About Collapse Life
Q: Who are you, and why did you start Collapse Life?
A: We’re Zahra Sethna and Stephen Mostad, a husband and wife team who are both trained as writers and editors (joined by our greyhounds — Elvis, Dobby, and Asher — for moral support).
While living in New York during the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, we saw first-hand the cracks beginning to form in the façade of modern civilization. We saw that all play out again, although differently, once COVID hit. Collapse Life began as a response to the growing disconnect between rosy headlines and the reality of faltering systems. We wanted a space to explore these trends honestly — not to scare people, but to equip them with clarity and practical know-how for what we see coming ahead.
Q: What’s the point of focusing on collapse — aren’t you just doomsayers?
A: No, not at all. We’re practical thinkers but we’re not here to preach the end times or sell you a bunker. Collapse isn’t a prediction; it’s a lens through which to see the past and the future. History shows us how societies rise, strain, and reshape themselves — and how humans carry on in spite of these sea changes. We study those patterns to understand what’s happening today and build personal and community resilience. It’s about facing facts, not fear mongering. We want as many people as possible to see things with clear eyes and have the tools to adapt as complex systems unravel.
Q: Why should I care about this? Things seem fine where I am.
A: Fair question. Most collapses don’t hit like a movie apocalypse — they creep in. Empty shelves during a storm, a power grid failure, or a job market drying up are whispers of bigger shifts. We’re here for the curious, the skeptical, and the proactive who sense something’s off and want to stay ahead of the curve, not just react when it’s too late.
Q: What makes Collapse Life different from other blogs or Substacks?
A: We’re not about quick rants or trendy takes. We dig deep — using our journalism backgrounds to blend data, history, and real-world strategies — without jargon, fluff, or screaming. We do like a bit of snark, though. We call it “a thinking person’s guide” because we respect your brain. Plus, we’ve got nods from folks like Dr. Pierre Kory and John Rubino, who see value in our no-nonsense approach.
Q: How do you know what you’re talking about?
A: We’re not armchair prophets. But between us, we’ve got decades wrestling with complex systems, living in developing countries, working in big bureaucracies and writing about what we see and feel. We built a homestead and worked towards our own self-sufficiency. We lean on evidence, not hunches, and we’re always learning. If we’re wrong, we’ll own it and dig deeper.
Q: What’s in it for me as a reader?
A: You’ll get straight talk on where the world’s headed — think less “the sky is falling” and more “here’s what’s shaky and how to steady yourself.” Expect ideas you can use, from securing basics to spotting weak spots in your daily life. It’s about cutting through the noise and building a sharper, tougher you.
Q: Where’s this all going? What’s your big vision?
A: We’re aiming to grow a community of clear-eyed folks who aren’t just surviving but shaping what comes next. Collapse isn’t the end — it’s a reset (but not ‘The Great Reset’). We want Collapse Life to be the hub where you find the smarts and grit to navigate it, maybe even turn chaos into opportunity. Stick around; we’re just getting started.
