1) Prepare for the worst. We face an extraordinary number of potential crises: from energy crunches to nuclear war and financial collapse. That makes digging for the truth a bit like prescribing yourself a depression pill. Even psychologists have started looking at the societal and personal ramifications that peak oil will have on our lives (i.e. Dr. Mills at LMU). But there’s a lot to be said for being prepared.

When society breaks down, it happens quickly and without warning, and there are a lot of theories out there that postulate a government-sponsored crisis could be how the elite try to usher in a one-world currency and – eventually – a one-world government.

Crises aren’t fun to live through. Educate yourself so you can resist the move toward a new world order, and so that you can protect yourself (and stay alive) if society does break down. Learn how to garden and purify water. Maintain alternative means of transportation (like working bicycles). Buy a generator. Stockpile essentials, and get to know your neighbors (you may have to lean on them a lot in the coming years).

2) Don’t support the world’s largest banks. It might be more convenient to bank with a company that has branches around the world, but it’s hard to argue with the notion that the world’s largest banks hold enormous sway over our political and economic systems. Just take a look at the staggering number of former Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS) executives who hold positions at the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve. Switch to a local bank. If they get bought out, switch again.

3) Limit your oil consumption. Oil companies hold nearly as much sway over Washington as bankers. Until we reduce our consumption of oil, our country will be dependent on imports and our standard of living will be dictated by the price of oil. If we can limit our consumption of oil via fuel-efficient cars, bicycles, motorcycles (or even better: natural gas-powered cars), we’ll be sheltered from oil shocks and other economic turmoil.

4) Support the politicians you believe in. Not everyone in Washington wants to consolidate the government’s power. Case in point: former Wisconsin State Senator Russ Feingold was the only senator who voted against the USA PATRIOT Act in 2001 – an act that greatly expanded the power of law enforcement agencies to monitor U.S. citizens.

Just one senator opposed the act while 66 members of the House voted against it. Find out who they were and support them and the causes they believe in. Feingold, who lost his bid for re-election in 2010, founded Progressives United. The group now works to overturn Citizens United v. FEC – a Supreme Court decision that removed limits on money corporations can indirectly pour into the electoral process (via smear campaigns, PACs and other avenues).

5) Be skeptical of the media. Pay attention to the sources of “research” that you see in news articles. Google the foundations, think tanks and institutions that are cited. Often, they have specific agendas that may change the way you view the information you take in. Spend some time pouring over actual documents from Wikileaks if you want a true sense of how the world really works.

6) Turn off the television. The average American watches four hours of television per day. That’s the equivalent of nine years by the time we turn 65 or two months out of every year that are spent passively entertaining ourselves. It’s little wonder that we don’t have time to vote, ride our bikes to work or spend time with our families and neighbors. Liberate yourself and get involved with your community by limiting your entertainment time.

7) Shop local. Every dollar you spend enriches someone else. The beauty of that fact is that you get to choose who you enrich. Visit your local farmer’s market for food or join a community-supported agriculture group (CSA). Go to specialty stores in lieu of Wal-Mart. Get a deep freezer and buy meat from a local butcher in bulk. Shop for clothes at thrift stores and utilize your library for entertainment. Not only will you reduce your debt, you’ll be vitalizing your local community and taking cash out of the pockets of corporations.

8) Minimize your tax burden. The financial system is set up to cater to the men and women who control the world’s wealth. The capital gains tax rate (for securities held longer than a year) is 15 percent. Compare that to the Federal income tax bracket, which stands at 25 percent for people earning between $34,500 and $83,600 a year. Put more of your income in dividend-earning stocks and cut back on your hours at your full-time job. Or, better yet, explore real estate investing and the creative ways you can protect your gains from taxes. Grow your wealth and keep your cash out of the hands of the governing elite in the process.

9) Revive the barter economy. One of the best ways to extract your cash from the economy is by trading skills and products for the things you need. Get on Craigslist and buy used or trade away the dusty goodies piling up in your garage. Invest the money you save in hard assets or donate it to a local charity.

10) Spread the good word. It’s hard to talk about things like a one-world government without feeling like you’re wearing a dunce cap. But you don’t even have to mention the new world order to your friends. Instead, tell them about all the exciting, positive things you’re doing with your life. Give them food from your CSA. Talk about the local charity you’ve gotten involved with. Tell them stories about the people you meet on the bus (since you’ve given up driving a car to work!) or invite them over to help you install solar panels on your roof. Dwell on the positives, and you might be surprised at how your actions influence your friends.

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