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This whole board is full of people telling everyone how to live their lives. Personally, I believe most actually have nothing, just a computer and a fantasy to play "Johnnie Prepper and the Magical Threats" Unfortunately, they are the ones who keep repeating the same old tired line that unless they are preparing for a zombie alien armed government takeover with martial law, EMP’s and the need to have a hidden plot of land with 1,000 assault rifles you’re not prepared. No matter what a person has or says, unless they meet Johnnie’s fantasy level of preparing, even if the king of tin foil hat beliefs, they won’t allow intelligent discussion on the subject of preparedness and survival without condemning anything that isn’t in conspiracy Looney land.
I see this issue all the time. Surprisingly, there are some of them who have enough cash to pay us to evaluate' their readiness. And not surprisingly most fail with a capital "F". They don’t fail because they don’t have supplies. They don’t fail because they don’t have resources. They don’t fail because they don’t have defensive capabilities. No, they FAIL because they don’t have what it takes to survive the fantasy they pretend they are ready for.
We can evaluate a person readiness up to certain threshold based soy on basic emergency situations. However, since different scenarios require different resources and capabilities, their reason for preparing is how we evaluate their readiness since that’s what they believe they are ready for. A person wanting to survive a hurricane doesn’t need the same capabilities as a person wanting to survive an alien attack. Those preparing for the collapse of society have different requirements than those preparing for the collapse of the bridge connecting their home and town. So we have to get them to tell us what they are preparing for and based on their own scenario, we evaluate them on it. In many cases, we find that they started off on the right path, but somewhere, they were influenced by other fantasy prepping players and they went from preparing to fantasy fulfillment.
I really could care less that some fool has 250 umbrellas in the desert. But, when that person starts telling others that although they have ice, air condition, hydration packs, shelter and water, they are not prepared because they don’t own an umbrella. The time comes when they have to be told what a fool they are.
I would love to discuss sensible preparing methods, circumstances and resources, but it’s always turns into "If you are not prepared according to my fantasy, you deserve to die!' Well maybe a bit of realistic ‘you’re a fool in your preparing' is in order.
Interesting, You have some good points hidden in the vitriol, but it seems you are as unaccepting of others points of view as you claim they are of yours.
Personally, I don't care what reason someone has for prepping, I don't care if they have all the "approved" preps and supplies or not. I am into self sufficiency on a long term basis which by it's nature means that I am prepared for most emergencies that might happen in my area.
I agree there are folks that have the keeping up with the Smith's kind of fixation, but if they have the money and the time, it is their choice.
I have a 1967 International Scout that I drive. 4 wheel drive, doesn't go much over 60 MPH, has a 70 horse engine, very basic transportation.
Does that mean I envy someone driving a new 2013 Dodge Cummins 3/4 ton 4x4 pickup with all the bells and whistles? No. I don't need that much truck and the associated expenses, but does that mean they are wrong or stupid? No it just means they have the means to buy and use that vehicle. Their choice.
If someone wants to buy guns and use them, good for them! It is a constitutional right no matter how much some hate that fact.
I would never openly state if I did or did not have guns on the web anyway. I have shot a lot, hold expert marksman ribbons from the military, but mostly, I am not afraid of any law abiding gun owner.
I do use archery tackle to hunt with, pretty good with traps and slingshots too and I am a blacksmith that can make knives and axes and just about anything else I need.
Would you like limits on that as well?
Just because someone doesn't limit their preps to your books and rules doesn't mean they aren't prepared, so if you want a calm intelligent discussion, great! Just lower the anger, cut out the cuts at folks engaged in legal activities and state your points.
Not everyone will accept your position, just as you don't accept theirs, but that is what is called free discourse.
If we do that without all the vitriol, then we can all learn something from each other.
This whole board is full of people telling everyone how to live their lives. ... blah blah blah...
No, not really. Quite often this board is full of folks, such as yourself, who don't agree with the main themes of this board and simply come here to declare, affirm, and announce their disagreement... and stir the pot. I'd compare it to someone not liking oatmeal and barging into his neighbor's home, when those neighbors are eating oatmeal, and making sure to let those neighbors know that he damn sure doesn't like oatmeal and that anyone who eats it is an absolute, utter, dullard.
One problem with your premise, though, is that not everyone here eats oatmeal. There are lots of different folks here for lots of different reasons. It seems you didn't notice the name of this forum -- it's the Self-Sufficiency and Preparedness forum. Do you have any idea how much ground that covers? Survivalists and "preppers" are only one small point on that spectrum. In fact, there was a thread awhile back discussing the breaking up of this forum into several forums because philosophies here vary WILDLY.
Using myself as an example, very few folks here agree with my base philosophies on life or lifestyle or much of anything. There are certain topics that we can talk about because we share those interests and/or opinions. But beyond that, I learned a long time ago to keep my trap shut when it comes to my "big picture" (although I find that difficult at times ). My interests put me somewhere between this forum, the frugality forum, and the history forum (and the "Amish Forum" if there were one ). Well, there is no forum like that, so here I am.
And here you come in your glory, stuffing everyone into a cute little barbed-wire encased, desert camo box that says "Mad Max" on it. You need to stop painting with such a mile-wide brush because that's stereotyping up the wazoo. There are folks here who are primarily interested in sustainable gardening and veganism, for crying out loud. Or solar energy. Some have never even held a gun, let along shot one, in their entire lives. Is that your idea Mad Max or some guy with 10,000 umbrellas and 15 semi-loads of spam?
What you will find a lot of here are folks who are not interested in your (or shall I say "the typical" or "the modern" so that I might avoid stereotyping) all-is-well lifestyle. But that's where the homogeneity within the forum ends. From there, most of us are very different people with very different interests and ideals. What most of us do share is that "we" do not embrace the typical lifestyle of today. And that's a no-no in the brave new collectivist society, right? Well that's tough beans.
You say "we" are telling you how you must live your life. Can you cite some evidence of that? And remember, suggestions are not mandates. And discussing the way you or I or your uncle Herman should live is not telling you that you have to live that way. Modern folks have a problem distinguishing between the subjunctive/conditional mood term, "should," and the command form term, "must." If you want to see someone trying to tell you how you MUST live your life, look at the vermin in DC. Because they DO have the power to tell you how to run your life. I DON'T. I wouldn't want to anyway. I believe in liberty for all, including you, whether I agree with you or not. And that includes the liberty to have any opinion you chose to have (however right or wrong it may be). All I ask is that you offer me the same respect... and not assume that I have 10,000 umbrellas and a case of RPGs buried in the back yard.
For the most part, folks on this forum tend to share their experiences of what has worked or not worked for them in their location in their circumstances, and use their knowledge and experience to brainstorm solutions for various problems other folks bring up. Questions are asked and advice is given, and often dismissed if it doesn't apply. Cautions are mentioned, because we've all been blind-sided by something at one point or another. Observations and plans are shared, and sometimes refuted.
Because.... there is no one-size-fits-all solution to any problem in all locations for every person in every circumstance. Everyone has different priorities, beliefs, resources and skills. Self-sufficiency and preparedness means something different to everyone, and even those that are similar aren't identical. We share so that others can use the parts they like, and make adjustments to customize it. The world would be such a grind if we weren't allowed to share ideas or help each other save time and effort.
There are very few regular posters on this forum who are armchair commandos togged up in their tinfoil armor waiting for the Zompocalypse while they're sequestered in their underground bunker.
We discuss all sorts of things... even way out there scenarios or ones that don't apply to us... because we enjoy problem solving. And sometimes these thought exercises uncover a few things we need to shore up in our actual applicable plans for achieving our definition of self-sufficiency and preparedness.
I see this issue all the time. Surprisingly, there are some of them who have enough cash to pay us to evaluate' their readiness. And not surprisingly most fail with a capital "F". They don’t fail because they don’t have supplies. They don’t fail because they don’t have resources. They don’t fail because they don’t have defensive capabilities. No, they FAIL because they don’t have what it takes to survive the fantasy they pretend they are ready for.
We can evaluate a person readiness up to certain threshold based soy on basic emergency situations. However, since different scenarios require different resources and capabilities, their reason for preparing is how we evaluate their readiness since that’s what they believe they are ready for. A person wanting to survive a hurricane doesn’t need the same capabilities as a person wanting to survive an alien attack. Those preparing for the collapse of society have different requirements than those preparing for the collapse of the bridge connecting their home and town. So we have to get them to tell us what they are preparing for and based on their own scenario, we evaluate them on it. In many cases, we find that they started off on the right path, but somewhere, they were influenced by other fantasy prepping players and they went from preparing to fantasy fulfillment.
Are you saying that you are a survival expert? If so, what makes you one? What do you know that we don't know? Who is "we"? What makes us crackpots and you an objective expert. Planning what to have in the house for the the big snow doesn't count.
The more rural you are, the better you are if the SHTF. If you lived in a large city, take Miami or New Orleans for example, there would be a complete breakdown of social order, and every man for himself attitude. Looting would be rampant. And, theft as well. A survivalist, would be best off to hunker down in a place like that, and yes, shoot to kill, anyone who goes for your stash. Change the mentaility...these are not friends or neighbors any longer, they are people who want your food, and supplies, and when they are all gone, you will be SOL.
Now, there is a difference between a short term disaster, where, help will be arriving soon, in which case, help out your relatives, because even though they are locusts, eating your stash, supplies will be coming within a week or so...
The real issue, is not famine, but water supplies. Clean water goes fast, no electricity for water...no one thinks about those issues. I remember water trucks coming around, after a tornado in Illinois, we had no electric for a few weeks, but that was way back in the 60's.
The old sayng was, if there is a disaster, just find a gun, and shoot a Mormon, they have all the goods. Yes, they do, and they have guns too.
The old sayng was, if there is a disaster, just find a gun, and shoot a Mormon, they have all the goods. Yes, they do, and they have guns too.
Yes they do. I can vouch for that. They live all around me. Generally speaking, they are the last folks I'd tangle with, but at the same time, the last folks I'd worry about flipping out, shooting me in the back, and taking my "bucket of wheat" when the power goes out long enough for them to miss Seinfeld reruns. Most (not saying all, but most) of them have a very different attitude and take on life from the norm these days. Quite refreshing, actually.
If SHTF, I think the only laws that would be broken out here are Fish & Game Those are the only ones that get enforced with any sort of "rapid response" anyway. The salmon limits would go right out the window... why we have to "save some salmon for the Canadians" when our branch of the river doesn't even go to Canada is beyond me. Maybe the salmon hop a plane out of Fairbanks!?!
"Help will be coming soon" just isn't the mindset out here at all... because they may say help is coming soon, but "soon" is relative like an Okie saying he'll be there in "awhile". We'll believe help is coming when they're on our doorstep with the proper supplies LOL. Yes, "aid" has shown up on the doorstep with the wrong supplies before... it's just sad when you have to outfit your own rescuers before they can help you with the problem they showed up to solve.
Our mormon families up here are a blast and have all the cool toys! Need an excavator? A fire pump? A deer blind? A rare special purpose tool? Some dynamite? Yeah, one of them will have it... probably a selection
Oh Yeah!! Not to mention the skeet shooting with old, sweaty dynamite
It was their solution to 4th of July fireworks since the sun doesn't set in the summer and we can't see conventional fireworks displays
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). My interests put me somewhere between this forum, the frugality forum, and the history forum (and the "Amish Forum" if there were one 
). Well, there is no forum like that, so here I am. 
Those are the only ones that get enforced with any sort of "rapid response" anyway. The salmon limits would go right out the window... why we have to "save some salmon for the Canadians" when our branch of the river doesn't even go to Canada is beyond me. Maybe the salmon hop a plane out of Fairbanks!?!
