So Are we paraniod?

How are you preparing
User avatar
Plymtom
Posts: 2670
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:11 pm
Location: Plymouth

So Are we paraniod?

Post by Plymtom »

In view of recent events and with the fact in mind that anyone can see our ramblings, let’s address the issue regarding our sanity as seen from Joe Public's eyes.

Are we well paranoid... well not really, it may well look that way as we hypothetically discuss disaster and society collapsing scenarios and use the acronym SHTF, we entertain the possibilities to test our preparedness, this does not mean we think it will, asides from societal collapse due to financial meltdown, which anyone can see is a danger, and almost everyone is nervous about prepper or not, the odds of a natural disaster occurring are even to us long, yet globally they do happen, let’s take them globally since Y2K then divide the people effected ( not killed) whose chances would have been improved by better preparation by the global population I’d estimate odds of perhaps 10000-1 annually and 500000-1 daily for the average human being on planet earth, for terrorist related events probably ten times higher, and extra-terrestrial including CME about the same, climate change and financial hardship however are even odds for all of us IMO, 50% of us will not be significantly affected by either, either because we don’t live in an area which will bear the worst effects as regards climate, and 50% (not necessarily the same 50%) financial will make no difference to 49% because they couldn’t get much worse off anyway and up to 1% because they have plenty of wealth to ride it out ( a few of them may be emotionally scarred by the effects on the rest of us though ;) ).
That concluded the SHTF scenarios, as for the more “normal” calamities like illness and jobs loss, personal financial disasters ( including getting your bloody Amazon account hacked which happened to my wife last night or your bank’s computer system failing) and finally extreme weather, these are the core concerns of the UK prepper.

Firearms in the UK, well recent events do indeed prove ( and I say this reluctantly because the sensible few stateside have tremendous fun with theirs) that for a country with no bears, mountain lions, wolves, and few snakes, and not that many armed criminals, we have got it right, most if not all of us on here who have a love for shooting or archery even, view it as a fun activity, FAC and shotgun certificate holders here have good reason, we can’t all be famers, game keepers, hunters, etc., we won’t all want to be gun club members but we all have the right, and if we do it won’t make us some cammo clad weapons collector, with a man cave full of crap which would ensure his survival for anything up to half a day more than the rest of the urban people under the same attack.

My interests are DIY, cooking, playing musical instruments, archery, singing, shooting, astronomy, bushcraft, witchcraft, paganism, and a few more.
On TV I like Sci fi, action, horror, thriller, crime, documentaries of most descriptions, reality TV yes if you mean Storage wars, Pawn stars, Sons of guns, type things no if you mean big brother, I’m a celebrity, TRHBH, type shows, I hate soaps and sport, and finally a love-hate relationship with the x-factor and doomsday preppers.

Finally I’m British, not always proud but mostly, eccentric? Aren’t we all, our family has been described as a cross betwixt the Weasleys and the Osbournes; :lol: I’d like to think I was not as eccentric as old man Weasley and not as thick as Ozzy comes across either, but take it as a compliment.
That I fear may be too much information, I also fear I have disproved my own point, but I feel normal :? … for a British person, do you?
I have a strategy, it's not written in stone, nor can it be, this scenario has too many variables, everything about it depends on those variables, being specific is not possible.
Triple_sod

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by Triple_sod »

I think I get what your trying to say but at the end of the day if someone wants to think 'prepper = paranoid nutter' that's how it's going to be....

and lets face it for most none preppers this is the most reassuring point of view,

After all if they were to acknowledge preppers had a point where does that leave them? Severely lacking, worried about their own situation,
alienated from the rest of the herd.
TorNicho

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by TorNicho »

I have very similar interests to you Plymtom, and Yes I feel like a normal British Citizen.

To all those whom think we are Paranoid:

"Yes we discuss these things on this website, but that is what it is for.

I'm not this one dimensional character with only these thoughts on my mind, I have a life.

The life I have with my family feels more secure since I started prepping, and if I fall on hard times, or some incident occurs which disrupts the usual flow of the world, I will be better off than you.

Otherwise, my life will continue with my family as usual, and I will be more relaxed knowing I have insurance against most issues which may arise"
SuperDude
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:34 am
Location: South Wales

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by SuperDude »

I believe that the chances of a natural disaster disrupting life as I know it is pretty slim (apart from the annual snow).

However I have always been a very independent person (even as a child), I see my preps (a few months of food, allotment for fresh veg, etc...) as a way of becoming more independent from the supermarket culture.

Also my wife and I both work (really hard at jobs we don't always like) and we both understand how easy a job can disappear from under your feet, how non-existent any government assistance is, and how quickly the cost of food/fuel is outstripping our wages.

We keep a small hobby business on the side (not making any money, but just keeping itself ticking over), in the past when we both lost our jobs within the same week, we were able to transfer our efforts into this business to pay the mortgage and put food on the table (all above board with the tax man), until we were back in paid employment - no benefits needed or depended upon.

So in brief I’m not paranoid about the world ending, I just want my family to keep eating if I lose my job/income (I think the majority of recently self-admitted preppers are in the same boat – its more about food security than a zombie invasion).

The difference between me and my neighbour is that I’d rather have a full pantry than a full savings account.
SuperDude
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:34 am
Location: South Wales

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by SuperDude »

As an afterthought...

You may read my above post and think to yourself, that if my preps are a sort of insurance against personal SHTF senario, then why not just save for a rainy day...

When for us the S*** did hit the fan a few years ago, we realised that the bank would ALWAYS take their share of any money in your account (and add on a few extra 'charges'), they would also make sure that all their mates direct debits where alright also (insurance, utilities, etc...).

As far as your bank is concerned food is the last priority for your money.
User avatar
Plantiejo
Posts: 136
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2012 10:35 am
Location: South Hams, Devon.

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by Plantiejo »

SuperDude wrote: "We keep a small hobby business on the side (not making any money, but just keeping itself ticking over), in the past when we both lost our jobs within the same week, we were able to transfer our efforts into this business to pay the mortgage and put food on the table (all above board with the tax man), until we were back in paid employment - no benefits needed or depended upon."

WELL DONE! You got tested and you swam. I like to hear stories like this.
Everyone has skills...share your skills....keep them alive. :)

AREA 1
SuperDude
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:34 am
Location: South Wales

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by SuperDude »

Thanks Plantiejo

For me prepping is more about picking yourself up after a fall, dusting yourself off, learning from your mistakes and making preps not to fall down the same hole again...

Obviously if I get a heads up about the hole in the first place, thats even better... ;)

Reading this forum has really opened my eyes to the bigger picture (I'm still not paraniod though :? )...
table9tom

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by table9tom »

Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean you are wrong :D
bhakta

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by bhakta »

A very sad time and I guess many lessons to be learned by many people.

Seems a lot of effort is put into the physical practicalities of preparedness but perhaps not enough into psychological resilience?

From my reading, surviving adversity depends on your psychological resilience. OK you have to have some food, shelter, security & knowledge + luck but all those being equal as resources diminish survival depends on the right frame of mind.

Even with adequate resources we see folk around not coping , becoming stressed and mentally ill.

With so many damaged kids, struggling to cope with behavioural problems , why do some come good and other lives end in misery?

How do we nuture resilience in our kids for this present difficult age and the inevitable challenges they will face SHTF or not ?
dazz675
Posts: 228
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2012 8:55 pm
Location: area 9

Re: So Are we paraniod?

Post by dazz675 »

think there is a societal gradual realization , that the state can not always lookafter you, re greece, northern rock etc, we as preppers can articulate this vague unease , insecurity into prepping, however becoming too preoccupied with every aspect of prepping , can also be damaging