Will Y2K start a massive population shift back to the farms reversing the turn of the century movement that promised so many a better life in the city? Will millions who survive the turmoil never look at urban life the same?

-- Ann Fisher (zyax55b@prodigy.com), November 23, 1998

Answers

It's going to be very tough to successfully make that kind of a transition at the last minute(6 mos. before 1-1-2000, nearly impossible after)...in a panic no less. So many people have little patience to apply themselves practically these days or are mechanically inclined. A must for rural life.

The amount of money it takes to be truly independent and comfortable for years spent away from the general population is substantial. I've been working fulltime for 10 mos. on getting my place setup to cope and just now am getting to the mental/physical comfort zone I can live with. It's time consuming enough to prep for country life and there's not really, at this point, a real crush of humanity trying to accomplish the same thing at once...thank goodness for that!

Will return to work early next year and will continue to work as long as I get a paycheck I can still cash.

-- Mike T. (anita_martini@hotmail.com), November 23, 1998.

No.

It just ain't gonna happen.

There's no rural infrastructure for supporting a significant increase in rural population in a short time.

Rural life is _different_ from urban life; it is _not_ simpler. Those who are unprepared for, or inexperienced with, rural life will not find it easier to live in the country than in the average urban or suburban area.

Personally, I think that except for those areas where rioting and such violence are likely (i.e., where that's happened before), current city residents will find cities to be better places to survive Y2K than the country. Cities are the places that have the infrastructure for supporting dense populations.

-- No Spam Please (anon@ymous.com), November 23, 1998.