Developing Community
 

There seems to be what could be politely called a lot of "diversity" on this board.

The big question is how do you cooperate with someone who is someone different than yourself?

I believe that when the SHTF, one of the best ways to deal with the misfortune is to form community with others, but I'm at a loss as to how to do this.

Mostly it is done with someone's physical neighbors, but here is a list of my immediate physical neighbors:

(1) Next door a religious guy who thinks he doesn't need to get prepared because God will save him.
(2) A mormon couple in their late 80's who don't even live in the house, but who do have a stash of about 6 months worth of food, but it is so old that it is probably rotten, "but it should be fine if we ever get REALLY hungry".
(3) A vacant house with a family of 4 moving in who really don't believe that things can get worse than they arlready have.
(4) A semi-vacant house that has been for sale for about 2 years with one renter who is a late 20's girl who looks like she just lost her job
(5) A pair of old one-time nazi brothers who aren't interested in talking with much of anyone.

In attempts to form community, we have gone outside of our neighborhood and found others with like-minded ideas, but nearly all of them have some sort of serious flaw that would make them poor candidates to help WTSHTF. Some are very poor & leachy. Some are anti-gun. Some are chronically optimistic (because they won't allow themselves to be negative). Some are control freaks who think nobody's opinion but their own matters. Some are just plain a-holes.

We got a number of groups together and one of them even tried to form a "city within a city", but that lasted a very short period.

We've investigated "intentional communities", but nearly every one of them that we've seen seem to be floundering or "all floundered out".

It is hard enough to find new friends these days, but to try to find a bunch of them with shared values regarding expecting TSHTF seems impossible.

Has anyone else had problems developing a core group to help one-another when TSHTF? Has anyone else made successes?

.............Willie

Re: Developing Community
 

Given that you have pre-judged pretty much everyone in your neighborhood (and maybe everyone on this board), I would say your chances of success are slim to none.

Question is, would any of these guys be willing to form a community with you?

Re: Developing Community
 

Whoa TechGuy,

I think that I am anything but prejudging, with a few exceptions.

Most of the statements I made are after spending years with these people. Most of them just don't want to hear about it. If it happens, then they will deal with it, etc., etc.

You may be making a valid comment in that we are being very selective in letting others know what we are all about and what we are doing. But, you have to admit that trying to find close relationships with nearly total strangers who you hope to develop realationships is difficult.

To do so with the intent of seeing each other through TSHTF is even more difficult.

You really don't want to tell just anyone how many guns, gold, food stores you have without trusting them. We got to that point with some people but not very many.

I can't really go into too much detail because much of the info is personal, but we did give everyone a very good chance until they (1) are our close friends (very few) (2) proved to be lacking character, (3) moved away, or stopped seeing us for another reason, (4) gave us an indication that they didn't want to talk about such things.

Many of the people are just to old to give a crap. Others don't want us to force them to pull their heads out of the sand.

Some people just will only get so close to you before they balk at advancing further.

Maybe we are being a bit too selective, but I don't really think that is the problem.

Re: Developing Community
 

I may have worded that a little harsh, sorry.

I understand what you are saying, but being on a first name basis with your neighbors is VERY important.

The mormon guys may have better food than you think, the nazi guys may know how to defend themselves better than you think... It is all about knowing the strenghts of a possible ally when the chips are down.

You don't have to tell them you have food stores (don't), you don't have to tell them about weapons (don't).

We are all guilty of not knowing our neighbors well enough.

I have given up on waking anyone up. I simply try to figure out who has strenghts and skills that would be useful when TSHTF.

Re: Developing Community
 

super thread willie.

u sound as though u have worked at this- building community; & i agree that this is paramount for when times get very bad.

that is kinda the key i think. for my adult kids, & close friends times will have to be very very bad/scary for them to take the steps to focus on this 'bad' stuff, & make difficult nonBAU decisions.

one principle i believe is; as much as possible keep separate households [impossible for many aspects of shtf].

Re: Developing Community
 

Good thread...

First of all, I think it's hard to predict how bad SHTF will be. If we are talking about "great depression" scenario, I'm staying put and will seek to influence the community I have. If we are talking armegeddon type scenario, me and my family are bugging out to a predestined location.

Another thing I must say is that the local church people should be accountable for building community. As a struggling Christian, I think I am somewhat uncommitted to church, but in an emergency, I'd like to think that the general community would depend on each other in such a structure.

Finally, I think those with a good stash of PM's will be in a good possition to stealthfully form local opinion, instead of a mandates from a desperate federal government.

Peace, Jake

:shine:

Re: Developing Community
 

The young couple immediately to my east are hardworking and improving their "starter home." He works for the regional planning commission, which gave me an immediate entry to discuss things like peak oil and the potential problem for government planners. He listens to the James Howard Kunstler weekly podcast. I gave him my copy of Ruppert's A Presidential Energy Policy. I also gave them a loaf of banana nut bread that I had baked with home ground whole wheat flour. They know where I'm coming from without my ever voicing a doom and gloom philosophy they might not want to hear.

My next door neighbor on the other side is an elderly widow woman. I mow her grass and shovel the snow from her sidewalks because she has a limited income. And, besides, she's a wonderful cook who rewards me with delicious goodies. In a SHTF scenario, it would be great to have someone in the community who can cook delicious meals from scratch.

Two houses east are a middle aged couple. I've gifted them with homemade rye bread and some tomato seedling plants that I started early spring. They know of my interest in gardening. He owns a bow saw and helped me trim a big branch downed in my yard by the tornado that moved through town last summer. He also helps me with the widow woman's mowing and shoveling.

Two houses west is a family that I don’t know well yet. I found a dog in the alley that kept ducking into their garage. Thinking that it might be their dog who had been locked out of his backyard, I rang their doorbell to notify them of his plight. In the fullness of time, they’ll be better friends.

The secret to community, I think, is mutual help and sharing. If you have no neighbors who are interested in that, you might have a problem. Or, you might have to try harder to be a good neighbor.

Re: Developing Community
 

Merlin,

We do a lot of things like that. Recently we've been plagued by some car break-ins in our area. I gave the girl next door our phone number and emphasized that she call us if she hears anything that scares her.

I've been notifying the neighbors whenever I hear about another break-in.

In some of the areas of our city, home invasions are on the uprise. These used to happen primarally to houses where drug dealing, etc. was suspected. Nowadays thugs are doing it to average Joes. I've mentioned it to others in our neighborhood. Necessity may cause us to form more community in our neighborhood. I hope it doesn't come to that. Our neighborhood has been very safe for many years. These car break-ins are the only real problems our neighborhood's had.

Thanks for the suggestions. We probably should do more of the type of stuff you mention, but modern life leaves us ragged most nights. It is hard to find time for baking, etc. when we have to make a living.

Re: Developing Community
 

I am retired, so I have plenty of time to bake. But the principle is the same. There are no perfect solutions. Taking care of those around you is difficult after a hard day at work. But, if you want them to care for you, you must care for them. I don't see any other way to make it happen.

Re: Developing Community
 

You say "us". How many are you?

Re: Developing Community
 

If you are asking me, in my posts us=2, my wife and I.

Re: Developing Community
 

We too are in the same boat. Neighbors don't even want to participate in a subdivision emergency recovery team. I got permission of the HOA to start one--no money for supplies or equipment. I sent an email to all members with email addresses with the HOA. I did get a few responses (12 out 0f 780+ homes). Out of the dozen responses 8 were law enforcement and the others too old to truely help out in a major emergency (tornado, hurricane, flood). The law enforcement guys would have liked to help but knew they would be called into their respective jobs if TSHTF on a greater scale. So, I am left to my own--again.

Our short list of truely trusted friends don't want to hear about such things nor do they think it could happen. So, we don't talk about our preps or other thoughts of the subject. We do have trusted like-minded friends that are prepping too, but the closet ones are about 9 hrs away and several others are over 1000 miles away. Too bad they live too far away.

We will continue to make our preparations and see where the chips fall WTSHTF. We are lucky that we can chose our friends and will not be relying on anyone else for the short term in any respect.

We certainly won't be looking for FEMA nor the local guys to help.

Re: Developing Community
 

I think Merlin has the right idea. Do your best to form relationships with those around you but don't worry too much if they are not on the same page as you or are not open to some of the stuff we discuss here.

I have pretty much given up trying to convince others of anything, unless they show interest on their own. I plan to lead and if the time comes when things really start to break down hopefully others will follow.