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truth is, prepping has become a fad, a fashion statement, and hundreds have taken sensible preparing to a new level of radical and outright ridiculious heights. It has become so perverted with these "play preppers" that many of the true "boy scouts motto" preppers who are trying to be prepared, have taken a back seat to the "glorifed" sky are falling crowd. making this even more of a shame is that the average person can no longer ask legitimate questions without being made to feel inferior, stupid, lazy, dumb or just plain dependent on others.
I haven't followed pop culture for many years, so I wouldn't know what the "fad" is these days. That said, and based on what I have seen, being completely unprepared and dependent has been the trait I've seen for many years. It just keeps getting worse and worse as the years roll by. It's more "stylish" these days to not carry a spare tire and when the tire blows, jump on the cell phone and expect the world to do for you what you should have had the brains to do on your own.
Being prepared was a way of life until just recently. Next time you visit a place like Mesa Verde, ask yourself what those big round storage-container-looking-thingies are. Was preparedness a fad back then too?
At the extreme risk of being targeted as a conspiracy theorist, I would suggest that interested persons may find some answers to this discord by reading up on Propaganda, particularly Black Propaganda and Astroturfing. See if you can identify where any of the common propaganda techniques may have been employed by the elite to quell recent movements, like SS&P, that had the potential to cause rebellion/revolt and disrupt the status quo.
It is no secret that an effective and commonly used method for the opposition to destroy a movement is to infiltrate it and corrupt it from the inside. Corruption can take the form of initial support and then slowly manipulating the connotations and public opinion by using the band-wagoners and zealots as distorted representations to discredit the entire movement.
Last edited by MissingAll4Seasons; 03-28-2012 at 01:33 PM..
It just keeps getting worse and worse as the years roll by. It's more "stylish" these days to not carry a spare tire and when the tire blows, jump on the cell phone and expect the world to do for you what you should have had the brains to do on your own.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissingAll4Seasons
It is no secret that an effective and commonly used method for the opposition to destroy a movement is to infiltrate it and corrupt it from the inside. Corruption can take the form of initial support and then slowly manipulating the connotations and public opinion by using the band-wagoners and zealots as distorted representations to discredit the entire movement.
Totally agree with both of the above statements I bolded.
Having been involved in politics as well as advertising and the media for 30 years, I don't think it is "tin-foil hat stuff" to know when you are being purposefully manipulated, by either professionals, drama queens, or passive-aggressives ... it's just common sense. Too many folks now respond to things with their emotions instead of their reason, and too many others are afraid to point out when the Emperor isn't wearing any clothes, for fear of ridicule. So the former twit and tweet with wild abandon, jumping on the latest bandwagon from the last one, not thinking things through, only feeling things, while the latter are afraid to say "But, what if..." without being roundly chastised, criticized, and even apologized for, by other people! I mean, my goodness, if you can change your own tire, you must be a subversive, looking to unemploy the wrecker driver, the mechanic, and the dispatcher who all need their jobs!
It really is all about making people feel good; that they are in the right, that they are with the right group, that they believe the right things - whether it's buying Tide instead of All, or voting for the right person, or living your life according to the right standards. As one long-time politician-friend told me - "If there was a test that voters had to pass, for issues and facts before every election, two-thirds of politicians would never be or have been elected - including me!" It isn't about truth or reality, it's how you make people feel - otherwise their wouldn't be whole government, social, political, and even private agencies devoted to doing it.
"What's that smell in this room? Didn't you notice it, Brick? Didn't you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room?" "There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity!" ~Big Daddy Pollitt ~ Although, sadly, most people can't even recognize it, or dare to admit to smelling it, any more. They buy into the latest 'right' cause or belief, because it is safer to be surrounded by warm fuzzy lemmings than to think or act for themselves.
It is no secret that an effective and commonly used method for the opposition to destroy a movement is to infiltrate it and corrupt it from the inside.
It does make it difficult on them, if your organization has only one member.
Though I do try to infiltrate myself, now and then, it rarely works.
As to the probability of imminent crisis, I feel it is quite high. Whether natural or man made, it is a necessity for the planned transition to the People's Democratic Socialist Republic of America and the eradication of the republican form of government.
That being said, one who is a productive individual will not benefit from the PDSRA, and would be subject to confiscation of property. Unfortunately, the recipient class outvotes the donor class, and that will invariably drag down the nation.
Preparations for short term chaos, and a plan for long term prosperity is highly recommended. Reduce one's consumption of resources, boost one's production of necessities, have a surplus to trade, and it should work out well.
It is no secret that an effective and commonly used method for the opposition to destroy a movement is to infiltrate it and corrupt it from the inside. Corruption can take the form of initial support and then slowly manipulating the connotations and public opinion by using the band-wagoners and zealots as distorted representations to discredit the entire movement.
and this is Exacty why this particular forum is laughable in its current state. This forum is not about preparing or self sufficiency, its about the adhereing to the sensationalising of events that creates a world of prepers often based on outragious conspiracies or the dark of the gloom & doom.
If anyone knows of a forum that discusses preparing and self sufficiency based on rational thinking without black hooded governnment agents behind everything, without if you don;t know how to sterilize your own urine to make water you are not prepared, without the constant droning of the whole world is going to erupt in mass violence (so we can have a reason to shoot our guns), and no matter what you do, my plnas are better so you comments are not worth of respect,.... please let me know via a Direct Message. All I'm looking for isa place for intelligent dicussion without the tired old rhetoric of the macho "we are ready, your not" attitude.
PacificFlights, perhaps if you told us what you DO want to discuss, rather than what you DON'T want to discuss the entire forum could be improved.
There really are many of us who desperately want to talk good old-fashioned skills and logistics; but we have to be willing to post and discuss those topics if we want to keep the forum from completely sliding into politics and controversy. We also have to be tolerant of those who do want to discuss things that we don't necessarily espouse ourselves... the information may still be useful even if our positions are contrary.
PacificFlights, perhaps if you told us what you DO want to discuss, rather than what you DON'T want to discuss the entire forum could be improved.
Self-sufficiency can't be discussed here without several posters taking it into doomsday territory, which is why this forum more closely resembles a doomsday forum than a self-sufficiency forum.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissingAll4Seasons
There really are many of us who desperately want to talk good old-fashioned skills and logistics; but we have to be willing to post and discuss those topics if we want to keep the forum from completely sliding into politics and controversy. We also have to be tolerant of those who do want to discuss things that we don't necessarily espouse ourselves... the information may still be useful even if our positions are contrary.
I made a suggestion but it was summarily dismissed. I'm fine with that.
However...
I fail to see how separate subcategories of Emergency Preparedness, Homestead Self-sufficiency, Mobile Self-sufficiency, etc. (or some kind of organization to that effect) within the same forum would render the forum ineffective because it wouldn't prevent members from choosing to view or participate in one section or all.
I fail to see the value in nearly every thread trying to cover from one end of the spectrum to the other - not to mention that one or the other takes the thread off-topic in most cases. And then it's impossible to locate useful information about self-sufficiency because more often than not it's buried deep into SHTF-preparedness threads that have gone off-topic.
I fail to see the value in having to sift through post lectures about the virtues of bugging out with MREs if someone asks a question about raising chickens. I fail to see the value in others having to sift through post lectures about the virtues of raising chickens if he's asking about MREs.
I participate in several other proclaimed self-sufficiency and homesteading forums and they have similar topics and discussions, including "survival" topics. I haven't found any that are "pure" self-sufficiency by what I can glean from your complaints.
Here are the dictionary definitions: Self-sufficiency: able to supply one's own needs without external assistance; confidence in one's own resources and powers Preparedness: the state of being prepared; of having things and/or oneself in proper condition and readiness Survival: the act or fact of continuing one's existence, especially under adverse or unusual circumstances
I don't see how these are at odds with one another, they seem strongly related to me. Although I do agree that the connotations and rigidity of one extreme or the other can be a problem.
One of the major problems with all forums is vagueness in the OP and replying to off-topic posters (instead of reporting them as off-topic)... it is difficult to stay on topic when one isn't clear what the topic is or isn't. It's also blatantly clear from this and other forums that categorization and sub-categorization does not normally resolve the problem of off-topic posts and introduces cross-posting and other moderation issues, especially with closely interrelated topics (like those that often occur with Rural/Small Town, Green, Frugal and SS&P).
I understand that you DON'T believe survival topics (by your definition) are appropriate for a self-sufficiency and/or preparedness forum; but I am honestly interested in hearing what you DO believe are appropriate topics. Myself and other moderators cannot advocate for additional categories without this information. We cannot help you properly if what you're asking for is unclear.
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