car as a result of a hospital bill.
If I didn’t have insurance would I risk loosing a roof over my head or just throw the finger into the garbage while knowing that the technology exists to repair this but not for me, because I don’t have the cash to pay for it? Only those with enough money or insurance could save their fingers. Do we want to live in a country like that? Do we want to go backward as a society?
This is where catastrophic insurance can become a handy tool. A friend of mind whose English is not her first language said once, “we don’t know what God has in storage for us”! I think that about says it all on that part of the argument.
Secondly, as you said in your video, community is very important. But who decides where community begins or ends? At the end of your road? At the town limits? Outside your church? Within your state? If we pool our funds as a “community on a continent” we can live in a world that is better, safer and more just.
Your barn raising is a form of socialism that you can see with your own eyes and therefore judge to be fair and equal. But you sound like you distrust a larger form of socialism if you are not overseeing it yourself to judge what is fair and equal.
If the majority of the members of that continent vote for some communal form of law,be it health insurance, or paying for a military, etc, then the rest of us must, as members of that group go along with it–even kicking and screaming. Its referred to as the greater good. Its worked so well in the past for us, and even though some these days are trying to rewrite history, I hope and pray they fail in their attempts because if they win, we loose our democratic process.
On the other hand, we can always move to another country if we don’t like this one’s rules. We are still free to do that.
The best,
Darlene
Hi Darlene,
Yes, catastrophic insurance is probably the best choice given all the forces at play right now. No, I don’t have the community strength – as most of us don’t. So I suppose it is good to have something. it is the compromise my husband and I have (and really, all we can afford).
I also don’t believe in accidents or coincidences. Yes, difficult, often terrible, things happen. I know of many people who got a major ‘life hit’ like being run over by a truck. They knew ahead of time that some kind of change was being called for, and they ignored it. I don’t claim to have mastery over my life in this way (although I do try) – I too get caught up in things and events. But I believe that a major catastrophic event is a communication you’ve been ignoring. Or perhaps the only way you’ll ever get that particular lesson.
I don’t know what Life or God’s ultimate plan for us is, but clearly it is much more complex than we understand. And the Universe is not afraid to be harsh if necessary. The good news is, if you are paying attention, I believe there are many earlier, gentler signs which make it easier to navigate through the required changes. I believe these gentler early signs are the demonstration of compassion from the Universe.
I would also like to add that we don’t live in a democracy. And I would not want to live in a democracy for the reasons you pointed out above. The death of Socrates was the worlds lesson that democracy is not a fair or just form of Gov’t (they killed Socrates by a majority vote basically because he was an eccentric). The US Gov’t was originally founded as a representative Republic. Now of course it is difficult to say what the US Gov’t is… or has descended into – a sort of corporate dictatorship maybe?
Marjorie,
I appreciate your comments, and, I must say, I totally agree with you.
Too much of the time, insurance is a scam. This national Obama plan is the biggest scam of all. Bernie Madoff would be proud, even though he had to go to prison for something similar.
As far as food being insurance, I raise a big garden (1 – 70×100, and one 60×95)and we put up, can and freeze, as much as possible. I also give away over half of it to the folks at my church, and neighbors as well, while encouraging them to “put by” as well.
My question is…what do you think about, and, how can we counter it, the fact that in 2012, the president signed a presidential order, giving himself the authority, at a time he deemed necessary, to confiscate not only the produce in the gardens and farms of this country, but, to actually go into homes and make an arbitrary decision on whether you had too much food, ammo, guns, think prep supplies, and confiscate anything over their determination?
I have been thinking about this a while, and, frankly, I don’t have an answer.
Any help would be appreciated.
God Bless
Ray Main
Ray, that is a tough one. And historically, that is what desperate Gov’;ts do in times of crisis. Not just the National Gov’t but also local city and county Govt’s.
And in fact, if I were the leader of a medium sized community and had a police force at my disposal – with angry hungry citizens all around me – I can sure see how tempting it would be to use force to collect whatever I could for the ‘common good’.
Here is what I believe (and this is gleaned from the many interviews with collapse survivors and readings of historical accounts), small communities with good leadership will pull together. Moving to such a place and becoming involved in that leadership is important to do now if it is at all possible. The ebook I wrote “7 Shortcuts To Finding The Perfect Survival Retreat” primarily focuses on finding a good community. Other possibilities are groups such as the Transition Town movement is very aligned with helping the community be more prepared and mitigating the worst of it. The more prepared the community is, the less desperate its Gov’t will be. Although note that the Transition Town movement does not mention prepping or survival as its base.
I pray and hope that our descent is a more gradual bumpy decline versus a fast collapse. As a slow descent will allow more people to become past of the solution which is more personal self reliance.
A twisted outcome of the grasshopper and ant are exactly what the plans are far. Reward sloth and penalize preppers. Remember though that some ants leave a nasty sting when they are disturbed.
Thanks! I have for my family enough to feed us for a longer time than forty days. As far as Barry’ and the boys, I do not want anything from him. Your ideas on your rabbit hutches and their remnant droppings is a good idea. I would like to know more about misting system…
Thanks for all you do for us. I am older and look for systems that will work when I am shuffling from point to point…
Al
Hi Al, Yes a real retirement program is probably an established food forest or orchard. Perennials take time and energy to get started in the early years, but are much easier to take care of later on. I will definitely be doing more on this topic! hah, turning 50 uh, yes, I totally get it about the possibility of shuffling sometime in the future.
Insurance is against my religion because I believe the Creator supplies
ALL of my needs. If I don’t utilize the gifts and be a good steward of what is given – that’s just too bad.
Marjorie, I love you! You’re the only person in the world who shares my view of insurance. I figure, since insurance companies are in the business to make a profit, if insurance were a good deal for the customer they wouldn’t offer it. Real insurance is being prepared, as you say.
The current debate about the unaffordable Affordable Care Act/Obamacare is downright sickening. Our government has no legitimate business in citizens’ healthcare, or healthcare insurance. That Obamacare is being selectively forced on US citizens on pain of penalty is criminal, I don’t care what Justice Roberts said.
Marjory, the reason I have health insurance is precisely because I own a home. I have basically disaster coverage with a high deductible because I too believe I can keep myself healthy through diet and exercise. But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t be on the receiving end of a drunk driver or some other kind of accident that could put me in a hospital.
If that happened and I didn’t have insurance, the hospital that treated me could put a lien on my house so that I could never sell it unless I paid their exorbitant bills first. I pay for insurance planning to never use it. That’s not been the case and I am grateful that I had the help in paying the resulting bills.
Also, depending on your neighbors to help you reestablish yourself after a loss because you didn’t have insurance is selfish and irresponsible. In the county in which I live, we have had many fundraisers to help people such as a lady whose son had a particularly bad strain of cancer (and ultimately died) and whose bills, even with insurance, were astronomical. I have no qualms about helping her.
However, other people have had fundraisers because someone in their family died and they couldn’t pay the funeral expenses. For that I won’t give my money. I pay insurance so no one has to “bail me out” if I have a problem. I feel it’s the responsible thing for me to do.
I resent having to pay for those people who don’t have insurance and don’t do anything to keep themselves healthy or well. We taxpayers shouldn’t have to bail these people out by paying for their health care. Whether Obamacare will help the situation or not remains to be seen. I have my doubts.
I get your point. Yes, catastrophic insurance is a good way to go (it’s what we do because we can’t afford much more).
Unless I have been misinformed, all versions of insurance originated as Catastrophic coverage. During most of the first decade of this millennium I was (health-wise) self-insured, paying as I go, despite being Type 1 diabetic. During those years, I was able to pay off my home and stick away some cash. Only reason I obtained high deductible policy was the potential of being hospitalized. Needless to say, my premiums and co-pays have exceeded what has been paid out by a factor of 4:1.
So: We must have insurance only if we have a mortgage. We must have insurance only if we want to drive. We must have insurance because we breath. What happened to Free-Choice and Liberty??
i’m with you 100%. i admire you for admitting it. i didn’t have ins. for a long time ever since my mortgage got paid but then decided to get it because i have tenants and really no neighbours that know me well. i feel ins. companies and banks are rip-off artists amongst other companies like big pharma and industrial farms and resent paying them when i know i’ll most likely never need it.
Hi Sylvia,
With tenants and rental situations, yes the insurance premiums are factored into the business model and that is probably a place where it is appropriate.
Excellent video and good comments. I often use the death of Socrates as an example of how democracies are not desirable.
I had a recent illness and used the Veterans Administration, a good example of socialized healthcare and frankly wondered if their goal was delaying my treatment until I died in an effort to save money. I did most of my own treatment using holistic remedies my wife had recommended.
Kudos
Hi Mike,
Glad you liked the video.
I’ve heard a similar statement about the school lunch programs that claims ‘they are fattening the kids up for the medical system”. LOL.
Hi Marjory:
I have trully enjoyed the video, the candid comments and your on target replies. I too feel that we have been let down by the insurance industry and by our goverment that regulates it. The noble ideas of our forfathers have been thworted by greedy and insencitive coorporative laws which no longer have the intent of the gareater good but rather for the few big investors that want to control not only this country but the world. I was born in South America and have been privilage to see both sides of the coin by spending time in my Country I have watched with great sadness how all those countries are being eaten up by the Corporate American way and it is spreading like cancer.
I applaud you for your courage to speak out and for being our voice at such a crucial time, and I do believe that we have to unite as a small community to fend for ourselves, in other words, Folks we are on our own!! we better help oneanother and learn as much as we can.
Be well,
Clara
Hi,
I’m an ICU nurse, and I constantly see patients and their families who thought “it could never happen to me”…until it does.
I agree that the most important thing for one’s health is to eat right, exercise, use herbals for disease prevention, and be aware of your surroundings. Preparedness is one of the most important forms of insurance you can have. However, I think most people would be well-advised to have high-deductible “catastrophic” health insurance coverage. One injury or serious illness can wipe out a family’s savings and financially cripple them in the future.
Save money on insurance by staying healthy and paying cash for “routine” medical care…use insurance only for the “big stuff” (accident, injury, cancer, long-term medical care, ect).
Same thing for other kinds of insurance: term life insurance, high deductible homeowners/renter’s insurance, ect.
That’s where I stand on insurance.
I can attest to the school lunches. They spend more on containers than they do on food. The students don’t receive nearly enough food now, with the new regulations. The lunches used to be fattening, that’s true, but now they don’t get enough to fill them up, let alone make them fat. The government is in everything now and shouldn’t be.