Post: #1

Has anyone ever seen a bigger bunch of neurotic freaks? The explosion of reality t.v. is one of the worst things to happen to Western culture. Honestly, when a 10 mile wide asteroid hits, it doesn't matter how many cans of beans you have. They literally will turn any media hyped up topic into a reality t.v. show, and get decent ratings off of it, sad as it is to say. The best doomsday prepping is living like there is no tomorrow and not getting framed into mass consumer culture.

Post: #2

er.. what?

Quote:The best doomsday prepping is living like there is no tomorrow

I hear this quite a lot.
It is the worst advice that exists in popular culture.

Live like there is no tomorrow: Don't save for the future!
Live like there is no tomorrow: Eat them cakes and biscuits girl!

There is nothing wrong with prepping. In fact, we're living in a silver spoon bubble where for the first time in history, we are unprepared like none of our forefathers were since the dawn of humanity.

Post: #3

Some folks look down on doomsday preppers these days, but if shit actually hits the fan they're going to be trading cans of beans and non-irradiated water for handjobs, and there's going to be a long line.

Not to say that there's no merit in living for the now, but everybody should have a backup plan.

Post: #4

My old man lives up in the mountains. Every year I call up to make sure they're supplied. Dried beans, rice, MREs, plenty of ammo for his guns. They have a decent sized garden and lots of deer and wild turkeys up there. I take this shit pretty seriously.

Consider, the most unsustainable lifestyle that humans can live is an urbanized lifestyle. There is no more resource-intensive existence. And every year, more and more of our population shift from rural to urban. This can't continue forever.

So yes, a 10 mile wide asteroid will nullify any doomsday prep. But $100 loaves of bread and a line to buy a head of cabbage? I'd rather be prepared.

Post: #5

I should say one of my points is that they are preparing for some specific events supposedly on the way that have no basis in science. The talk about a geomagnetic pole reversal, for instance was one of the supposed doomsday events.

Post: #6

They're prepping for anything. You wont be able to eat your own words when the supermarket runs out of food. Crises can be manufactured, too. Just because you get all of your needs taken care of by pushing a button today doesn't mean it will work tomorrow, especially when the folks that provide them lack the means or incentive.

Post: #7

I just can't get sold on this, even though everyone seems to be against my point of view. People have been doomsday prepping since humans were able to stock surplus goods. The show was seriously talking about preparing for when the "apocalypse" hits. All those people that did that over time ended up getting rid of their stores as whatever doomsday event never materialized. I just don't see it as a wise use of resources.

I am not saying that some of these things couldn't happen, just that they are so rare and unpredictable that it makes no sense to invest 15-20 hours a week of your time and a significant amount of your resources. I can't argue against picking up practical survival skills but actually spending thousands of dollars in preparation for something this extreme doesn't strike me as a wise use of resources.

Post: #8

(05-28-2012 03:18 PM)ImWaitingForTheMan Wrote:  I just can't get sold on this, even though everyone seems to be against my point of view. People have been doomsday prepping since humans were able to stock surplus goods. The show was seriously talking about preparing for when the "apocalypse" hits. All those people that did that over time ended up getting rid of their stores as whatever doomsday event never materialized. I just don't see it as a wise use of resources.

I am not saying that some of these things couldn't happen, just that they are so rare and unpredictable that it makes no sense to invest 15-20 hours a week of your time and a significant amount of your resources. I can't argue against picking up practical survival skills but actually spending thousands of dollars in preparation for something this extreme doesn't strike me as a wise use of resources.

You really only need to be at a point of being able to live a self sustaining life. During the Great Depression many families we're able to service since they could hunker down and grow food and animals on their land. With the droughts did things fuck up but generally you just want to be in a position to be able to survive and be as comfy as possible. Going all out and dropping mad cash on some bunker to prevent you from a thermo-nuclear war is kind of dumb -your fucked regardless. But some people go to those extremes.

Post: #9

Those shows crack me up because the #1 best way to ensure your survival is...good physical health.

Those people are out of shape. They are sickly.

Same thing with survivalists and people who buy physical gold and silver.

I will drink their silver milkshakes.

Post: #10

I will take all this doomsday stuff seriously when someone can show me a historical precedent for anything remotely approaching an apocalypse scenario. There have been plenty of disasters before, but none that just obliterated a society overnight. And societies have fallen apart before, but gradually, over the course of generations.

Being prepared is smart and so is knowing some basic survival skills, but past a certain point there's just no reason to arrange your whole life around a black swan event.

Post: #11

(05-28-2012 06:14 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  Those shows crack me up because the #1 best way to ensure your survival is...good physical health.

Those people are out of shape. They are sickly.

Same thing with survivalists and people who buy physical gold and silver.

I will drink their silver milkshakes.

Ayup, I saw a clip from this show and it was some fat bitch that had guns hidden everywhere in her house. So she's prepared for the 1/∞ probability of someone wanting to rape her, yet does nothing to prevent herself from likely becoming wheelchair bound by 50 with her feet chopped off from advanced type 2 diabetes.

Post: #12

(05-28-2012 09:10 PM)j r Wrote:  I will take all this doomsday stuff seriously when someone can show me a historical precedent for anything remotely approaching an apocalypse scenario. There have been plenty of disasters before, but none that just obliterated a society overnight. And societies have fallen apart before, but gradually, over the course of generations.

Being prepared is smart and so is knowing some basic survival skills, but past a certain point there's just no reason to arrange your whole life around a black swan event.

I didn't want to name drop the black swan event. Thanks.

Post: #13

(05-28-2012 09:10 PM)j r Wrote:  I will take all this doomsday stuff seriously when someone can show me a historical precedent for anything remotely approaching an apocalypse scenario. There have been plenty of disasters before, but none that just obliterated a society overnight. And societies have fallen apart before, but gradually, over the course of generations.

Being prepared is smart and so is knowing some basic survival skills, but past a certain point there's just no reason to arrange your whole life around a black swan event.

There've been plenty of disasters that fuck society up overnight.
All it takes is a category five hurricane, or a massive earthquake, or a disease outbreak to really spoil your day.

If you were one of the corpses floating around after Hurricane Katrina, it is unlikely that your dead body would be smiling and telling eveyone around it 'Hey, it is ok! Society didn't end!' Same with if you were caught in the Great Fire of London, or your daughter was raped when Rome was sacked by the Goths.

I can see why the 'society doesn't end quickly!' argument is used, but if you think of it at the level of the individual prepper, the ramifications of society ending are completely irrelevant if you're dead in the initial event.

Prepping is useful anyway. I'd advise everyone do it. Firstly, because society is slipping and there are ways to profit in the long term, and if you don't do it, someone else will.

Secondly, here is an exercise. Go to sleep tonight, at your usual time. Set your alarm for right in the middle of when you're asleep. When it goes off, your house is burning down. You have about 60 seconds to get yourself, everything you need as well as any pets/family members out. And that is out of the building, so if you live in apartments on the 15th floor, you've got a lot of stairs to be running down.

You'll want your passport/insurance documents/money/deeds to any property you own etc. You'll probably want your laptop too. These things are a bitch to get hold of if your identity is lost in a house fire.

I'm betting nobody can at this moment do it in the time limit, but there are a hell of a lot of house fires every year.

Once you've done that - do the exercise like you are expecting a burglar through a random window in your house. Then, you have an hour until a hurricane hits and you have to pack up your life in a new city.

Then, your bank goes bust and from tomorrow you won't be able to withdraw any money or any of your savings.

These are all real world examples that have happened to people just like us in the past couple of years. They aren't society-wide issues (except the bank one,) but always start from the assumption that not being a corpse comes before the well-being of the government.

Post: #14

^^^ I guess that you chose to ignore the entire last sentence.

Yes, be prepared for emergencies and disasters, but that's not the same as prepping for the end of society.

Post: #15

(05-29-2012 08:23 AM)j r Wrote:  ^^^ I guess that you chose to ignore the entire last sentence.

Yes, be prepared for emergencies and disasters, but that's not the same as prepping for the end of society.

Apologies. I wasn't directing the whole thing at you per se, merely using your post as a springboard into my point.

Post: #16

The best analogy in regards to this is the one about the bear and the campers: You never have to be the fastest and first to run from the Bear you just need to be fastest from the last person. If you choose not to prepare.. you will perish but if you take smart steps you will ensure your survival.

Not even just survival but money and investments. The greatest profits to be made are after significant events. People tippled, quadrupled their wealth during the Great Depression if they knew what to look for since assets and stocks were dirt cheap. Same with after 9/11 and after the 2008 crash if your smart you can scoop up stuff for pennies on the dollar.

Post: #17

(05-28-2012 06:14 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  Those shows crack me up because the #1 best way to ensure your survival is...good physical health.

Those people are out of shape. They are sickly.

Same thing with survivalists and people who buy physical gold and silver.

I will drink their silver milkshakes.

That pretty much covers 95% of the prepper/survivalist/gun nut group (and I say that as a gun enthusiast myself).

I cannot count how many guys I have met who weigh 300lbs+ and have to rest midway through walking up a flight of stairs that have a collection of tricked out AR-15s and custom handguns, along with their fully stocked "tactical" battle vest. When I ask they how they plan on dealing with the actual PHYSICAL aspect of their little SHTF fantasy, they all talk about how they are "going to start a workout program" tomorrow or next week.

Beyond the obvious truth that these folks are more likely to be killed by heart disease and other obesity related illnesses, how do they expect to move around with all of their guns and ammo for more than 30 seconds in anything not motorized? Maybe these SHTF scenarios are part of a forced diet plan. Kind of hard to maintain that 6,000 calorie per day lifestyle after the apocalypse.

Post: #18

Good points. My buddy is a rank survivalist and he spent most of his time getting himself in proper mental and physical shape. He tells me the mind is 75% of it all, you need to be in a certain frame of mind to will yourself to survive in tough times. Without that will ... you die. Your mind can trick your body into thinking its more strong, more resilient then it actually is once that kicks in a healthy fit body with muscle you trough it all. Then tools can help with tasks but are not the means to survival. That's were gun nuts and lunatics get it wrong, materials don't save you your mind and body knowing how to efficiently use the tools does.

Mind>>Body>>Skills>>Tools.

Post: #19

This show is paranoia at its finest. They call themselves "preppers." And for most it's a family affair.

Post: #20

(05-28-2012 12:02 PM)thedude3737 Wrote:  So yes, a 10 mile wide asteroid will nullify any doomsday prep.

This is how I'd wanna go if I had to choose one natural disaster that wipes out mankind. I think it would be one hell of a thing to witness.

Post: #21

Also, I don't really have an issue with people preparing for some type of ELE (Extinction Level Event) or whatnot. But some people just take shit too far. Though those of us that aren't preparing for something awful to happen will wish we had once it actually does. I think it's a matter of when, and not if, something like an asteroid/comet or a solar flare takes out Earth. We treat our planet and resources like shit, too. So I wouldn't be shocked at all if we end up doing ourselves in long before that happens. What about the O-zone layer? That's all fucked up, too. We're making some bad choices as a civilization.

Post: #22

I wouldn't classify myself with the people on the show (e.g. I don't have a nuclear fallout shelter) but I am a gun owner and I keep enough food on hand to get through an extended period of time. If I had a wood stove, a well, and enough room to garden and raise a few animals I'd be all set.

Being prepared, in and of itself, isn't a bad thing. I love watching the news before a snowstorm and seeing the articles about bread and milk being wiped out at the grocery store.

Post: #23

I think it is a great idea to prepare on a non-specific basis, ie not for a "pole shift" or "hurricane" but for all eventualities by simply having a few months' worth of food, lights and water. You can have a rolling stock that you just eat and replenish as you go. This would even come in handy if you lost your job or had any kind of other disruption. No savings account or investment is as inflation-proof as already having the actual goods.....