Posted on 03/23/2013 12:53:07 PM PDT by Kartographer
I'm out, then. ;)
/johnny
“I read upthread your jugs are worth saving... ;)”
That is Lazamataz humor (even if true).
“I think prepping in its hard core form is largely a mischanneled expression of frustration over the state of the country.”
______________________________________________________________
I agree. It is one thing to have a 15 to 30 day supply of food and basic necessities in order to cope with weather oriented problems, but to prep for a breakdown of society is not likely to be much help.
The frustrations in the new USSA that I see from abroad are quite noticeable, but how does one prep for the outcome?
My prepping started over 10 years ago by exploring other countries, and I am now settled in my final location far away from the Obamination.
In my new home, I will never freeze, and I will never run out of food.
Prepping for me is having enough beer and wine on hand.
Yes, I am in a third world country, and China could easily upset my life here, but so could an asteroid.
For now, I am happy on my beach. Obumbo could upset me by cutting off SS, but I will still have a much better life then if I were back in the USSA.
For the “dog in a manger” FReepers that sometimes castigate me, I have to remind them that it was expats that founded America.
It was a great thing, but all great things eventually come to an end. Just ask any Brit as to how their empire is doing today.
The “Peter Principle” will always rule.
I don't post threads. Again, go to the website that article came from and complain there. If you don't complain to the author, that's your problem. Complaining here is your favorite thing to do. You should realize we don't care what you do. You are a nothing here, you have no worth here, you help no one, you just complain.
There is no point in talking to you further, so I won't.
And, of course, I have red hair. ;)
/johnny
You totally dodged the point.
But whatever. Have a fine evening.
And there are lots of us preppers who just don’t post much, period. No need to give away any more information than necessary. No one needs to know my business; I do appreciate the folks who know their stuff sharing.
After Sandy, I got a freepmail saying that some of my information had made a difference.
In my book, that's a Good Thing(tm).
/johnny
Toad, I have to second Blueflag’s recommendation, I got that book, and it’s a must! (H/T to Travis McGee for steering me that way).
The debate of Bug-Out vs. Bug-In continues to resonate around the Preposphere. I would submit to all that, the decision rests upon you and your group’s tactical situation. Bugging out necessitates not only know HOW and WHERE to leave, but WHEN. And that rests solely on your own shoulders, to make that call.
I agree.
It's especially unfortunate because the first step in 'prepping' is just buying on-sale items in bulk. This is good for everone to do and just good sense. Once someone starts to do that to store up a few weeks of supplies he finds that what he saved a dollar on a year ago has gone up a dollar and if he'd bought more he'd have saved twice as much on it than he thought he was saving at the time!
So he buys even more next time-saving even more- and the next thing you know he's got month's worth of supplies!
Which is worth quite a bit even without TS hitting TF and it makes sense to think of it's security...
Now he's a 'prepper' from just being wise with his money LOL!
But there's often a hard-core 'prepare for Doomsday or die you fool!' talk on these threads that puts people off from taking the first steps: buy in bulk on sale, start easy gardening, learn some skill which is usable now ( and will be usable after TSHTF). People who do those steps will naturally then be interested in protecting their cache, and taking further actions like with with water and sewage are then only small marginal steps.
And the number one security factor is good neighbors- which pays off if the TS doesn't HTF too!
Oh, I agree.
Actually, having a plan in place with neighbors you trust and systems in place that you can look out for each other is one of the best ways to ensure the best possible outcome.
All young families around us, wife and I are childless and a few years older. We’ll all try to take care of each other; all the little kids know us and, quite frankly, they are a cute and well behaved batch of little buggers. Firearms and food stashes are all well and good, but humans survive longer and better as part of a community. Someone wants to go all Jeremiah Johnson and be alone in the mountains, more power to ‘em, but me and the missus life in the middle of the city and we aren’t going anywhere unless we have to.
Model the behavior you want to see. One major component of Virtue is putting others before yourself (with the understanding that ensuring your own survival is usually a prerequisite to being of use to your fellow man!)
I've done the mountain man thing, and I'm just fine alone for months at a time without human company, but even an old grump like me occasionally enjoys playing a game of cards or teaching my grandkids new skills.
/johnny
Libertarian. Figures.
Prepping is conservatism because it is a part of the self-sufficiency that our Founding Fathers hallmarked as one of the virtues that would be necessary for the success of this experiment in self-governance.
You claim to be a libertarian, and how do you prepare for the economic collapse that these collectivist politicians have now ensured? Not by preparing so that you can protect yourself and others but by ridiculing and insulting those that do.
I suppose we should all just line up at the government depot for our food handouts after the collapse? Yeah, that way we can spread the word about legalizing drugs and promoting even fouler sexual license. Because they are really important causes, unlike working to take care of ourselves and others.
Sorry, gonna stick my nose in here, but if you don’t like “sharing space” on FR with Preppers, then why are you on a prepper page?
I’m sorry but only Jim Rob, or Mods can decided who is “worthy” to be here, unless you’ve suddenly won a Jackpot and are fronting the money for FR on your own, you don’t get to decided what is said, where it is said, or to who it is said.
Just my two cents
Yup, me too!
And yet.....here you are, on a prepper thread. Stalking much?
The greatest lesson in preparedness I ever received was spending over 9 months in Bosnia in the mid 1990s. Marching through a suburban neighborhood of large, upper middle class homes with the roofs destroyed and windows blown out, and with large caliber holes in the exterior walls, one could make out the residents inside keeping warm with burn barrels in their living rooms.
The slaughter of a sheep or goat for dinner was a community affair, with several families from a cul-de-sac taking part in the festive act of finally accessing a hearty meal.
It seemed the most booming business was that of gravedigger, as the local cemetaries were full of conspicuously recent arrivals, sometimes the victims of a prolific sniper, sometimes fights over food and supplies, often from the breakdown in access to medicine, food and basic sanitation. It was not uncommon to find a grieving mother, arms around her child’s grave marker, lamenting that she could not save her child from the crowd that stampeded him while running from the sudden crack of a sniper’s shot.
I recently read, with great interest, the writings of Selco of Bosnia, who lived there as a citizen at the time. I recommend it to other readers; I think there is a link earlier in the thread.
The most striking thing about Bosnia during that period is how otherwise normal and “not third world” it was. It was a frightening window into what can become of any society, if pushed beyond the brink politically, socially or ethnically.
Anyone who mocks those who prepare for longer-term failures in the supply chain, or law and order, or effective government simply has no knowledge that this isn’t fiction - it has happened, and it does happen, all over the world. The US isn’t exempt simply because there is a Starbucks on every corner.
Quite an interesting thread.
I always learn something from the article and the various posters.
I see the "Anti-Prepper Troll" is on the thread as usual.
Reading his/her postings, I've come to believe it thrives on the attention, just as all Trolls do.
For some, trolling and snarking an FR thread is apparently the only high-point in their lives.
Keep up the good work and don't pay too much attention to the Pismire.
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