What are some examples of a person who is self-sufficient? And, how can I as person learn to become more self-sufficient?
In what way? For example… Financially, where you make enough money to live and to save money for the future. Survival wise, where you can survive in the wilderness if lost or stranded Disaster wise, where you can take care of yourself and your loved ones if the powers out, your cut of and the Calvary will be their next week? Food wise, where you grow and raise all of your food Energy wise.... you get the picture
Self-sufficient, means to be able to take care of one's self. If you have an income and are able to provide your basic needs (food, shelter) for yourself, without outside help; then you are self-sufficient.
Unless you live in total isolation and grow your own food it's really impossible to be materially self-sufficient. Mentally however it's difficult, and I suggest you take a series interest in Philosophy.
Self sufficiency, as an absolute state, is really not attainable. No man is an island. Even the last human on Earth would not be self-sufficient. Some needs would simply remain unmet. However, in a more practical sense, someone could be considered self-sufficient if she rarely leans on someone else. If you are significantly more independent than the average person, that seems a reasonable yardstick for self-sufficiently. Or you could simply argue from the antonym. Someone is self-sufficient if they are not needy. I would consider any person who prefers to discover and learn things for himself, rather than ask someone else to do things for him, self-sufficient by nature.
those who are self-sufficient do not depend on any other person/s help to provide for their economic or any other personal needs... how you can become self-sufficient is to simply not rely on anyone else to provide you with the necessities of life... to make your own way in the world on your own merits and efforts...
Actually, you guys are both right, and then, both wrong. First, any individual, from the 1830's mountain man to a modern prepper, must secure raw materials. If you need a simple flint knife, you have to find flint and then something like an antler for knapping. You need the basics. Preppers use pre-packaged food, commercial gunpowder and primers. Same deal. Once equipped, that's were the self-sufficiency comes in. The crux for me is an ancient Asian adage of, "First you must understand the things that you do not understand." I can reload cartridges, cast bullets, sharpen in the togishi fashion, do simple engine repairs and pretty much stop rudimentary pipe leaks. I'm not a good cook, and I am baffled by electrical issues. I do not live near an area with large amounts of potable water, other than going to the grocery store, using municipal water, or putting buckets out for rain. My survival and sufficiency must be directed in those areas. At present, I cannot "live off of the grid."
