deconsumption poses the following question: If you came upon the knowledge that in two weeks, everyone will finally realize that the gig is up, and the markets will then plummet (speaking hypothetically, of course, wink wink), what would you buy?

My thoughts: I'd SELL my car, pronto. I should have done that already anyway, dammit. I'd use the money from that to buy some books on topics such as how to identify and prepare edible plant species in the local region. Spare bike parts and tools (as one of his commenters already suggested). Several nice big bulk bags of beans and rice for the short term. A bunch of 5-gallon bottles for water. I hate to say it, but I think cigarettes would have good barter value. And liquor. Guns? Much as I cringe at the thought, I know they would have value, both for trade and protection. I guess then the question is whether I could live with myself.

I hope the big crash doesn't happen this winter, but it could. It's good that he's bringing this up, because the sooner we face reality, the better prepared we'll be to deal with it.