THE DARK SIDE
Have you been seduced over to the dark side? I'm referring to the point where you can't get enough prep supplies. Enough is never enough, you always find something else you need to buy, another skill you need the tools for. You can't stop. Something else is worrying you, so you take steps to neutralize that worry. I wonder how many of us are there. I know I've been seduced away from normalcy, towards the rabbit hole of Paranoid World. I've come to terms ( kind of ) with it. But I'm wondering how many people I've unknowingly infected with this disease. Is it a bad thing? Don't worry, I coo seductively in their ear, just a few hundred pounds of wheat, a few guns and ammunition, a cheap water filter, and you can survive the collapse of Western civilization.
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Now while it's true that I have the best intentions and am trying to literally save their lives, I wonder how many lives I've altered? I'm not trying to sound like I'm all knowing or important or know what the heck is really going to happen tomorrow. Any of us, casually talking to neighbors or feeling out our buddies thoughts on the economy, can infect someone else. A meme, an infectious idea. Spreading our poison of fear and paranoia. I'm not saying we aren't correct for being worried. Anybody not frightened out of his friggen mind right now is asleep at the wheel. No, what I wonder is how many people have gone from helpful stockpiling and common sense preparedness to full blown paranoia because I've started them down that road. Am I helping them at all, or hurting them? Is basing all your life decisions on a perceived threat a great idea?
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You could say that we'll know soon enough. You could say that even if nothing happens at least those folks have attained a level of comfort and contentment they didn't have before. They can rest easy at night. You could say that. But I wonder, do I wish that on others? Yes, you sleep better at night because you don't have to worry about starving to death. But, once you've gone over to the dark side, you start inventing new threats to worry about. Like, will someone steal your food. So you buy guns and ammo. Them you worry about gun control. So you bury some guns. But then you worry about aerial detection and getting busted and going to a concentration camp. So you have bug out bags and a retreat. But you worry about losing your job and the retreat you have a mortgage on, so you buy gold as inflation hedges. But you worry about theft of your gold. Etcetera. All because you bought a few hundred pounds of grain. I exaggerate slightly, but you get my point ( and that was just for food, then you add in disease, etc. ).
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Just something to think about. The best intentions still have consequences.
END
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35 comments:
Nothing posted? WTF
nm
I prefer this dark side (learning food preservation, stashing beans and rice, etc.) to the alternatives.
There's a lot to be said for anxiety.
Dont give yourself toooo much credit.
You have not infected anyone, you are not a guru, you are to me a nobody.I'm here to see how many stupid people come here, get an idea of how many idiots there are in your little game.
Before you were writting, there was many other and they were saying better stuff than yours.
everything you have written you can read it in an old book purchased for .50 cents at any old book store.
If your advice would work, then say why are doing so badddd.?
Paranoid? according to you. I believe you. Your intentions>?
well I got the impression that youre here for the money, nothing else.
I preffer to remain Annony, but one day I start blogging and I'll tell the truth. NOT FANTASY.......
THIS IDIOTS IN THEIR COMMENTS ARE SOO BRAINWASH THAT THEY WILL NOT FUNCTION AS SURVIVALISTS.
That is great for the real survivalists, The more failures the more .....
Old Fart.
the real one
A survivalist aims to prepare against possible shortcomings.
The drive to get MORE PREPS is, IMHO, a way to adress the central fear : could I have failed at being a survivalist ?
This is the only real question a survivalist has to answer. Most people imitate the others and accumulate whatever is fashionable these days (FALs, MREs and whatnot), and when they ask themselves this question, they crush it under even more preps.
Survivalists are not paranoid, they are anxious. Since there is NO WAY to answer the Essential Question of have prepared well, it fuels our anxiety.
We could find inspiration in the Scriptures ("Consider the lilies how they grow they toil not they spin not and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" Luke 12:27) and lay the answer to that question in God's hand.
Fact is, we cannot excel in everything, and we all oversee this and invest too much time on that. At some point, the remedy cannot come from us, but from elsewhere.
The true answer comes from the people you live with (and prepare for). If you know them well enough to trust them, listen to them and what they'll tell you about your situation. You'll know then if you have prepared enough or not.
Solsys
I suspect Old Fart is an agent provocateur. Or an idiot.
I'm not brainwashed.
The prepper/survivalist community online has changed my life -I would say for the good. However, there is no doubt that it has caused a lot of friction with my wife, who sees little reason to prepare, and who thinks it is too "negative." I'd decided to be more positive my my outlook, while still taking prudent steps to prepare.
I suspect Old Fart is an agent provocateur. Or an idiot.
I'm not brainwashed.
The prepper/survivalist community online has changed my life -I would say for the good. However, there is no doubt that it has caused a lot of friction with my wife, who sees little reason to prepare, and who thinks it is too "negative." I'd decided to be more positive my my outlook, while still taking prudent steps to prepare.
Old Fart just doesn't get it. He probably will sit in a bunker somewhere watching the world go to hell eating his banana chips. Then what? Then where will you go if you get ill? If the children in your family get sick? If the golden hordes or street gang discovers you? You certainly can't turn to me, because you are an outsider and not a member of my tribe. You will probably survive, but like I said,then what? All survivalists should also prepare by adding a little extra for the neighbors or the church or the community. Old Fart is mean, bitter, and I fear his idea of survival will reflect this.
"you are to me a nobody.I'm here to see how many stupid people come here, get an idea of how many idiots there are in your little game."
goodness, do we have a genuine yuppie troll stalking the blog ?
"but one day I start blogging and I'll tell the truth. NOT FANTASY......."
hey man! pass the bong! what's so special about YOUR 'truth'? is it a little secret
between you and your troll-god ? are you afraid that we can't handle the "truth",
or are you just a putz ?
"THIS IDIOTS IN THEIR COMMENTS ARE SOO BRAINWASH THAT THEY WILL NOT FUNCTION AS SURVIVALISTS."
well, a number of the other readers aren't particuarly good writers, and some of them adhere to 'consensus reality' viewpoints. so what, that's life, that's people...
get over it. get over yourself, like that was so, oou, ninetyish !
Well the Old fart is not the real one anyway, just a nic-name stealer.
I like your post, today, Jim, because I too got worried about being too paranoid and when will all this prepping stop? and is it all necessary? or overdone? or whatever?
Still, I am glad for the preps and the experience. If nothing else, it's been one, very interesting hobby and an intellectual challenge. You (and others) did give me direction in that you showed me how to prep cheaply, so it's not like it cost me a Yuppie fortune, which I didn't have.
However, I have learned to live with the bomb (population or otherwise) and stopped worrying about it. I will probably no longer prep (unless I think of something obvious). I figure there is only so much I can do.
However, in an odd sort of way, now that I have more-or-less given up prepping (except some target practice, basic skill re-inforcement, etc.), I do not regret the preps or experience at all. I learned a lot. Also, I now feel I am more of a free man. Freedom is to have choices. Now I have more choices. I am more free. I am at peace. I can rest just a little easier. The only thing that keeps me from total inner-peace is the thought that people like Dr. David Price, Dr Albert Bartlett, Jay Hanson, Duncan, Rangerman of Survival Acres, and soforth, are probably "dead" right.
Hope springs eternal. I hope the pessimists don't know the whole picture.
TOO MANY preps? Too much stored food? Hey, if I have extra money, I'm buying more storage food. Who gave you a crystal ball, Herr Dakin,to know how long a crisis will last? Besides, if i have extra, I can always use that to give out as charity. That may be a concept that escapes you.
There is only one thing worse than an arrogant prick, and that is an ignorant arrogant prick.
I definitely fit your blogpost today in that I am never "prepared enough". There's always another gun, another food storage item, another tool but when I think of the plasma TV, the new SUV, the big house with a swimming pool that I could have instead purchased, I realize that it's okay to spend money on something that will always be valuable. And so far, I haven't spent money on anything that I can't resell for near the same price. Too, my children are developing useful life skills that maybe help them many years from now in case this becomes another Y2K. Another big beneft is that as our small portion of the population prepares, we stress the market toward necessities. Wal-mart dedicates more shelving, more ammo gets manufatured, farmers get paid more for their wheat and corn which leads to more planting, all things that may save us when a supply glitch does occur and others all of sudden start buying the same things that we've stocked up. Just-in-time is a horrible idea for essentials but we're helping to correct that by buying more than we are actually consuming.
I just wish they would pull the plug and get it over with. Should
be a good show.
Hey Jim...thanks for another good post. I appreciate it...
I cant believe nobody has said anything about the compound pics?
jpf
I have a 90% theory that i strive for, once i am there, i am happy enough.
By 90% theory, i mean, that during any given disaster, if 90% of the population will be screwed before i am, then i have at least tried, hence i want more drinking water than 90% of the population, more stored petrol/diesel than 90% of the population, more stored food than 90% of the population, better storm protection than 90% of the population, better fire protection than 90% etc, because, once 90% are dead, then i will have a hell of a lot of space to scavenge and grow food and find essentials ;) .
Once i am at the 90% mark, i am no longer anxious about anything, i sit here smugly knowing i can enjoy myself and spend money on flat screen TV's etc because if it all goes down the toilet, i'm still better off than most.
Keep dreaming Kip.
Nothing is going to happen.
Sure, there will be scarsity but the good times will return.
Remmeber the people that went undergroun especting the end of the world??
They are dying of old age now.
We will be dying of old age with lots and lots of food going to waste.
Old Fart
the original, the only one
old fart: no, those that are following a 99.9% rule will be letting tonnes of food go to waste, i live a normal life, not underground, and i probably put 5% of my income or so into preparedness....
I'm preparing for the worst, hoping for the best, refining my skills creating items of value and barterability. Specifically I knit socks on an antique (hand crank) sock knitting machine and weave rugs from discarded clothes.
I know what your doing Dakin. Its called reverse psychology. After following you in buying all this stuff now you want us to repent of our hording sins and send it all to you. Go to hell! its mine I tell ya all mine! Woman where's my gun?
All kidding aside. Watch the stock market tomorrow. I'd give a 75% chance of some interesting news there.
I hope we have at least 3-4 months before the powers that be start fighting over who gets to be the new Hitler (I think we will). If we don't have at least 6 weeks I'm probably screwed.
I have to agree with Jim, the depression is depressing...
well, i don't see the horse thieves in DC waving the right magic wand and bringing back the good times, do you ? i mean were you really really partying all that much... were you really really getting ahead all those boom years ?
wasn't it just a dope dream ?
anyway, there's something dark and brooding about the picture JIM posted of himself, but at least he's neat. but, i was looking at his view, and i must say that looks like one really inhospitable places to live. cold and windy in the winter and hot and stuffy as hell in the summer... wonder if it's as miserable as texas ?
but, it's real cool, nice and neat and clean, not shit strewn around. so you know it's not some lazy ass living there, but a worker and a survivor...
how long will the "crisis" last ?
ha! the proletariats are striking and rioting in the streets of europe, and it's suppose to heat up there over the summer. you think our economy is bad, theirs went the way of iceland !!! remember iceland ? don't think it could happen here ?
DNH
Has anyone noticed SUCKASS "MAYBERRY" is not around today??
Why ??
HE TOOK HIS MEDICATIONS, thats why.
I have several friends who didn't prepare and are now in deep doodoo. They are whining that they can't find a job, they won't be able to meet rent, unemployment is ending, they've lost their house, they have no health insurance. They don't have enough food. They have no place to live.
I prepped. I still second guess myself. I wonder about a lot of things. Do I have enough of this or that. Fret fret fret. Really, what I need is an open and opportunistic attitude and mind as well as the means to live.
I cannot regret prepping. I cannot stop prepping. I prep not only for myself but for my brain-washed family that thinks what has been must be what will be.
Good luck to all those non-paranoic non-preppers. You missed the fun of prepping and the joy of at least having a fighting chance when the SHTF. The ant vs the grasshopper and all that.
You don't think it's coming as we speak? Good luck!
I liked your post today, LD.
Being crazy is non-productive. We all know our nation is sick and the responsible thing to do is to prepare to be able to take care of our basic needs until the crisis ends. I, for one, am getting ready with just the basics but also looking at long term solutions just in case they are needed. I would rather have a few hundred pounds of grain hanging around than risk being hungry next year. Besides I can donate it to the food bank if I have over-prepared, right?
I think your site is great. And I appreciate your insight. There will always be those people who take things too far. In this case, it is easy to be paranoid. Keep Writing.
You bastard!!!!!
It's not bad enough my wife is wavering back and forth. Yeah, you can buy a rifle this week. No, we can't afford all this survivalist bullshit this week.
Dammit! Now I have your waffling to contend with too? Ah, fuckit! I give up. But I would like, maybe one more box of 40cal. And maybe some more berries wouldn't be tooooo extravagant.
You'd have a good blog if you got rid of the trolls. But you don't have the guts to do it. Free speech is a pathetic excuse.
Real survivalists don't want to read the shit they spew. I have better things to do then read their shit, if you decide to run a real survivalist blog, kill the trolls.
No body respects someone who doesn't have the balls to terminate trolls. Grow a pair and dump the Anonymous crap.
Whatever! Loving the blog. Reading the trolls for entertainment value, and buying some dehydrators for fun! ;)
You can never have to many skills, get all you can, if it doesn't go to crap, then you have some fun projects to do with the kids and grandkids, like flint-napping arrowheads, or snaring a rabbit, and gold is a great long-term investment, plus it's pretty.
You can never regret this stuff, acquiring skills and known how to do stuff is just way too much fun!
Anything, including "Survivalism", can be taken to extremes. Survivalism can become an addiction: a sort of obsessive-compulsion.
Hence, I propose "Survivalist Anonymous" or "SA" for short. Remember, we should strive for total abstinence from the dread disease of prepping.
The 12 Steps for Survivalists
Step 1 - We admitted we were powerless over Survivalism - that our lives had become unmanageable
Step 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God
Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
Step 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
Step 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
Step 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
Step 11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out
Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs
Those are the 12 steps for "ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS"
Sober up my friend.
"Everything in moderation".....Bah, moderation is for monks'.
loose quote of lazarus long.
Prep it up; on the cheap/best bang for the buck. Where's the harm? Not marching to the drum that the herd hears? Not caring about the oscars,roundball, souper bowls, that hotel girl? Watching the world and making your own moves as you deem appropriate? Congratulations; you are a man.
you are living inside your head too much if this really concerns you, rather than just being a result of digging for topics. We stumble on the blog because that's where OUR heads are;
or we are the troll that has no life to claim as his own.
ol faartt indeed; not.
Dakin: Why don't you change your blog name to "Trolls are us". Or "Bison Troll Blog" or "Troll Survivor Blog" because it seems to be who you cater to. When you take your blog back, it maybe worth reading.
Good thoughtful post, James. What I'd hate to happen to me is to have the paranoia hanging over me all my life and then die of natural causes at the age of 80 with the world around me clicking away like normal. That sir, would be a waste of a life.
It has all happened before and it will all happen again. Do you think that 200 years ago people called themselves "survivalists"? The answer to that question is no. People have stockpilled and squared away for hard times for as long as we have been a species intelegent enough to know that if we didnt we werent going to live to the next year. The benifit we have at this day in age is that consumer goods are plentiful and its hard just stop collecting supplies. Im sure if our forefathers had the availablity and the means they would have stocked up more than they did. sorry about the spelling.
People are responsible for themselves--don't worry about your influence on them. (Although I suspect your post was tongue-in-cheek.)
What's strange to me is that prepping is considered unusual behavior. My family does it as a way of life. Maybe it's because of our farming and pioneer heritage, but it's just what we do. I was always flabbergasted by news stories about people who keep little or no food in the house, etc.
I only hope that when things get better (and I hope they do), more people will stay prepared. That would be a good legacy of trying times.
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