I love the post…but what you describe is not a new way of thinking. It’s the way people bartered and lived for all of human history up until about the industrial revolution. It’s important to think real long and hard about what you need vs what you desire. As far as skills are concerned; learning new skills (how to start a fire, find water, build things from raw materials, fix machinery, Hotwire a car, escape from handcuffs, pick a lock, etc) is the most important prepping anyone can do. Things can be taken from you, Skills can not. If you are escaping a disaster area and someone takes all your food, water and supplies…the. The skills you have will allow you to acquire new items. Even things that are currently illegal like those I mentioned above can save your life. If you are kidnapped and handcuffed in a vehicle but you know how to escape handcuffs and Hotwire a car then you can save your own life and escape your attacker. You can even pay ex military that own companies to teach you these skills if you do desire.

Most important rule of prepping…knowledge and skills are more important than your gear.