GROUP THINK 2
Rawles was offering his version of
Survivalists Platonic Hook-Up site. I’m
not sure if he still is, as visiting over there usually leaves me feeling
greasy and impure. Again, I respected
the man without agreeing with him, until he jumped the shark, sold out and
pissed away his legacy. And I don’t know
if American Survival Guide continues the service, and I shan’t be spending the
$10 an issue needed to find out. For
that price, I expect a bit of ass kissing along with my reading material, and
all I get is humped without the reach around.
*
( A JELLY DONUT! ) But as mentioned
yesterday, Viking Preparedness offers near daily videos for a mere buck a
month, AND was promising a Members Wanted Group Join regional guide. I wanted such a feature. I need such a feature. But I started panicking and all the terrible
things PEOPLE bring to the table started haunting me. Nothing of the good stuff, like boobs and camaraderie,
gals and guys respectively, but everything bad.
The Masaya/Generalissimo Complex, the greed, the stupid. Like everyone else in today’s messed up
society I wanted all the reward and none of the responsibility.
*
Sure, my little voice said, having a
tribe, even if only one other male, and your odds of survival are exponentially
increased. ALTHOUGH! Then the little voice ( which used to be my
dingus, but thanks to age and a drop off in testosterone who only ever peaks
out, looks around and goes back to sleep now ) started listing every negative
aspect of other people and OpSec and logistics and full on raging paranoia. First off, you just KNOW anyone you meet is
going to be food short and FLIR mounted AR-15 long. There is the first stumbling block.
*
I spend hours a day trying to dissuade
Minionites ( dude! I finally remembered
to start using your sweet new label.
Rock on! ) from believing all their terrible preconceived notions of
survivalism. I don’t necessarily mind
because, 1) article fodder and 2), donations for articles so sign me up to
abuse my readers! I certainly don’t have
to worry about an echo chamber around here!
But I started to think about actually verbally sparing with someone in
person, over everything we would disagree with.
And it was already making my ass itch, even before meeting them.
*
Oh, you want a common agreed on firearm,
do you? They don’t think past that,
because most preppers do not examine motives or mechanics. They agree with an idea and rigidly adhere to
that. And no, there is absolutely ZERO
wrong with that. If you want to assemble
plastic models of World War Two tanks, you don’t necessarily study the minutia
of unit decals. Or the various models
and years. You just follow the
instructions. And you read a hobby model
magazine of all the articles about all that, from writers that specialized in
that research. You take their word for
it, from the specialists.
*
Which is exactly what a lot of folks
do in prepping. The only problem is,
most “experts” have just read other experts, so they themselves are only an
expert from having read more than you.
And no, researching German Army tank production isn’t JUST reading. It is research. The difference? Research entails finding answers to explain
answers. Reading just gives you a
superficial surface explanation, NOT what caused that initial action. Survivalist gurus too often just regurgitate
what they read without any understanding.
Which is why false dichotomies abound.
You know, like socialism verses capitalism.
*
If you ignore international banking,
resource availability, geographical realities, geopolitics, colonialism,
imperialism and a half dozen other factors, then sure, you can just boil it
down to a simplistic Socialism Bad, Capitalism Good. If you want to understand WHY the answer is
there, you must dig a bit deeper. We
have already talked about the fallacy of a common firearm for a group. Sure, there ARE good reasons. But not enough to overcome the simple fact
that you need AMMO more than parts interchangeability, or that stupid ass
magazine swap fantasy standard. Time is
WAY too short. Ammo, period.
*
But can’t you just envision how well
THAT conversation is going to go with your potential prepping buddy? He only knows that if you don’t have an AR,
you will both die ( days of arguing are ahead of you if you try to get into
brain chemistry and panic and semi-auto’s ).
So then you are the one who must come up with a new firearm, AND all the
ammunition because yours is not salvageable ( you can’t use battle rifle components for carbine rounds ). And THEN, then when you have to start arguing
about how much food you need, problems.
*
You just dropped three grand of money
you didn’t really have to spare, to be “group compatible”, but when you want
him to spend $500 to get five years of wheat calories, he whines and blubbers
like a little prison bitch after getting passed around the cell block (
Jesus! Just put a band-aid on it, ya
little girl! ). Oh, gracious NO! We can’t just be eating wheat. We don’t need more than six months of
food. We have to have freeze dried. And etcetera.
Now, I’m not bringing all this up hinting how wrong you all are.
*
We have already established that (
joking! ). No, I’m using those as an
example of how a new survivalist group will NOT be able to agree on
standards. It is one thing to say, “want
to join MY group? Here are MY standards”. But when you don’t have that upper hand, when
both of you are in the Bitch Seat, without one in the leadership position,
nothing will get done. THAT right there
is why groups don’t stay together.
Because everyone wants to be the Alpha Dog. Because STANDARDS.
*
Everyone wants to set the standards,
because they want the other guy to assume all the costs of adhering to those
standards. It is like a slightly smaller
and slightly bigger business. The bigger
one already has a practice they can afford ( say, an extra lawyer ). The smaller one doesn’t have that
lawyer. So the bigger business lobbies
for a law REQUIRING that lawyer, regardless of size. They just got a competitive advantage at no
cost. But the cost bankrupted the
smaller business. Welcome to survivalist
group standards. In this case, saving
the money is the goal, not bankrupting competition.
*
Hell, I think I can get another day’s
worth of material out of this idea.
Continued tomorrow.
( .Y. )
( today's related Amazon link click here )
*
note: free books. Dystopian here.
*
note: actually, good timing. Just yesterday I'm watching a video by Prepper Nurse 1 ( the bald/beard guy, not the hillbilly gal ) and he mentions he has started a regional hook-up guide. His site is here and the video giving instructions on the Community Function is here .
*
Please
support Bison by buying through the Amazon links here ( or from http://bisonprepper.com/2.html or www.bisonbulk.blogspot.com ). Or PayPal www.paypal.me/jimd303
note: free books. Dystopian here.
*
note: actually, good timing. Just yesterday I'm watching a video by Prepper Nurse 1 ( the bald/beard guy, not the hillbilly gal ) and he mentions he has started a regional hook-up guide. His site is here and the video giving instructions on the Community Function is here .
*
*** Unless you are in extreme poverty, spend a buck a month here, by the above donation methods ( I get 4% of the Amazon sale, so you need to buy $25 worth for me to get my $1 ) or mail me some cash/check/money order or buy a book ( web site for free books, Amazon to pay just as a donation vehicle ).
*** My e-mail is: jimd303@reagan.com My address is: James M Dakin, 181 W Bullion Rd #12, Elko NV 89801-4184 ***E-Mail me if you want your name added to the weekly e-newsletter subscriber list.
* By the by, all my writing is copyrighted. For the obtuse out there
Yes, it must first be considered that the Minionites are a different cut of cloth to start with, thus they won't be neatly boxed up into a groupthink type organization. That critical thinking or particular side of the brain logic is somewhat incompatible at all with those dogma cereal for breakfast clubs. Temporary only interactions with other groups for trading, celebratory social events, pick up games of raiding parties etc. And then returning to your own hermitage and compound. Since there is not an overwhelming requirement to be siamese attached to a group or other elements outside blood familiy now, and Minionites are able to function quite independantly now, there will not be any make or break reasoning to be thus enslaved to groupthink during a collapse or other variable scenarios. At least going lone wolf will eliminate many more probable negatives, than ever gaining an unknown, possible, maybe, benefit. Plan accordingly.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Just keep in mind that Lone Wolves are ONLY viable with our stockpiled Oil Age products. Once depleted, tribing up is going to have to happen, more than likely. But that is your decedents problem.
DeleteTrue. A delicious dark ages, with net taken down and severly limited, (or rationed) media/entertainment complex inroads into tribal lands would have to occur so as to enable effective tribalization of inhabitants. Privations, starvation, annhilation threats and sporadic beatdowns are what would be necessary to toughen up the gooey dough of 'Merica into something that survives and thrives going forward afterward.
DeleteIt wouldn't be so bad if JUST their bodies were gooey dough, but their brains soon followed. Not to say I'm smarter-just that I actually have a smidge of common sense.
Deletere:
Delete'decedents'
Decedents = dead peoples.
Did you intend to write 'descendents'?
"...that is your [dead peoples] problems..." sounds as though you mention-not-recommend the zombie lifestyle.
Love the visual.
I'll never be a great editor. I'm better. But I'll never be good enough. Expect such head hurters regularly. You always pay a price for free, don't you? :)
Delete“Rawles was offering his version of Survivalists Platonic Hook-Up site.”
ReplyDeletePossibly not, as some politicos (bi-partisan it appears) passed a bill that eliminated sites such as Backpage, and even the Craig’s list personals. It not only eliminated the “casual encounters” on Craig’s list, but also the legit dating ads, and even friendship listings. Of course it was all under the guise of the good ol tried and true, “It’s for the children” due to this all of sudden “sex trafficking epidemic” (Similar to the “opioid epidemic” that came out of the thin blue air over the past few years).
I seem to recall that homestead.org, and possibly permies, also offered a personals section at one time. No loss there, as the pickens were rather slim, if you were a man. No Elly May’s at these sites. More like Jethrine Bodine, or Momma June, Pre-600lb weight loss. Though that could work if you can afford the flour, and are willing to overlook any hermaphroditic mutations :D
http://quirlycues.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mama-June.png
http://dj1mr5l6og5sd.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/31065047/beverly-hillbillies-jethrine.png
I refuse to follow those links! :D It has been some years since I've looked at personal ads. I recall seeing a lot of guys not so subtle broadcasting their wealth creds. If effect buying a homestead bitch. Good luck with that one, you just inviting Charlene into your bed.
DeleteThe immediate problem I see with the scenario you mapped out is that it is linear and just like the political system that is in the US right now, and doomed to fail. The idea that everybody has to be on the same page all the time. I'm thinking along the lines of what the anon first poster explained above. Everybody does their own thing, then, if they decide to joint venture with others required commonalities are discussed up front.
ReplyDeleteExample:
Your small tribe and my small tribe are about 2 miles apart. We decide to use some land between us to cultivate crops and both teams will supply resources. You want to grow potatoes and corn but my team has plenty of those things and want to grow beets and lettuces. We must find some common ground in order for this venture will work. The pay off to finding that common ground is that we both benefit hugely by using twice as much man power. 2 heads are better than one, x 10.
With the majority of americans forced to work under the employer-employee model, which is mostly one sided, most people now are probably incapable of thinking as I described. But they will learn or become extinct. Watching your child starve is a powerful motivator.
FWIW, I have been watching this sort of thing with the video series I've been watching, "Wartime Farms" where various people joint venture with the farm owners to exchange labor, knowledge, materials for a cut of the harvest pie. Capitalism, it works, until you let the tyrants come in and take over, skewing everything in their favor.
Lastly, I have been stocking freeze dried like there is no tomorrow. Having tested about 15 different models I have settled on the Harmony House brand as it seems to be the most edible and fairest prices. I'm not talking about meals, I really have no ise for that overly expensive stuff. I'm talking about ingredients, which I can mix as I see necessary, to create my own meals. I've been doing this off and on for the past year or so and my wife, who is very picky, seems to like everything I have conjured so far. I make a lot of "One Pot Meals" that we eat for 2 or 3 days and almost all of the ingredients are the stored variety. I'm searching for some small, maybe 8 oz capacity, lined paper bags that can be sealed airtight. I want to load pre-measured ingredients into the bags, seal them, and use them as needed rather than measuring out what I want every time I prepare a meal.
Here is a link for the bell peppers, have 12 jars on hand currently, I use in a lot of stuff:
https://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/Dried-Peppers-Mixed-10-oz_p_1756.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039QW2EE/?coliid=I21O2KBF8QZXM5&colid=10N25HETGLEDX&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1
Tribes will cooperate. What is trade, if not cooperation. What tribes will never do is cooperate DURING hunger. Look at Dark Ages England. The smallest village had a huge energy expenditure defensive wall. It wasn't there for looks, or craps & giggles.
DeleteWeren't the walls for protecting the immediate community rather than the whole compound? My understanding is the fields where the crops were grown were out in the open. Specific landmasses were delineated with hedgerows.
DeleteRight, the community itself. Rather stout earthen works, denoting constant conflict. Such is the supposition, anyway. Almost nothing is know with certainty for those centuries.
DeleteYup, one pot meals are the way to go if you truly want to eat cheap. We grew up poor, and my Mom would cook up a huge pot of something and us four kids and Mom would eat from it for 3 or 4 days until it was gone. Nothing fancy, whatever she had, but we didn’t starve. Harder to do that when you’re older, though.
ReplyDeleteHarder to do when you have a choice. The NOL keeps teasing me as I'm very fussy with food. I look at it like I went through enough periods of eating what I didn't want to. Besides, I think she is trying to slip in cooked veggies :D
DeleteYou guys will know me when you see me. I'll be the guy with a Spanish Mauser wearing a wide brimmed hat with corks hanging off it to keep the flies away.
ReplyDeleteDoes that really work?
DeleteFor some reason that post reminded of that joke about the dude that accidentally sent a picture of his penis to his elderly mother, rather than his intended girlfriend. Her response:
DeleteI don’t care for that new haircut son. It makes your nose look too long, and your chin too big :D
Ha! I hadn't heard that one before. :)
DeleteIt’s probably going to be more challenging than ever to find quality people today. As you say, you could anonymously pick some people without their knowledge, and then when the time comes, you can reassess the situation at that time. I probably wouldn’t put too much cost into prepping for these potential tribes members (A couple of cases of rimfire, some Savage Rascals, etc). I’ve often read that most people are followers, not leaders, and this seems to hold true in general, judging by the way that there are many fools out there that look up to government as the answer to improving their lives. You would have the supplies, and they would have to be cooperative (Again, you assess this beforehand if at all possible). You don’t really want wussy soy boy types, but overly macho type dudes are in all likelihood going to present a problem as well, which might necessitate you having to go all earth abides on their asses (Recall the uncooperative fellow towards the end, that needed killing).
ReplyDeleteIt’s not an easy call, that’s for sure. Since I don’t really see it coming down to this, I’m not overly concerned about it (I don’t see a total collapse in my lifetime, but if there were, I figure that my chances of forming a successful tribe and surviving it, are at or near zero).
Our odds of surviving a total meltdown are pretty close to zero no matter what we do. The people that place unnatural faith in a group to unrealistically improve their odds of survival are actually worse off than those of us afraid of the group.
Delete