By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Collapse is not a dramatic event, but a slow process of failing systems. It manifests as a lack of basic services, like insufficient heating programs and unreliable power grids, despite their continued existence on paper. Rural communities experience these failures directly, facing frequent outages and unaffordable energy costs, leading them to rely on alternatives. As institutions fail, the demand for resources like firewood increases, highlighting a shift where essential services are no longer guaranteed.
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Firewood banks aren’t inspiring. They’re a sign of collapse. They, along with food banks, are stark reminders of a society grappling with significant challenges. While stories of individuals helping each other, like the heartwarming tales of a 90-year-old finally retiring after a GoFundMe or children building a classmate a wheelchair, might initially evoke positive emotions, the underlying reality is much more sobering. These instances highlight the struggles people face, a burden that feels heavy, not hopeful. They reflect a system where basic needs, like heating a home, are becoming increasingly difficult for many to secure. The fact that charity is so often the answer shows that government has failed.
The focus on individual acts of kindness often overshadows the larger systemic issues at play. In a nation with immense wealth, where grocery stores discard vast quantities of food daily, the persistent need for food banks is a tragedy. Even more concerning is the fact that the richest nation in the world often requires food banks to simply help a lot of people just to get by. These day-to-day horrors, though seemingly small, will be remembered in the history books as the tipping point. The decline of the United States can be pinpointed to the “greed is good” era of the 1980s, when those in power made it hard for others to follow.
The reliance on charity, whether through GoFundMe campaigns or organizations, underscores a deeper problem: a failing government. It is a system that allows problems to exist. The idea that basic necessities require reliance on the generosity of others is not the foundation of a healthy society. Rural communities, often facing harsh realities, are the ones to have to face the problems. They face problems the others don’t have to face. Yet, it is these very communities that often vote for the policies that exacerbate their struggles. This disconnect, where those in need support those contributing to their hardship, is a particularly poignant sign of societal breakdown.
Back to wood. The necessity of firewood banks, like food banks, highlights the struggles of many. In rural areas, wood is often the only heat available. While it is a necessary part of life, it is a hard and dirty way of life. The problem is not the wood, but the failure of government. The need for firewood banks is a reminder of the failures of the very people they vote for.
The situation is further complicated by the political landscape. Rural communities, despite often needing assistance, sometimes vote against their own interests. Their dependence on systems that are constantly under attack makes it difficult to improve their situation. This is a cruel irony, where those in need often support the policies that harm them.
What is the solution? Where the government is failing to do anything, neighbors have to do for each other. People are helping each other. However, the reliance on mutual aid and community resource pooling, while commendable, is a response to the failures of the system.
The sheer wealth disparity is shocking. The gap between the wealthiest individuals and the rest of the population continues to widen. The stories of excessive wealth, like the cabinet secretary owning multiple yachts, further highlight this disconnect. The inability to address these problems, and the ban of handing out food, makes these failures even more stark.
These are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a larger decline. As the rural areas decline, the cities will too. The cycle of decline is a steady erosion, and eventually, the only recourse is to take care of each other. The hopeful acts are just the scars that people fill in, but they should not be there at all. In the face of societal challenges, these actions show the resilience of the human spirit.