# From our cumulative professions, could the SDMB keep (a prosperous) society going? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 29, 2005, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192 "2005-11-29T11:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/101 "2005-11-30T02:05:36Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It’s also murderously cold four months a year. I think what was being suggested was finding a place that’s good farmland AND isn’t freezing in winter. Parts of India would fit the bill, as would many places in Africa. Tenn. fits your requirements and still allows for good scanvenging. **SHAKES** : You should be the final arbitrator on this as its your thread. Where do we start? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/102 "2005-11-30T02:12:23Z")
I forgot to mention that if the settlement were in upstate NY, I know the geography of it well enough to make a decent outdoorsman. But if you can tolerate the cold and relative sterility of it\*, you may as well pick Pennsylvania as it has more fossil fuels (at least in oil and coal, NY has boatloads of natural gas, but I dunno if that’s easier or harder for a society to build up on.) Plus Penn has fewer earthquakes (:o) \*Actually there are very many farms, dairy farms, vineyards, and orchards there, but I presume that if it were more fertile, it would be entirely farms. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/103 "2005-11-30T02:14:24Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Tenn. fits your requirements and still allows for good scanvenging. > **SHAKES** : You should be the final arbitrator on this as its your thread. Where do we start? I appreciate the vote of confidence but I’m not sure I’m qualified to make this decision. Personally, I’d like to be somewhere where it’s warm year around. I’d also like to stay close to technology since we do seemingly have the Dopers to keep it going. I agree farmland would be important also as well as hunting and raising cattle type stuff. What about pilots though? I think that would be a BIG help to our society… ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/104 "2005-11-30T02:18:51Z")
With farming going on, you’ll need to keep vermin away from the stores. I’ll lead my furry friends in that endeavor, and also assist with all the construction stuff, vehicle maintenance, and head up fire safety activities. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/105 "2005-11-30T02:21:21Z")
What do we do with guests? Do we ban members of this society? Are there trolls? Talking socks? Will it end up feudalistic, with mods as the knights and the admins as the lords of the manors? Is there to be a tax for new members, depending on when they accepted their citizenry? The finer points need grinding. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/106 "2005-11-30T02:40:59Z")
> [@Batsinma Belfry](#): > > And with help I can grow and pick cotton for textiles. Even better, I can teach some young burly men to grow and pick cotton. If you’ve picked cotton, that probably makes a total of two of us on the SDMB that have done so. Maybe **Sampiro** has… It’s to be hoped that the chemical engineer types can get us enough diesel fuel to run a cotton picker, ‘cause I damn sure ain’t pickin’ no cotton, never again! I’ll plant it and grow it, but I hope I’ve done the last hand picking of cotton that I’ll ever do. I think the location needs to be near an ocean. There’s too much food resource there to ignore. Salt can become a precious commodity inland, and it’s needed for preserving food and other things. Too far north and half of us will be cutting firewood all year to keep the community warm in the winter. Too far south and people and animals will encounter parasite problems that there won’t be treatments for. Remember, there might not be air conditioners… :eek: > [@SHAKES](#): > > What about pilots though? I think that would be a BIG help to our society… We’ve got **broomstick** , if you’re sure there are gonna be airplanes. I was riding around this afternoon thinking about this thread, and it struck me that we’d really need some weavers, knitters and people that can turn animal skin into clothing. Sure enough, some that can do those things turned up! We could make it! I read once in some sci-fi book that a breeding population of 500 would be necessary to colonize a new world. No idea if that’s accurate or not, but with about 4,000 dopers here, we’ve got that covered. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/107 "2005-11-30T02:45:26Z")
Someone tell me my skills are useful or I’m leaving in a huff and starting my own commune. Just me and my gas. (Well, that didn’t sound right, did it?) ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/108 "2005-11-30T02:51:36Z")
Since the spinners and weavers are bowing out of the sewing, I’ll offer myself as a seamstress. My talents tend toward period garb and full body animal costumes, though, so we may be a weird looking group. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/109 "2005-11-30T02:55:05Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I spent many years in the oil patch, so I can keep an oil well and gas lines running. > > Er, I know how to make glass. > > That’s about it. Those skills will be very useful! The glass making alone makes you a valued member. Besides, we can’t have a _GODDESS_ bailing out on us, can we? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/110 "2005-11-30T02:56:42Z")
Ooh, sweet, sweet validation. For once, I won’t be picked last for a team! Woo! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/111 "2005-11-30T02:58:36Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I spent many years in the oil patch, so I can keep an oil well and gas lines running. > > Er, I know how to make glass. > > That’s about it. Of course how could this NOT be important? What, with all the brewmasters we have; we’re going to need plenty of glasses to pour the beer and wine in… 😃 OH, and I guess keeping the vehicles filled with gas might help a little… But just a little… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/112 "2005-11-30T03:01:02Z")
I can knit…not all that great, but I’m sure I could work on it with time! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/113 "2005-11-30T03:05:51Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Ooh, sweet, sweet validation. > > For once, I won’t be picked last for a team! Woo! 😃 Sorry **jsgoddess** , I assumed you knew that your skills would be invaluable. Glass Blowing especially is a rare skill this day and while our generation may not have a huge need for it, our kids would. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/114 "2005-11-30T03:42:05Z")
I’ll take the x-rays so the docs can decide if your broken legs/arms are worth saving. I can also scrub in and hand them the sterile instruments like the Fernston Doohickey, the Double Bronson Thingamy, and the Blorge Retractor whilst they poke and probe your innards. ---
**Author:** ![Otanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Otanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otanx)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/115 "2005-11-30T03:54:23Z")
I could sanitize telephone handsets. Don’t want to die out because of a plauge transmitted by them. I am just another computer geek, but have basic training in military maters. Need security? -Otanx ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/116 "2005-11-30T04:05:46Z")
> [@Otanx](#): > > I could sanitize telephone handsets. Don’t want to die out because of a plauge transmitted by them. We also need someone to defend against the enormous mutant star goat. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/117 "2005-11-30T05:32:41Z")
I’m affraid my competences wouldn’t be of any use in a post-apocalyptic society… Though I could collect actually edible mushrooms during the season. That’s about the only useful thing I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/118 "2005-11-30T05:37:56Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Sorry **jsgoddess** , I assumed you knew that your skills would be invaluable. > Glass Blowing especially is a rare skill this day and while our generation may not have a huge need for it, our kids would. Oh dear. Well, um, now I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t know how to make things with glass (other than fiberglass, woo!), I just know how to make glass. But it can’t be that hard, right? _crickets_ Am I still invited? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/119 "2005-11-30T05:40:33Z")
Oh! And if there’s a shortage of guns, and someone could make me a bow, I could give it a try, too… ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192/120 "2005-11-30T07:03:22Z")
I can tend to kids, keep accounts, and assist in most endeavors that don’t require too much precision. (I’m a nearsighted klutz, so my only hope is to make myself useful enough that no one wants to get rid of me.) I’m also pretty good at getting people to do stuff–I could be the one who makes people do stuff they’d rather not. Is there a name for that? I mean, besides “Mom.” 😃 (No disrespect to the mothers, or anyone else.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/from-our-cumulative-professions-could-the-sdmb-keep-a-prosperous-society-going/333192.md?page=7)