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VThillman

VThillman

Geezer
Neighbor
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
3,926
Location
Southeastern Vermont
The US Census Bureau informs me:
"Much of the nation’s population growth in recent decades occurred in metro areas – now home to 86% of the U.S. population."

This may be why we are 99.44% screwed.
[That percent number comes from ancient ads for Ivory Soap - only it was referring to 'purity', not screwedness]. If anyone has encouraging words about our level-of-screwedness, I'd like to read them.]
 
LadyLocust said:
Those in metro areas are least able to support themselves and have the least amount of knowledge regarding sustainability; therefore, they will be the most likely to parish under adverse conditions.
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Probably, LL. But they are also potential herd-members of the Zombie Apocalypse.
 
Urban/suburban has come to mean "ignorant". They only think of social justice or government handouts, but have no clue about what it takes to make their lives possible. Now, with the population shift to urban centers, they effectively have legislative control over the rural areas and they don't seem to give a damn about us, so long as Walmart has cheap groceries. I would guess that if things get tough, they will blame us Rurals for it...
 
Spikedriver said:
Urban/suburban has come to mean "ignorant". They only think of social justice or government handouts, but have no clue about what it takes to make their lives possible. Now, with the population shift to urban centers, they effectively have legislative control over the rural areas and they don't seem to give a damn about us, so long as Walmart has cheap groceries. I would guess that if things get tough, they will blame us Rurals for it...
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Spike, I have read and reread your message, and have failed to find encouragement. Somewhere there ought to be 0.56% hope - somewhere.
 
VThillman said:
Spike, I have read and reread your message, and have failed to find encouragement. Somewhere there ought to be 0.56% hope - somewhere.
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I have little hope. The Millennials and Gen Z care very little for anything except their new iPhone and drinking $8 cups of crappy Starbucks coffee. It's a little better out here in the sticks, they will work and take care of themselves, but even an hour away in Des Moines they are utterly useless...
 
VThillman said:
The US Census Bureau informs me:
"Much of the nation’s population growth in recent decades occurred in metro areas – now home to 86% of the U.S. population."

This may be why we are 99.44% screwed.
[That percent number comes from ancient ads for Ivory Soap - only it was referring to 'purity', not screwedness]. If anyone has encouraging words about our level-of-screwedness, I'd like to read them.]
Click to expand...

That's why I am somewhat comforted that I don't live where they are at. However, no one will be living far enough away when the house of cards falls. No one.
 
Hey there VT - Probably about a year ago now while talking/listening with God, I said, we need a hero. One who can take charge and stand against injustice. That hero might be those out in TimBukTu who band together - I would say at least a .56% chance.
 
Let's not conflate that the bulk of the population lives in or near urban areas with them all being hard-core gimme-pig leftists. I live in a 'burb as do many preppers I know and we won't take one iota of crap from leftists. It's not as bad as it's being made out to be. All is certainly not lost.
 
bkt said:
Let's not conflate that the bulk of the population lives in or near urban areas with them all being hard-core gimme-pig leftists. I live in a 'burb as do many preppers I know and we won't take one iota of crap from leftists. It's not as bad as it's being made out to be. All is certainly not lost.
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You can't out vote them though. And as Boomers die off, Millennials and Gen Z become the dominant demographic. Millennials and Gen Z OVERWHELMINGLY want socialism and government control. No matter what we try to do, the cities will become bluer and bluer and our freedoms will disappear with their votes...
 
Spikedriver said:
You can't out vote them though. And as Boomers die off, Millennials and Gen Z become the dominant demographic. Millennials and Gen Z OVERWHELMINGLY want socialism and government control. No matter what we try to do, the cities will become bluer and bluer and our freedoms will disappear with their votes...
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Only if we continue to feed them. :devil:
I am getting at standing up for our beliefs. They don't feed themselves. We do have some leverage but have to be willing to use it.
 
Spikedriver said:
They don't need us to feed them. Papa Joe will do it. That's how you buy votes!
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Joe doesn't have it if we don't give it to him &/or take it off the boats. (my opinion) part of what we are seeing with the docs. There is a part of me that says "keep it going." They won't last. Right now it's their video games and spandex. If it gets down to food (actual survival items) they might sing a different toon. We are on the brink of collapse - dems have enough votes to pass the 3 tril. bill and sink the ship but don't want to be solely responsible so waiting for 1 rep. to give in. Either way, there needs to be a significant change. I'm actually agreeing with you in a round about way, but I'm sure tired of leaches. They need to be treated or they will kill their host, then parish.
 
Methinks people are overgeneralizing. While urban areas depend on rural areas for food, rural areas depend on urban areas for much of everything else. Where do you think Ivermectin is made and packaged? Probably not in somebodies barn. Your truck or tractor? The computerized assembly lines to build those things were probably developed in the city. Various medications you may need to take to stay healthy? Where do you think those come from? When the SHTF, rural areas may stay in good shape slightly longer than urban areas. But not much longer. Nobody anywhere is self-sufficient any more.
 
bkt said:
Let's not conflate that the bulk of the population lives in or near urban areas with them all being hard-core gimme-pig leftists. I live in a 'burb as do many preppers I know and we won't take one iota of crap from leftists. It's not as bad as it's being made out to be. All is certainly not lost.
Click to expand...
Down here when they arrest a burglar, cops tell him that they saved his life.
"The next house you broke into, the owner could shoot you dead and all we can do is clean your blood off of his floor. In jail you will be safe".
Down here politicians don't get away with squat either! You will find them hanging in the grapevine.
People talk, and they VOTE!
If one turns to the dark side, they are marked with the number of the beast and they are TOAST!
 
Haertig said:
Methinks people are overgeneralizing. While urban areas depend on rural areas for food, rural areas depend on urban areas for much of everything else. Where do you think Ivermectin is made and packaged? Probably not in somebodies barn. Your truck or tractor? The computerized assembly lines to build those things were probably developed in the city. Various medications you may need to take to stay healthy? Where do you think those come from? When the SHTF, rural areas may stay in good shape slightly longer than urban areas. But not much longer. Nobody anywhere is self-sufficient any more.
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Thats true, but that's not the point. The point is this - the urban areas are voting to destroy the rural areas and we don't have the votes to stop it any more. It doesn't matter if we need them - they don't think they need us.
 
Haertig said:
Methinks people are overgeneralizing. While urban areas depend on rural areas for food, rural areas depend on urban areas for much of everything else. Where do you think Ivermectin is made and packaged? Probably not in somebodies barn. Your truck or tractor? The computerized assembly lines to build those things were probably developed in the city. Various medications you may need to take to stay healthy? Where do you think those come from? When the SHTF, rural areas may stay in good shape slightly longer than urban areas. But not much longer. Nobody anywhere is self-sufficient any more.
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I guess a part of this makes me a little sad. Yes, I like having a rig to drive but do believe I could manage without. The part that I think is sad is the health part. Hubby and I take pretty good measures to stay healthy. We don't take anything more than an occasional ibuprofen or vitamins. You make a good point. Even among our rural population - the vast majority are probably dependent upon drugs of some sort to survive though I would not designate that as healthy. These folks would most likely be part of the die off. It would be a sad scenario.
 
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I read this thread and think about what I am seeing here, every house has 6 newer cars out front. In the stores I can see the worry in the faces of the older folks, but the younger folks are into baby pablum and junk food...
I do see the people are moving away from the cities, DC and NYC shops can't get customers because the folks who could telework are migrating to the country side and not going back into the cities.... This is bad for the folks here (as in homesteading forum) because it is like a slow infiltration of liberalism into your back yards....
Right now I think that a lot of the people staying in the cities are there for the social programs (free handouts) and really have no other place to go.

I guess the only plus side I can see is that if we have a really hard winter and the renewable power grid goes down, come spring there will be a lot fewer AOC types voting.
 
Haertig said:
Methinks people are overgeneralizing. While urban areas depend on rural areas for food, rural areas depend on urban areas for much of everything else. Where do you think Ivermectin is made and packaged? Probably not in somebodies barn. Your truck or tractor? The computerized assembly lines to build those things were probably developed in the city. Various medications you may need to take to stay healthy? Where do you think those come from? When the SHTF, rural areas may stay in good shape slightly longer than urban areas. But not much longer. Nobody anywhere is self-sufficient any more.
Click to expand...

I do agree things are tied together now, much like the global trade is. But when crap goes down some element of the rural population will be able to survive on what that can produce like people have done forever. Some of the urban will too, by taking all they can from the others and that will happen to some rural areas as well. But like Super said that won't last long as people take a stand and put down the trash.

Gonna be hard times regardless. And for the libs moving to the country they will have to fit in once things go down or they will be shunned and not given a thought.
 
This thread has reminded me of two books I have read in recent years. The first book: The Hunger Games. Where "The Capitol" is akin to our large cities - self centered egotists, and "The Districts" are like our rural neighborhoods - the working people.

The second book: "One Second After". This is about a small town separated from large urban areas that is somewhat self-sufficient after a world changing event, has to fight off intruders from the cities, and experiences death of their townspeople who are reliant on medications and care that they no longer have.

If you haven't read One Second After by William R. Forstchen, I highly recommend it. There are two sequels, decent, but not quite up to the first book IMHO.

OSA.png


The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a young adult future dystopian romp. Entertaining, but not a deep book. The sequels get progressively worse. By the last book, I would say that they degenerated to drivel. The first book was not too bad though, and better than the movie.

HG.png
 
Haertig said:
This thread has reminded me of two books I have read in recent years. The first book: The Hunger Games. Where "The Capitol" is akin to our large cities - self centered egotists, and "The Districts" are like our rural neighborhoods - the working people.

The second book: "One Second After". This is about a small town separated from large urban areas that is somewhat self-sufficient after a world changing event, has to fight off intruders from the cities, and experiences death of their townspeople who are reliant on medications and care that they no longer have.

If you haven't read One Second After by William R. Forstchen, I highly recommend it. There are two sequels, decent, but not quite up to the first book IMHO.

View attachment 73723

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a young adult future dystopian romp. Entertaining, but not a deep book. The sequels get progressively worse. By the last book, I would say that they degenerated to drivel. The first book was not too bad though, and better than the movie.

View attachment 73724
Click to expand...

I haven't read the hunger games, but fully second Haertigs recommendation to read One Second After. It is eye opening to so many things that can and in many cases will happen when the "lights go out". The 2nd and third books were not as good as the first one, but I still got quite a lot from them. The thing that captured my attention right away was the fact these were written about an area I know very well. It was easy to see some of these things play out there, even in the later books.
He has written some other books that are rather eye opening as well.
 
Spikedriver said:
Urban/suburban has come to mean "ignorant". They only think of social justice or government handouts, but have no clue about what it takes to make their lives possible. Now, with the population shift to urban centers, they effectively have legislative control over the rural areas and they don't seem to give a damn about us, so long as Walmart has cheap groceries. I would guess that if things get tough, they will blame us Rurals for it...
Click to expand...
Hey man, there are some good suburban folk out here! :) We look in at the urban areas, and just shake our heads and wonder WTHeck is going on.

And, I will tell you, the differences are not racial like the media wants you to believe. The differences are cultural. At our local high school football games, you can tell the difference between urban and suburban adults, because there are different standards for public behavior...which has nothing to do with race. White and black suburban families sit together, look alike, act alike, and have the same values. But, there is an urban culture that is very different from suburban culture.

Then again...I live in the far limits of suburbia. So, maybe I'm a bit more rural than other suburbanites.
 
Tacitus said:
Hey man, there are some good suburban folk out here! :) We look in at the urban areas, and just shake our heads and wonder WTHeck is going on.

And, I will tell you, the differences are not racial like the media wants you to believe. The differences are cultural. At our local high school football games, you can tell the difference between urban and suburban adults, because there are different standards for public behavior...which has nothing to do with race. White and black suburban families sit together, look alike, act alike, and have the same values. But, there is an urban culture that is very different from suburban culture.

Then again...I live in the far limits of suburbia. So, maybe I'm a bit more rural than other suburbanites.
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I agree it's totally not racial. It's also not every single person. What I've been talking about is the blue counties (urban areas) - they're only going to get bluer and as their reach grows, the power of the red counties will recede.
 
VThillman said:
The US Census Bureau informs me:
"Much of the nation’s population growth in recent decades occurred in metro areas – now home to 86% of the U.S. population."

This may be why we are 99.44% screwed.
[That percent number comes from ancient ads for Ivory Soap - only it was referring to 'purity', not screwedness]. If anyone has encouraging words about our level-of-screwedness, I'd like to read them.]
Click to expand...
Encouraging words.

The general out shared by many of the members of this forum is evidence that not all are lost. They are nuggets of hope.

Until last year I lived just over the line between suburbia and rural. I didn't move but suburbia cut down the forest on the other side of the valley and built apartments row house and huge houses on small lots sold using the catch phrase "wonderful view". What i see as encouraging is the attitude on this side of the valley hasn't changed.

Trump signs and flags still fly from poles.

The quick down hill change resulting in higher energy costs and shortages isn't going unnoticed. The frog will feel the heat and jump out of the pot.

The violence seen at urban protests is nonexistent in rural areas.

The urbanites need the rural to consume their products so that they can buy the produce the rural produce. Urbanites simply don't have the space to store more than a few days. Interuptions and slow downs will be felt will be felt quickly while the rural can prepare for interuptions.

While urbanites have a full house in politics the rural population has a royal flush when bellies are empty and the strength to peacefully say NO.

We aren't going to take it.

Is that positive enough?

Ben
 
Neb said:
Is that positive enough?
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I know (2) TWO members on this forum, who are very-very-very well positioned. And they are "NOT" comfortable about their future. I have learned that the further one gets down the "Prepping" highway........the greater their visibility. And the greater their acceptance of the magnitude of the challenge.

Stated differently, it seems those less prepared tend towards a level of "smugness", that vanishes the more prepared one is.
 
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Sourdough said:
I know (2) TWO members on this forum, who are very-very-very well positioned. And they are "NOT" comfortable about their future. I have learned that the further one gets down the "Prepping" highway........the greater their visibility. And the greater their acceptance of the magnitude of the challenge.

Stated differently, it seems those less prepared tend towards a level of "smugness", that vanishes the more prepared one is.
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Hi SD, I will be the first to admit that I'm not as prepared as I could or should be by my own standards, let alone by comparison to others who have been at the game a little longer. But. . . I'm right with my Maker and will do what I can as long as I can - and am still prepping to the best of my ability at this time.
 
One has to be very well informed in both the topic and the mindset to consider the preparedness of others and comparing them to anyone else.
I am a prepper that dates back to the 1970's. I am neither wise enough nor well enough informed on the preparedness, in attitude or mental conditioning to make any such comparison. Some may seem outwardly more prepared but who knows the mindset of individuals without being a part of their lives.
LadyLocust, anyone who makes such a claim is probably as wrong as a person can get. Keep doing what you know you need and let such bogus silt flow off your back like water on a duck. It is meaningless at best.
 
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