Is "preparedness" a state of mind?

  • BushMoot: Come along to the amazing Summer Moot 31st July - 5th August (extended Moot : 27th July - 8th August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
I've been wondering what the serious prepper's plan of action is if they're still sitting on their stockpile, fed and watered, but around them people are becoming ill or even dying from lack thereof. Do they expect to just sit there and not feel any kind of - for want of a better word - guilt? I mean I know there are people who could do that, but have any of them really considered the psychological aspects at all?

Of course, it's unlikely to happen, because your friends and neighbours would notice you're not suffering like they are, and would be round with the pitchforks toot sweet. In that respect, the build-a-fortified-bunker-inna-mountain-for-the-zombie-apocalypse brigade probably have a better idea than the suburban prepper.
I suppose the question could be asked today.

How do you feel about all the people who die of malnutrition, lack of clean water, basic sanitation or rudimentary healthcare?

People die every day of things we could prevent, but choose not to.
 
If you genuinely can't see the difference between knowing there are people starving "somewhere" and seeing the kid next door dying from starvation while you chow down on your umpteenth tin of beans there's probably not much point in my trying to explain it to you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Toddy
If you genuinely can't see the difference between knowing there are people starving "somewhere" and seeing the kid next door dying from starvation while you chow down on your umpteenth tin of beans there's probably not much point in my trying to explain it to you.
The difference would appear to be that it's harder to ignore.
 
I think there is more a subtle difference and depends on context of the situation.

There is a huge difference between localised issues where one group of people are suffering and another group are not - that certain acts of care and benevolence can certainly occur without potentially the people in a position assisting opening themselves up to a somewhat weakened position.

I don't think self reliant types are by default set into a 'screw you jack , I'm ok - You're Not ' type mentality .

If however the scenario is more equal across all parameters - everyone is experiencing the same ongoing issue/threat , and it isn't a minor occurrence but ongoing - I think there probably is a shift of sorts.

If one has spent time , money ,resources and energy into trying to put safeguards into place to retain some resilience for ones family , I can understand why there would be a reluctance in weakening that position.


I do think prepper types value self reliance as a key Trait - and many people do have the same access to the same decisions in the build up to creating or not creating some individual level of resilience.
 
  • Like
Reactions: grainweevil
I believe there is a hierarchy of care for most people (ignoring people that are paid to care) though I accept that some people spend their lives reaching way beyond what most of us do.

So, there is:
World - an element of concern and desire to help on a worldwide basis - weak
Country - patriotism, sometimes gentle other times aggressive
Community - could be region, town, team, or even housing estate - variable
Wider family - can be strong but also surprisingly weak in some circumstances
Close family - very strong

As situations worsen most people's concern tumbles down that list and, I would argue, most people would be prepared to do anything to protect close family - and that would include keeping back resources to improve likelihood of survival. There's no point waiting to do that until you're on your last tin of beans.

It's in our genes to do what needs to be done to protect us and ours. That's how we have evolved.
 
Maybe. Maybe not. The thing about prepper types is they value and respect self reliance as a part of personal responsibility and accountability.




View attachment 96687

I understand you, really. But if we're going to be harsh/honest and apply a kind of triage to how we can offer aid to others, who do you help? Are the injured or ill realistically ever going to recover in the given situation? Is an otherwise able individual who has to coin a phrase "peed everything he owns against the wall" going to be a strong back to carry others next month if someone feeds him now? How much of what you have do you let others see? How do you evaluate others as being worthy of your help or not? And I genuinely think it's a question that we'd all have to answer at some point if placed in the situation.
You are correct. I honestly do not know what I would actually do or who I would help. What I know is, that in my present state, mental, spiritual and physical then I am in a very good place to help others and I would like to think that I would do the right thing. Whilst I am a soloist I do consider what I am learning in relation to helping others and passing it on. I am 58 now and have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience. I would be devastated if I did not get to pass some of that on either today or tomorrow, Years ago those entering into elderhood would have understood that this stage of life was right of passage, a privilege and a pleasure. DD x
 
  • Like
Reactions: ONE
I believe there is a hierarchy of care for most people (ignoring people that are paid to care) though I accept that some people spend their lives reaching way beyond what most of us do.

So, there is:
World - an element of concern and desire to help on a worldwide basis - weak
Country - patriotism, sometimes gentle other times aggressive
Community - could be region, town, team, or even housing estate - variable
Wider family - can be strong but also surprisingly weak in some circumstances
Close family - very strong

As situations worsen most people's concern tumbles down that list and, I would argue, most people would be prepared to do anything to protect close family - and that would include keeping back resources to improve likelihood of survival. There's no point waiting to do that until you're on your last tin of beans.

It's in our genes to do what needs to be done to protect us and ours. That's how we have evolved.
I think that holds true to some extent now but if we lived in larger groups then it could go the other way. Whereby the survival and welfare of the group becomes the most important thing because without that small family groups would perish.. Looking back, living in large groups and co operating was done worldwide up until very recently in our history. I would like to think that we will revert to type and reconnect with one another. x
 
I think that holds true to some extent now but if we lived in larger groups then it could go the other way. Whereby the survival and welfare of the group becomes the most important thing because without that small family groups would perish.. Looking back, living in large groups and co operating was done worldwide up until very recently in our history. I would like to think that we will revert to type and reconnect with one another. x

You have far more faith in humankind than I do :(
 
You have far more faith in humankind than I do :(
I get that also. I am very disillusioned with the whole thing but. I think regardless it pays for me to stay positive and hopeful. We have everything we need. Nothing will ever really change till we hit some sort of rock bottom collectively and at that point we might wake up and smell the flowers. Whatever happens it is fascinating to watch it all unfolding. I can't remember it ever being this mad even when Thatcher was in power xxx
 
Last edited:
I can't remember it ever being this mad even when Thatcher was in power

Oh I dunno, it was pretty darn rough in the seventies and early eighties. You just heard a whole lot less about it. If you wanted to hear someone "say wot everiwun else is finking" you had to buy their fanzine. These days they get beamed right into your living room, 1080P (at least).
 
. I can't remember it ever being this mad even when Thatcher was in power xxx
Much depends upon expectation. I'm a bit older & remember when fewer than 10% of people went to university and a normal, working class household:

  1. Almost certainly rented their home with no expectation of ever buying
  2. Had no car
  3. Had no central heating
  4. Had no freezer
  5. Never went abroad
  6. Used a launderette & wore clothes for several days
  7. Used a call box to make a phone call
  8. Rented a TV if they had one at all
  9. Still had an outside toilet
  10. Were paid in cash and had no savings

I think most people today have it pretty good to be honest
 
  • Like
Reactions: GreyCat
@British Red Would you say that we were more resilient in those days?

We had a couple of weeks food at a pinch. Spuds and oatmeal. A bit of flour. (Rarely pasta and no rice) We could stand a while without services. Many of us had a kitchen range built into the kitchen fireplace and a coal shed or coal bunker. Loss of electricity was common - pre national super grid. You just moved stuff to the fire and got sooty.

On the other hand an ambulance was going to take at least an hour by the time you’ve gathered your forpunce gone to the call box.
The local doctor might get there quicker if he was about.
Treatment was pretty low tech.

We didn’t think much about disasters - we’d just been through years of war. We just got on with it.

Then ten or so years later school was plastered with posters about atomic bombs. They didn’t mean much to me at the age of ten and nothing changed at home.

It has certainly affected my attitude to so called preparedness. I just get on with it but I’m a LOT more comfortable and have vastly more choices and options. I wouldn’t go back to the fifties conditions unless forced to. If I did I’d manage.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Toddy and GreyCat

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE