When do you give up warning folks and just shut up and hunker down?

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Sentry18

Sentry18

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https://modernsurvivalblog.com/lifestyle/when-do-you-give-up-warning-folks/

When do you give up warning folks and just shut up and hunker down?
by Ken Jorgustin | Updated Feb 16, 2020

give-up.jpg

I love this question. It came from “Farmmom” over on another thread related to the emerging coronavirus.

However it could just as easily relate to ANY preparedness warning / hints/ tips / discussion with other people.

Do you feel compelled?
Do you feel compelled to warn others of a potentially bad situation coming? If you do, then to what extent until you give up, shut up, or hunker down?

I say “give up” because most people — and I really mean most everyone — will probably think you’re a bit nuts talking about “preparedness”. Especially if you have the foresight to see something potentially coming – early, or very early — before they hear about themselves from a “trusted” source.

Until the “mainstream” starts to hint to the masses, they probably won’t believe you. Or believe you enough to take some action.

What do I do?
I publish articles on this blog. That’s my extent. I rarely talk about preparedness with anyone, except Mrs.J.

I don’t feel the urge to go out on the sidewalk with a megaphone. Or even to semi-casually bring it up during conversation.

For the most part, unless it is brought up BY THEM, I will not discuss or bring up the topic of preparedness or prepping.

Why? Because it has been stigmatized. I’m not going to risk being labeled, unless I feel they are open to the (common sense) notion of preparedness. Because if they are not (receptive), then I will probably be labeled as a nut or cook. And word travels.

There can only be downside risk if the others think you’re wacky because you store ahead some food and supplies (for example). There’s no sense harming a relationship or opsec over it. So I just don’t bother.

What do you do?
Okay, so I gave you my general opinion. Don’t worry if you feel otherwise! Lets hear from you and your opinion about it.

At what point do you give up warning folks and just shut up and hunker down?
Click to expand...
 
I think it depends on who you are trying to convince. If it is someone in your inner circle, I think a dialogue about it is very important. And if you get from them that they have no belief in what is coming, or maybe even here, I think it is best then to set out the guidelines:

1. There is the small cabin for quarantine purposes out back where you can hang out for 3 weeks to make sure you are not infected, and therefore, won't infect the rest of us. It has simple preps that will help sustain you for interim. If you need to communicate, there are radios and we will turn ours on at 9 a.m., 12 noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Radios need to be turned off otherwise to conserve the batteries.

2. NO ONE ELSE besides this list is coming in. Don't talk about it to anyone else. Don't bring anyone else. Don't try to convince us after the fact. Now is the time.

3.

If it is someone outside of your inner circle, why talk to them? Either they get it or they don't. If you show your hand, prepare for them to show up, even if it is a quarantine situation.

The couple that was going to go to Vietnam was awoken when we were talking about all the corona virus stuff and the necessary masks. He is a trained chef and was knowledgeable about which masks are best and which ones are not as good. I told him that masks were largely sold out world wide. What? I never once told him or anyone else to prepare and stock up this and that. I was just informing him and others about what is going on. I believe if the topic is brought up, it is a good time to add a little information, but not go off on a dogmatic tirade.

It is a good topic to discuss now what we may all need to do. Even if this is done in a way that makes you seem as though this is crazy. "Who in the world would have a stockpile of N95 masks? Who would be prepared to quarantine for a month or more? Who would be able to do this? How could you? Would there be anyone who could quarantine for that long? What would you do if you decided to quarantine and someone knocked on your door" On and on with disbelief about what could be done. Never saying, "We should all have x and x and x and do this and this and this." Isn't that is showing your hand?
 
I look at it in a different context. I don't bring it up with anybody but immediate family. Usually this is where I get the eye rolling, and patronization. General consensus " This is Dad's hobby. Just go along with it. " So be it. I will prep for them no matter what.

When it comes up in a general conversation I never refer to it as prepping. It is just a general preparedness. I point out the recent happenings in the news; usually natural disasters, and point out " I don't want to end up like that. " We have been flooded very recently; one time coming close to evacuation. In this context, at least to me, nobody has considered me a kook or a whack job. IMHO you are a realist. Sure I prepare. Remember back when we were flooded. You know it is going to happen again.

I don't offer suggestions, and I don't tell anybody what we have. Just point out it would be prudent to be prepared. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. A good lesson to learn for life.
 
I only talked about it to people close to me years ago - but it was clear most weren’t on the same page (to put it nicely).

Now we have an-in-your-face issue at hand with the WuFlu. Son#1 is far away and already knows everything, so I can only pray for him. Son#2 doesn’t want to prepare for personal reasons, and I respect his wishes. When I head home I will have a “real” conversation with hubby and son#3 (we’ve had brief long-distance conversations) - I need plans and preparation. But I know I will essentially be on my own.
 
I've learned not to say too much (except a few very close friends and some family.) If something comes up, I usually say, "We live pretty traditionally." Then they don't automatically go to the zombie apocalypse. Also, I read an article a couple years ago called "You can't come to my house." It was about someone telling a gal that if that happened, they would just go to her house. Her analogy was that they didn't pay her family's medical insurance, why should she supply their food insurance. I thought that was a good way to put it. I've actually told a dear friend, not to plan on me. I will help her prepare, but I am preparing for my family not hers. (Truth be told, I would share, but she should not be reliant on me for her preps. Better for her to plan for herself.)
 
I've had 3 "I'll come to your house" responses. Each time I quit discussing prepping unless I think they are already preppers. I have been wrong twice. Those that will be welcome are pre selected. I'll discuss prepping, in a general manner, if they bring it up and I believe they have already started prepping.
 
I am in cohorts with a neighbor. He was getting rid of a truck load of canning jars with screw caps and asked if I wanted them.
I said SURE! He knows we have raised beds and a bit of a garden too. I have helped him spontaneously unloading wood and such and he knows that I have an "American Express" carry that I don't leave home without. I bring him lead for his bullet casting and we talk about the necessity of being ready. I help both neighbors and they help me when I ask. The other folks nearby are quiet mostly but I know one couple that are clueless and I stay quiet about my preps. Anyone who stops by can see the raised beds and the onion patch but it's not considered abnormal here so I am OK for the most part. My cohort has decided to go with commercial preps because his wife is too sickly to do anything and he is diabetic. I figure he will last about six months without insulin and his wife probably will be gone before that. He has no family but knows quite a few law enforcement types from his job. I get to meet his "buddies" and am on their good side. Most are county deputies but some are from town "city" cops. He has an FFL and I bought a couple of guns through him. When I moved in I didn't know anything about him but started helping when I saw that he needed it and we became friends.
 
phideaux said:
About 15 years ago .


Jim
Click to expand...
I'm with Phideaux.
They have already listened to me preach enough.
I will greet them politely at the front door with a carbine slung on my shoulder.
...I may give them a roll of TP and a bottle of water with a :ghostly:and :waiting:.
 
I will tell them where to get water and how to prepare it but I have nothing to give anyone other than directions to the church.
 
Supervisor42 said:
I'm with Phideaux.
They have already listened to me preach enough.
I will greet them politely at the front door with a carbine slung on my shoulder.
...I may give them a roll of TP and a bottle of water with a :ghostly:and :waiting:.
Click to expand...
You're nicer than I. I have plenty of water so they can have the water...and an old phone book.
 
I am shoulder to shoulder with you guys. Unless something changed dramatically water will not be an issue for me. Plenty for everybody. Multiple ways to purify. Food? I will send them to the church where I donate. Nothing here for you.
 
i tried getting ppl to prepare for certain situaions.like power outages.but i found myself talking into wind while looking at the preferable wall.so i gave up on it.we has tornado's hit town last april.i go 2 diff ppl little hand held flashlights.in which.one of them use's hers quite often.
 
I am willing to incur some personal risk in order to help people I care about and/or network.
If we all hide.. we leave the public space under the control of both normalcy bias and the enemies of the republic.
 
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