06-28-2022, 04:12 PM
Something that @727SKY posted in the Countdown to Apocalypse thread about food shortage reminded me of a quote. Now, I will paraphrase the concept instead of trying to remember the quote exactly and subsequently butchering it... But the concept is that in the real world, the measure of volatility isn't in the stock market, it's at the dinner table.
"Civilized" society has a very long and storied relationship with stability and security. That's the whole point of any society. People banding together so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts...
To tangent for a minute, this is one of things I get a kick out of with most "standalone" preppers. You know the ones I'm talking about. But there hits a point banding together in one form or another becomes a necessity. No one individual can master all of the skills needed to truly thrive. Yes, I know a lot of individuals that can survive, but surviving isn't thriving. If it were, humanity would have never formed tribes or agrarian societies, but I digress.
...This banding together always ultimately comes with some form of order. And with order comes a hierarchy. There is always a chieftain, chairman, council, etc. There is always leadership. There are also always rules by which an ordered society functions. Even in Slab City, there are still rules.
That order comes with it the promise of hope, of an easier life, less fear, etc. However, that order also comes with the threat of violence. If you break that order, some form of violence is usually the result. This goes both ways. A perfect example of what I call "Top-bottom" threat of force is why we pull over for law enforcement officers. We do so because if we don't, some form of force will inevitably result. But there is also "Bottom-Top" threat of force. And that is what I will be discussing today.
Bottom-Top is when the "people" have finally had enough. Sure, there will always be pockets of dissent. There has to be in order for society to maintain a proper course. The current hot topics surrounding the 2A and abortion are perfect examples of this. There, of course, will always be the Molon Labe / Cold Dead Hands / Don't Tread on Me crowd. There will always be individuals that scream and cry about their "rights" to whatever. But honestly, they're outliers. Most individuals in any society will ultimately accept whatever laws and regulations come from the Top purely for the stability and security of ordered society.
That is unless, the promise of hope, of an easier life, less fear, etc... is broken. What breaks that promise most often? Food on the dinner table. "A hungry man is an angry man." History has proven that time and time again. This is the final straw. In fact, when we distill it down to it's most basic component, food is what created society. And the lack of food is what destroys it. Be it planned, unexpected, caused by arrogance, it doesn't matter.
The availability and promise of food is the lynchpin that all of society has always hinged on. And those that are paying attention are watching that promise be broken.
"Civilized" society has a very long and storied relationship with stability and security. That's the whole point of any society. People banding together so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts...
To tangent for a minute, this is one of things I get a kick out of with most "standalone" preppers. You know the ones I'm talking about. But there hits a point banding together in one form or another becomes a necessity. No one individual can master all of the skills needed to truly thrive. Yes, I know a lot of individuals that can survive, but surviving isn't thriving. If it were, humanity would have never formed tribes or agrarian societies, but I digress.
...This banding together always ultimately comes with some form of order. And with order comes a hierarchy. There is always a chieftain, chairman, council, etc. There is always leadership. There are also always rules by which an ordered society functions. Even in Slab City, there are still rules.
That order comes with it the promise of hope, of an easier life, less fear, etc. However, that order also comes with the threat of violence. If you break that order, some form of violence is usually the result. This goes both ways. A perfect example of what I call "Top-bottom" threat of force is why we pull over for law enforcement officers. We do so because if we don't, some form of force will inevitably result. But there is also "Bottom-Top" threat of force. And that is what I will be discussing today.
Bottom-Top is when the "people" have finally had enough. Sure, there will always be pockets of dissent. There has to be in order for society to maintain a proper course. The current hot topics surrounding the 2A and abortion are perfect examples of this. There, of course, will always be the Molon Labe / Cold Dead Hands / Don't Tread on Me crowd. There will always be individuals that scream and cry about their "rights" to whatever. But honestly, they're outliers. Most individuals in any society will ultimately accept whatever laws and regulations come from the Top purely for the stability and security of ordered society.
That is unless, the promise of hope, of an easier life, less fear, etc... is broken. What breaks that promise most often? Food on the dinner table. "A hungry man is an angry man." History has proven that time and time again. This is the final straw. In fact, when we distill it down to it's most basic component, food is what created society. And the lack of food is what destroys it. Be it planned, unexpected, caused by arrogance, it doesn't matter.
The availability and promise of food is the lynchpin that all of society has always hinged on. And those that are paying attention are watching that promise be broken.
In the game of chess, you can never let your adversary see your pieces. - Zapp Brannigan