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Over the last couple of decades the world has seen an unprecedented spike in technology and access to learning. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen a growing number of people who have used this technology to tune out, and lose their ability to be self-reliant.

Skills that were once part of our culture, ones that helped us survive, have been largely forgotten; replaced by a generation of dependent people that can’t even balance a checkbook, cook a meal, or change a flat tire. Although we have more access to information than ever, the skills of our forefathers have been replaced by useless knowledge like how fast you can text a message, or knowing what reality TV star is doing what.

The skills that have been used by past generations to build new worlds, care for their families, and make a living have been replaced with useless knowledge, self-gratification, and a dependency on the government for just about everything.

I’m all for using technology to better yourself – without it this site wouldn’t exist – but people need to get back to the basics, and learn the skills they need to survive. If not, we are in real danger of losing our ability to be self-reliant.

Here is our list of forgotten skills that everyone should know:

Cooking Skills: The ability to cook a meal from scratch.

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Learning how to cook from scratch, with basic ingredients that don’t get poured out of a can, is one of the most important self-reliant skills you can have. If you’re serious about preparedness, especially if you’re in the process of getting started with emergency food storage, learning how to cook from scratch is something you cannot afford to ignore

Resources for learning how to cook:

Top books for learning how to cook:

Healthcare Skills: The ability to care for yourself and your family without a doctor.

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These days’ people seem to go to the doctor for every little thing that’s wrong. A stuffed up nose; head to the doctor. Stubbed your toe; trip to the emergency room. Have a headache; time for some high power painkillers.

Unfortunately, our society has become dependent on doctors, high-power medications, and trips to the local pharmacy. But a couple generations ago, most people knew how to take care of themselves; they knew how to get better without rushing out to the doctor, or pumping themselves full of drugs that often create more side effects than the actual condition.

Medical skills that everyone should know:

Medical books everyone should read:

Mental Skills: The ability to control your emotions.

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I’m sorry to say it, but we’ve become a nation of wimps.

Over 70 million Americans are now taking at least one mind-altering medication to control their emotions. While some of these problems are indeed very serious, something that I’m not trying to make light of, I believe most of them come from a culture of dependency, and a society that likes to take the easy way out.

Resources for becoming mentally strong, without pharmaceutical drugs.

Books that can help build mental strength, and help with fear and anxiety:

Preparedness Skills: The ability to respond to tough times, disasters and crisis.

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Prepping is nothing new; unfortunately, today’s society sees it as some sort of side show attraction, performed by tin-foil hat wearing, Doomsday Preppers who are waiting in their bunker for the end of the world to come. Although the mainstream media has helped feed that stereotype, nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, a couple generations ago it wasn’t called prepping; it was just a way of life.

Past generations understood the need to prepare; the need to save; the need to be ready for the rough times.

Preparedness Resources: Preparing for disasters, crisis and threats.

Preparedness Related Books: Pretty much everything you need to know about Prepping