The Promise

[MalevolentTwitch]

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.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

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.

I agree completely. Living in the country we see that truth clearer than most, and what most people call prepping is what we have to do to make it every day now. The cities are moving in on us but at this moment we are still 45 minutes to an hour away from the city stores. We have always bought in bulk and scheduled our visits to town, but with the cost of gas going up, we are going into town less, and picking up items for each other when we do go out, more frequently.

There are a ton of movies that try to pain the picture of what our post Apocalyptic world will look like. I think "Goodbye World" paints a as a fairly realistic picture of what those that think they are prepared looks like, and adds a few things that many of the movies miss.

The John Matherson's novel series "One Second After" is another fairly realistic description of what to expect. With prepping, with education, and thousands of movies under our belts, we will still not be fully prepared when the SHTF.

Goodbye World

When a mysterious terrorist attack causes chaos in the cities, a group of friends take refuge in their countryside cabin. But the challenges of living in a post-apocalyptic world soon take their toll on relationships within the group.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2352802/

John Matherson Novel: One Second After (Series #1) (Paperback)

A post-apocalyptic thriller of the after effects in the United States after a terrifying terrorist attack using electromagnetic pulse weapons.

New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen now brings us a story which can be all too terrifyingly real...a story in which one man struggles to save his family and his small North Carolina town after America loses a war, in one second, a war that will send America back to the Dark Ages...A war based upon a weapon, an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP). A weapon that may already be in the hands of our enemies.

[MalevolentTwitch]

The John Matherson's novel series "One Second After" is another fairly realistic description of what to expect. With prepping, with education, and thousands of movies under our belts, we will still not be fully prepared when the SHTF.

'One Second After'

I was handed that book by a friend of mine about a decade ago. THAT was the book that started me down the prepper rabbit hole. I consider it required reading. I mean, just the absolute pain...

(Potential spoiler incoming)

...regarding the dogs? Holy fuck.

Edited to add: I have a service dog. His name is Huckleberry. What had to happen would absolutely destroy me.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

The John Matherson's novel series "One Second After" is another fairly realistic description of what to expect. With prepping, with education, and thousands of movies under our belts, we will still not be fully prepared when the SHTF.

'One Second After'

I was handed that book by a friend of mine about a decade ago. THAT was the book that started me down the prepper rabbit hole. I consider it required reading. I mean, just the absolute pain...

(Potential spoiler incoming)

...regarding the dogs? Holy fuck.

My Brother asked me to read it. I got it as an audio book from the library Cloud, and immediately went to "One Year After", then "The Final Day".

This series gave me so much to think about. It also was the series that made me realize that you can't put all your eggs in one basket, you can't depend on just what you have stored, and that I don't stand a snowball's chance in hell, without a strong network, and a strong like minded community beside me.

There were a lot of painfully real life tribulations in those books. Being a healthcare provider, you know what parts hurt me the most. My first exposure to triage, was during the time I was in the military. So I think I have a little more understanding of dire situations, that offer me the ability to make those hard decisions, but it is never, ever, easy.

I totally agree that they should be required reading. Not necessarily a 101 primer, but they will surely get you to thinking and will prepare your mind if nothing else.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

I was handed that book by a friend of mine about a decade ago. THAT was the book that started me down the prepper rabbit hole. I consider it required reading. I mean, just the absolute pain...

(Potential spoiler incoming)

...regarding the dogs? Holy fuck.

Edited to add: I have a service dog. His name is Huckleberry. What had to happen would absolutely destroy me.

I know exactly what you mean. Here is my pack.



Can't leave this two out.

[ABNARTY]

Yup. Tools and Teamwork is how humans made it since before whenever. 

I can empathize with the desire for being alone, but it does not provide a long, healthy timeline. 

Being surrounded by zillions of people everyday can make one jaded. But a small group is not the same thing.

[GeauxHomeLittleD]

Humans accept rules and rulers in exchange for guaranteed safety and sustenance. When safety and sustenance are no longer provided all bets are off and anarchy replaces rule. We are creeping closer and closer to that extremely fine line every day.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

Humans accept rules and rulers in exchange for guaranteed safety and sustenance. When safety and sustenance are no longer provided all bets are off and anarchy replaces rule. We are creeping closer and closer to that extremely fine line every day.

People don't think anymore. They just parrot and believe what someone they think is smarter than them, or richer, has to say.

Those rules and rulers come with a small hope for safety and sustenance. They will eat the loafs, hand you the crumbs. and expect you to be grateful. They will put your young on the front lines as fodder in battle, and it will be your responsibility to protect and sustain them.

What little you receive will come with a hefty price.

And this is not new news. It has been thus from the beginning.

Samuel 8:11-17

11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.

13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.

14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.

15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.

16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men[a] and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.

Our government was supposed to be "by the people, and for the people".  We let that go down the tubes pretty fast. That is what happens when we become lazy and content.

What Lincoln said that we strive for:

"We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

We are a long way from the mark.