As you now I’m a very positive person. I believe that most people are honest and decent and that unfortunately due to a set of circumstance that are beyond our control most of them will die. I may seem to be contradictory as I’m doing my bit to help people by providing them information that will help them prepare for an event, yet I am willing to sit by and watch people die during an event. I won’t be happy about it but I’d be unhappier if it was one of mine that was doing the dying.
In reality all I am trying to do is survive longer than most. It is a waiting game. Unless the event is a pandemic or a similar event where people are simply wiped out we will all be competing for very limited resources. Our initial preps are to enable us to survive this waiting game and still be standing when everyone else falls by the wayside. So bearing this in mind why am I helping others to survive as well? Especially people who will compete with me for limited resources and I have stated I am willing to watch them die. On the surface it makes no sense.
It is quite simple really and dealing with them in order I;
Am doing my bit to help them as I want me and my family to live in a larger society where they can cooperate and interact with others. The more the merrier. This is only when these people are in a position to look after themselves and are unlikely to be a threat.
I would be willing to watch them die is simply the end result of them failing to prepare. We have all read and heard about disasters all over the world, people dying in snowdrifts in the UK and because of these risks and my views I chose to prepare for my family and they listened to the same information and chose to believe the wrong people and not prepare for their family. It would threaten my family if I was to help them from my limited stores but I would help them in other ways if it was at all possible. They simply chose to believe the wrong people. Their fault not mine.
I won’t be happy about them dying but I have already come to terms with it just the same as we all watch these adverts about Africa with kids dying and can simply turn over to another channel, instantly forgetting about it. If necessary I would help them on their way if they decided to try taking over my preps or threatening my family.
So the game goes like this. I will inform who I can safely and if they listen they prepare. I give advice and help others share what knowledge they have via meetings and these sites. I don’t see it being a threat as most of the people are geographically dispersed and would never be a threat to us anyway, the ones that are local I want to make friends with, meet up to share information and aim for cooperation prior to an event. Building a relationship that hopefully will last beyond an event, not necessarily a shared relationship with us sharing resources but at the least a neighbourly one where we can help each other and barter where necessary. The others who have not prepared are unfortunately on their own until I don’t see them being a threat. If they look like they are doing OK then I’ll help them where I can and at the moment that will only be where they are self sufficient in food.
Sometimes I wonder how people can see a threat and simply reject it out of hand when they can see so many signs on the horizon. Our society really has been brought up to believe that someone, anyone will be there to help them. Like all the shows on TV someone, something even, always comes along and saves them. They don’t have to do anything at all. History shows life isn’t like that but history is now what we see on TV and the good guys always win.
All that will change though when they eventually realise that help isn’t coming and the veneer of civilisation built up in our society by complacency will be torn off as they turn on anyone around in a search for food and water. We need to be gone or well hidden while nature takes its course. We will have to harden our hearts if we want to survive and anyone who falters from any group will likely doom that entire group. Bear that in mind with those in your group that you are prepping for but are not fully bought into the mindset. This will always be a high risk area for us. What will the wife, kids do under these circumstances? Think about it, discuss it, face it now and make preps accordingly. Ignoring it usually doesn’t help and there is little point in spending all the time and effort if it is going to be given away by a kind hearted wife.
Skean, I take my hat off to you for breaching what will be a reality post-event.
I feel that this is a moralty that will only be tested at the time but to discuss this with the family is just as important as prepping itself.
As a family unit, my teenage son has already stated that his priority is to find
his girlfriend, post-event, despite it possibly costing his life in the search…
We accept also, that he may find and return, girlfriend in hand, so I’m prepping for her to but he’s aware that the rest of her family will NOT be welcome or catered for…
So, apart from dealing with people around us facing death due to lack of preperation, there will be more immediate dilemas to face with people you are associated with, let alone strangers. I for one, am clear. Prep and you survive and network, don’t prep and you steal, fight but eventually do not survive.
I do like to try and make people think.
Your issue is that your son will tell his bit of stuff about your prepping and he may be aware that they are not welcome but she will make the same statement to him that she won’t leave her family, she got any brothers or sisters? You need to think about how you will handle that.
You can plan all you want. Your son is the example that not everyone cares what you think.
Again, agreed and I have to accept that post-event, I have a choice to (a) loose my son on a fools errand or (b) accept that (the film atmagedon springs to mind, boy loves girl, etc, etc) help an extended family (8 in total) that is completely impracticable.
As you say, this will hopefully help people think about the knarly side of what we aim to do. I reiterate your comments, VERY tough choices will need to be made, choices that will involve not just strangers but the people you hold near and dear…
Famine happens thousands of miles away and if its unbearable, turn to channel 5 and watch something else. From a preppers point of view, a line needs to be drawn in the sand. Its not moral or right but in order to survive, you HAVE to draw it regardless of the outcome.
This is why this forum has such value, storing food and surviving is the easy part. The mind-games that follow an event is the real challange. Again, many thanks Skean for going where angels fear to tread.
Interesting analogy. If you remember in the film Armageddon the father died for love. Not sure what to makeof that. In this instance though your son is gambling with his entire families lives. The power of emotions over logic. We must always remember that when working out the way forward.
SD, I intend to bug out with my wife away from people, so that I don’t have to watch people die. If I stop in town, I would be tempted to help other people. I think that the other preppers in the town are inclined to go with me. There would be five of us. Possibly another seven would come with us from one of the villages, that would give us a total of twelve. There are several places which would be suitable within the area. Kenneth Eames.
Very-very interesting article – I must say some very challenging thoughts you have shared and correspondingly some incredible comments were forth-coming.
It does us all well to consider (personally) these concepts.
When we can easily see that in some of the most recent crisis-disaster situations the behaviors of many many supposedly common & rational people = that seemingly turn to irrational activities —- it sure does us all good to really examine what we (I) would do during a short-term or (hopefully not) a long term disaster-crisis situation(s)
Skean – you – have indeed – will have caused many people to think.
Your article is very-much appreciated – at least by this reader.
This is a tough situation for a multitude of reasons. I know that I will most likely share with extended family members who live in the lower 48 (I live in Alaska), and who MAY make it here after the stuff HTF. I am prepping for an extended group of persons, though on a very limited budget. I hope in my preps to have a sufficient number of barter items as well.
I am a born-again Spirit-filled Christian, so can I TOTALLY turn away any and everyone who comes to my door? No, I cannot – but neither can I, nor will I, feed every unprepared/ill prepared person who turns to me for their survival. I will probably give through my church, to distribute as wisely as they can — led by God’s Spirit.
Yes, if someone tries to take the preps God has given me, and in the process endangers me or those I love and care for, they will be summarily dealt with in an abrupt and decisive manner. Thank God, I have firearms familiarity and self-defense training, and I will use it if necessary.
I will not be so hard nose as to refuse to help anyone outside those in my immediate family, but neither will I wantonly give away everything and allow my family to face future starvation.
Blessings,
my duty is to my family- no one else, I will not be feeding the feckless and needy post shtf just cos they couldn’t be bothered or had to have the latest gadget or TV, that’s was their decision-I have already made mine.