Me personally I think it will depend on the nature of the event. and the degree and the chance and the timing for some normalcy to return.
There is also this it won't just be the liberal deadbeats 'gib-me-dats' who will want your stuff. Many fellow conservatives on this forum have directly on indirectly indicated that you should share in what they are positive is the highly unlikely event of a SHTF nature.
Many of these types will at first react with total disbelief that something of SHTF nature even occurred and it will take them sometime to even grasp the fact that they are now in it deep.
Then when they grasp just how deep they are in it should they know anyone who prepared they will run not walk to them for help. And woe be that prepper family, friend or acquaintance if you don't rightfully share.
They will be sure to be full of righteous anger as they have always considered preppars more or less with the same words Obama used as be unintelligent people who cling to their guns and Bibles.
If hell has no fury as that of a woman scorned it isn't nothing compared to someone who considers themself above the 'rabble' and hoi polloi in every way proven wrong.
The gib-me-dats hate us already and we know that, but the haut monde when they find those whom they scorned and derided to be right and able to cope with something they can barely believe to be happening.
Ping
“So, my grasshopper friend (as in the story of the grasshopper and the ant), here is your official warning: if your “plan” for your and your family’s safety is to come to my place, you’re wrong. When you show up, I’ll ask you to leave. When you don’t, I’ll point a gun in your face. If you refuse to leave, I will shoot you. You are a threat to me.”
I just finished “Lone Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell & Patricia Robinson. I think of the miseries and agonies two bullets would have saved.
I wouldn’t HESITATE to even turn away my own relatives, so turning away other people won’t be a problem for me at all, generally speaking of course.
As you said, it will really depend on the nature of the event. The circumstances in which they are coming to me looking for help will matter a lot too. If it’s someone that scoffed at the idea of preparing for a bad event, buying video games/booze instead, and or did me wrong during the ‘real world’; those kinds of people won’t have a chance in hell of me helping them.
On the other hand, if someone shows up at my door, I knew them to be a person of good character, and they found themselves in a bad situation through no fault of their own, I’d be more open to the idea of helping them out.
Only the one's I invite.
And yes there are some that have an open invitation to come and live with us. That number might grow in the future.
Not all of them are family either.
They might for some reason or another be unable to prep properly or they might have a skill set that I do not have. These are people whom I know that will work hard and be a help.
Warm bodies, if willing to contribute will be a major asset. I plan for adding at least a dozen additional adults to my group if necessary. More is possible as I continue to plan.
You will eat my food and use up my medical supplies, generator, firewood, etc.
Food is something you need to guard and grow. More people means more help to do these things. Medical supplies, you should already have laid enough of the stuff you believe will be scarce and you have more hands for tending medical needs. As for firewood, a room with ten people in it needs less firewood then a room with two. A generator does not care if there are two people in the room or 100. It will put out the same amount of energy.
Now lazy people or people unwilling to work are another story.
Those who do not work will not eat as Paul put it.
For the most part you should plan to take people in if they will be useful. And I am not just talking about young women willing to pull a plow either. :)
Kart, I see some of this attitude everyday. In my line of work I keep a large arsrnal of tools in my box (machinist) . There are certain types of co-worker that deride you for being a pack-rat, but where do they show up when they need a tool? Also acquaintances laugh when they see me with my multiple pocket tools, knives, marlin spike etc. then they need something cut, opened, tightened, rigged, etc. And hey “where’s Budge? You gotta knife?”. I have no illusions as to what will happen in a truly SHTF moment.
When folks tell me that, I just point them to the local “Church of Later Day Saints.” I tell them that they would be much safer interacting with a charitable people than they will be in dealing with me.