I was in the office today when the bosses went offsite to a meeting. In the chatting that started up the subject eventually came around to politics, as usual, it then evolved into the economy and from there, with a little prodding from yours truly, to prepping.
The six people there were just ordinary citizens going about their daily business. None were highly paid and some we there volunteering. None were what I call financially well off although none were destitute. Without fail everyone stated they were worried about the fate of the economy and thought that the government would not get it under control for several months. Although everyone did think that they would do so.
In discussion it came apparent that all bar one had several weeks supply of food in their house and all had access to a vegetable garden, every one more successful than mine btw. Although they all grew different things depending on their situation. I was surprised to find one that regularly shot and ate the pigeons that landed in his garden. He has a stream and some chickens as well. Although they did not have anywhere near enough food to survive a year they certain are prepared for any short to medium term issues. Remember that they do not see a long term issue so they have prepared in their own way for what they see as a real threat. The odd one out shopped fortnightly and didn’t have a garden.
I tried to talk to them about bigger issues but they were fairly confident that societal collapse would not happen. We talked about other things and they accepted there might be an issue with water but did not see any need to put anything else aside. The electrical grids would not fail nor the gas mains run empty. The person who had no real stores decided they were going to start keeping a little bit more and some decided they would get in a ‘few’ bottles of water just in case. One knew a survivalist and was fairly confident that if anything bad happened they could get in there while the others had friends with about the same level of stores as they had. It seemed nobody knew anyone who had no stores at all although all accepted that there were people not far away who lived from hand to mouth. The feeling was those poor souls would not survive long if the supplies stopped. At the same time none felt threatened in any way by these starving people. The police were not that far away and if they were not there then there would be fisticuffs.
All in all it was an interesting chat. It kind of reinforces our thoughts that most people do not have any long term survival capability. Most will last a few months at most before the food runs out although they would be forced to find drinking water long before then. If they survived the hordes down the road. It was pretty sobering listening to them talk. Eyes firmly closed to even the slightest risk.
On the plus side I now know of two veg gardens not far from me, one with a stream and an extensive veg garden, I suspect the chickens won’t make it though although his house sounds like it would be a nice place to set up in. On the edge of a village a few miles down the road from me.
In the meantime I’ve asked the guy with the survivalist neighbour to pass on my details. I said I wanted to talk about the Yew bow he is making. He sounds my sort of guy. In the meantime I’ll keep trying with the others. They already have the right mind set, maybe something will occur that will open their eyes.
In the meantime if you have recently had such a chat where someone mentioned they have a stream in their large back garden, have chickens and eat pigeons then it was a different group I was talking about. OK. Same if you are reading this and your neighbour asks you about your Yew bow. It is a different person. So much for OPSEC.
Please don’t be upset everyone but this highlights the dilemma faced by all preppers; at what point does educating more people about preparedness reduce the chances of ‘preppers’ surviving?
In the long run in a small and vastly overcrowded country like this one the more that know the greater lengths you or I need to go to to remain ahead of those semi-prepared.
On the other hand I care about people and have an urge to educate those around me about the issues. I do however know the most sensible thing is to say nothing, do nothing to help educate the masses and increase my chances of survival.
Hope I don’t cause a row 🙂
Tinkertytonk,
Not sure thats true. Sure if you tell everyone about your own plans, they’ll come knocking and that’ll be bad, but the oposite might be that you and thirty nearby folk have what prepped and can rely on one another to some extent.
I almost imagine there might be three groups. Violent hordes/thugs, preppers and ‘no-hopers’. I know so many people who worry about iphones and Eastenders, I can only imagine these people as sitting ducks, who’ll maybe turn to the hordes post event?
The more preppers in the system the better. People with different skills, to share tasks and assist one another the better. Get the no-hopers into preppers, I think it’d help you in the long run.
I like your three groups definition however I’d point out the following:
Group one: No-Hopers will become the violent hordes very quickly when the whole system falls apart ( 65 million people approximately in this one/two groups).
Group two: Prepper/accidental prepper (those with large food supplies or farms/land): 300,000 at the moment at a guess. Group two spread out over the whole country with very few of them operating in groups (at the moment) prepared to help each other out.
I’ve been prepping for a few years and put feelers out to people I’d like to prep with and work together. Lots of nice words but not one of them has done anything to ‘prep’………no group for me to work with.
Groups like this website are very good but have yet to meet a real prepper that I know about. True preppers are years from forming groups and organizing……….especially in this country where ( I have looked deeply at this) you can not get more than 75 miles from where literally millions of people live. Yes, areas of Scotland / Wales have ‘land’ but large tracts of that are food/shelter (even if you build your own) free.
Also as the shit hits the fan will not old allegiances (being Welsh or Scottish) take hold again if the worst case scenario happens? I’m sure it will; police hanging together, as will the army and landowners, Scots and Welsh. The pictures not pretty in an overcrowded country.
Your points are vallid I feel in a large country like US where groups can ‘go somewhere’ in large numbers and work together. GB has nowere to go like the US and I feel that a small group of 4-8 is the best you could hope for.
Tinkertytonk,
As long as we keep OPSEC we can discuss a level of preparedness with the world. Once people are on that path then we can expand their views to include, for example, a total collapse or more likely that by expanding their views they come across a site like this. Those that choose to do nothing will more than likely not remember the encounter. People that prepare tend to be the reliant type, the type you actually want in your team, and thus if they choose to prepare themselves then they can only increase your chances of survival.
No matter how much you talk most people will not prepare in the slightest. People today are generally stupid and lazy, many, like captive animals, expect everything done for them.
So although you care about people, I’m sure that there are some you care about more than others. Concentrate on them and be subtle. Do what you can without risking yourself.
Ronnie,
Simplistic but probably right after an event. Before an event I see it is a different way (in size order);
a) Ordinary people who are just not thinking.
b) Ordinary people that will not think.
c) Low life
d) Preppers
e) Government
A – We have a chance of converting. General good people who just need a few facts, missing from the MSM, pointed out to them.
B – These will be difficult to convince. It will need to be spelt out to them in simple words and you will clearly be identified as a prepper.
C – Good luck with that best avoided. Although I say you should always keep friendly with these guys. We will need them to get tooled up after an event.
D – That is what this site is for.
E – More low lives except that they only take and never give. Keep well away.
After and event many no hopers will convert to the hordes and will rip their way through everyone, including each other. Hopefully we can keep out of the way. Survivors will be a mixture of hordes, preppers and a few ordinary people who are out of the way in small villages or the like. I would guess hordes would be clustered around inner cities so we would want to be clear of those if we can.
Tinkertytonk,
I see what you say. I feel the same and that is the reason I set up this site. I think we can get far enough away from the inner cities to make our way and build up little communities.
Preppers are a paranoid bunch. Well aware of the fact that people call them nutters and yet in an event would think nothing of coming around to stay so we keep ourselves to ourselves.
I don’t see us going tribal at that level. hell, it will be at village level where an unknown from the next village will be suspect.
Families exceed that amount. That is a good place to start because there is a limited obligation there. My kids will have a place even though they smile at my preparations atm. I’m concentrating on friends and family but also include people I like who I meet at work or play and just lead onto the subject usually via politics, everyone loves to kick those people.
In the meantime share knowledge, build up relationships on here and other like sites and get to know people. They don’t have to be fully prepared survivalists to end up in your community. They may be farmers, doctors, ordinary people that have minimal preparations but the right mindset. You can help them.
Just be careful and remember OPSEC.