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Forming Survival Groups
this Article comes from the website that platinumdude found: http://survivalacres.com/wordpress/?p=583
Forming Survival Groups This is a continuance from Part I, Future Prep. Blog postings are usually meant to be short if they�re going to read at all. I don�t think anybody likes to read particurly long essays online. What I write next is based on many years of personal experience. Forming groups to survive the collapse is often inquired upon and this subject is very difficult to deal with. Most groups fail (over 95%) within two or three years (or even sooner). And that�s now, when tshtf isn�t �real� yet and the greater society remains viable out there to catch the pieces (people) that go spinning off from their fractured group attempts. Here is where most groups fail (in no particular order): 1) Unrealized expectations. Either these were not fully discussed, written down (important) and agreed upon, expectations are often unfilled, causing dissension, implosion and failure. 2) Lack of �localness�. Forming a group from �outsiders� is an almost certain recipe for disaster. The lack of local connections, customs, habits, expectations, and familiarity with all of the above, causes most �formed groups� from people scattered far and wide to fail. 3) Lack of funding. A serious lack of planning, expectations and foresight, lack of initial startup costs, etc. Individual members don�t make equal contributions in terms of resources, land, money and resentment develops. 4) Habits and belief systems. Smokers, dogs, religion, politics, work ethics, even scheduling habits. Slackers, wannabe�s, lazy and incompetent people should be avoided at all costs. 5) Relocation. This is a gigantic �biggie� which encompasses ALL of the above. Economic factors aside (which are monumental all by themselves) if resolved, still fails to account for the challenges and difficulties of relocation and the undue stress that this places upon ALL the participants. However, relocation is very often a prerequisite and thus, impossible to under estimate. 6) Familiarity. The lack of communication, understanding, expectations, realizations, habits, hangups, hanger on�s (extra family members, kids, troublesome friends, etc.) create extreme problems. Includes non-humans too (dogs, birds, cats, family �pets�). 7) Impatience and lack of bonding. Most groups form in a hurry, based on a perceived need and almost always, a sense of urgency, which fails to address ALL of the above. Such groups are destined for disaster and failure. Groups are stronger then individuals, but you must carefully consider what you�re asking for - and expecting. And what people say - and what they do are two entirely different things. Stress can produce the very worst and the very best in humans. You have to know that your fellow members won�t crack under pressure. Most of them probably will. I strongly advise AGAINST forming a group from people that do not live close by that you cannot get to know personally, intimately and slowly. Time is against you right now to do this, but I still hold this opinion based on years of personal experience. If you are going to form a group, start with family. Then close friends. And close neighbors. Beyond that, forget it. It probably won�t work. It almost never does. There are many different kinds of preparedness groups in the US, usually based around a common belief or perception. However, close examination will often reveal that the same belief is not enough. Nor is the same politics, religion or expectations. Most of these groups implode. The human dynamics come into play when you put people together and you quickly find out just how compatible you really are. I could (and have) written an entire book on this subject, so I suggest you carefully consider what you�re asking for. Don�t ask for a copy, I don�t circulate it anymore. Groups must hold common values, morals, beliefs and have clear lines of communication, leadership and problem resolution. All that, plus all of the above. Be careful. I am not advising against it, but this is a Pandora�s box and once opened, can be deadly. Remember, groups implode, killing off each other, sometimes literally. Massive pressure is also created by society, law enforcement and others from without. Eventually, cracks appear and self-destruction ensues. Your as well off, if not better, sticking with family, close neighbors and friends. These �groups� already have the �localness� requirement (essential), lines of communications, understanding of habits, belief systems, ethics and many other very important factors, including private property (even personal property). These groups are far from perfect (no group is), but they have a better foundation upon which to build then putting together relative strangers. I�m am certainly not against forming groups - in fact, I think they are essential. It�s the �how� they are formed that is often overlooked and what it means. I�d like to gently comment that the examples of camp, military, sports, college, business, etc., all have the same characteristic - and that is the support structure that exists within and without these �organizations�. Take away that support structure, ie., societal collapse, and all of that �outside help� that all of these organizations rely upon to function correctly and you have a sure-fire recipe for disaster. There have been even rogue military groups that have impoded with the surrounding support structure collapses. Groups function �best� when the surrounding infrastructure continues to provide. Take that away, and any group is subject to implosion. Which is in fact, exactly what happens when such organizations are stressed beyond their intended capacitity, capabilities and expectations. This scenario is extremely likely in our near future. Human relationships are built upon trust, communication, understanding and needs. This last point is almost always overlooked. A lot of people work because of needs, put up with a tyrant boss or crappy working hours based on this fact alone. Given the choice, they�d be doing something else. Which of course, is the option they choose at first chance. This can happen in a group too. They are in fact, already working for �survival� with a tremendous �outside support system� in place. Take away that outside support system (grocery stores, gas stations, doctors, cars, entertainment, comfort food (junk food), law enforcement, potentially all of it) and they won�t be showing up for work or anything else. In fact, who and what they really are will reveal itself rather quickly and sometimes quite violently. This is why �knowing� your support group intimately is going to be so important - people that can truly be relied upon and trusted and won�t leave you in a lurch or turn against you. I cannot emphasize this enough. In crisis, the issue of needs (survival) becomes of paramount importance and the concept of �self� asserts itself in myriad ways. The lack of a supporting network will really change people and I can pretty much state with assurance - you won�t like it. And they won�t like you either. The change will be abrupt, brutal and harsh. Survival is personal warfare, not in the sense of �attack and destroy�, but in the sense that all the rules are thrown out. All of them. We saw this with 500 law enforcement officers quitting during the Katrina disaster. It just didn�t matter anymore when their world was totally destroyed. We saw looters, assassinations, rapes, murders and probably much more. And that was in a regional disaster, actually fairly localized compared to what could occur on a global scale now. Loyalties got thrown out with the dirty flood waters and people reverted to self-preservation mode very quickly. Of course, not everyone did (or will), but many did, bearing in mind that they all expected rescue. What about when there is no more rescue? No more larger society to come tooling along and fix the problems? This is when things will really reveal themselves, the will to live, struggle, survive and go on will be the daily challenge, hour by hour, minute by minute. It�s when the food runs out (or runs low) that people will start getting really afraid (and really wierd). Food is comfort, safety and security. Food is life itself, few really seem to consider it�s critical importance or fragile nature. Civilizations and tribes throughout history have risen and fallen according to the food supply (duh!). I emphasize this because that is the very issue at risk. Humans can live without power, and humans can even cope with climate change (to an extent), but 6.8 billion humans cannot live without food that was raised with cheap power, cheap petroleum, vast distribution systems and predictable climates. When these go away, and they will, cheap energy, vast crop lands, affordable transportation, distribution systems and stocked shelves disappear, desperation will set in. And then violence will set in, with a vengeance. America�s homeless rarely starve to death because they have sources of nutrition available to them (and because we won�t let them starve, but that won�t last into the future). I�m not suggesting that it�s pleasant or easy, but they do manage to live, because there is still a support structure in place that they can glean off of. Collapse will change all of that, this paradigm of a vast, integrated and functioning infrastructure that provides for the minimal or maximum needs (depending on your status in life) won�t be there anymore. Food is the basic element (and water of course). As collapse becomes more enhanced, you can expect food rationing and empty shelves in time. During disasters now, this always happens. And when the commercially produced food runs out, desperation will set in. Cold showers, or skinny dipping in a lake are tolerable, but hunger is not. Expect people to fight each other and wipe out most of the wildlife. What climate change doesn�t kill, humans will. And then they will turn on each other, some sooner rather then later. I only want to make the point that crisis is a time of turning, a time of revealing what character is in people and whether or not you can trust them with your life, or if they will be selfish and sacrifice you because of their needs. It can a very innocuous and innocent request that can get you killed. Let�s just say that a pandemic outbreak has hit the States, everybody everywhere is quarantined and ordered to stay home. What happens when you�re neighbor comes over? What do you do? If he�s clueless, he won�t realize the danger he represents, just knocking on your door, asking for something to eat. Or water. Or medicine. Or toilet paper. Innoccuous request, but under pandemic, absolutely deadly. You need people who are paying attention and understand their �role� and �responsibility�, otherwise, you risk disaster. So, our imaginary clueless neighbor, decides he doesn�t like you ignorning him and figures he�ll just help himself, smashing through a window and trying to enter your house to find whatever it was he needed. Suddenly, your isolation and quarantine is broken and you�re all in danger. You�ve got a big problem - brought upon you against your best desires. You�re going to have to handle it. This is why trust is so important. Hand in hand with trust is communication. This tiny example reveals that you have to �know� your neighbors, they can�t be putting you (and then themselves) at extreme risk. Expect a lot of people to continue to do some really stupid things. This will only worsen as collapse ensues. None of this applies to the same degree when there is an �outside support� structure in place. Your neighbor can simply go knock on another door, walk to the store, call for help, something, anything. He�s got other places to turn to. And so do you, if it happens to be you that needs something or help. But take that all away, take away all forms of social organizations and agreements, all available goods and distribution points, all means of safe travel, all means of constraints and limitations, potentially everything, and the social dynamics change radically, instantly. Trust cannot be bought in a survival sitatuation, before or afterwards. Trust is earned, the hard way through time, committment, loyalty and experience. Societal collapse will expose every lie, distortion and assumption you can possibly imagine. Trust will be suddenly of paramount importance, but the factors necessary (time) will be gone. Get started now if you intend to do anything at all. You�ve little real time left and what remains needs to be used wisely. Family has always been the core for groups and will remain so. Blood is thicker then water. For most families, the commitment is already there and the desire for the family to live will be there too. Important reminder and a good code to live by. Watch what people actually do. Applies to absolutely everyone. Not what they say, but what they do. This reveals their true heart and intentions and why you can see right through them so easily. Lying, backstabbing and gossip in a survival situation will get you very dead. Pay attention to this now. Survival groups will form, but I no longer believe that small groups will survive. I�m not suggesting that the commentary above is wrong, I�m stating that small, isolated survival groups will have a very hard time of it because of a lack of diverse skills, security, infighting, resources and even opportunities to �better� then situation. Community survival has many advantages to small groups and I think this is a far better solution then winging it on your own or with your family. But even with the community, there is still the core groups. Community survival will (probably) be built upon these core groups, made up of many families. This is in effect, what we have today in our small towns. A community will have a better chance because of the diversification of skills, labor, land and resources. They will also receive and wield authority and recognition of that authority, whereas a rogue band of survivalist won�t. This is going to be pretty important as lawlessness will be very prevelant. Communities will also be able to setup barter, trade and labor exchange (even slavery, ie., �work for food� if it degenerates to that). Medicine and medical treatment will be top priorities for the members. I�d expect fiefdoms and warlords eventually too. History has many examples of nations resorting to such �law and order�. Law and order will be replaced with what works. A lot of our stupid laws and rules, permits, regulations and restrictions will be tossed right out the window. And a lot of would-be tyrants will try to take control. Get rid of them, by any means necessary (I am serious). They are and will be a serious danger to everyone. The community will function best when everyone works. Respect is earned, not implied or demanded. Leaders that do not lead, but dictate, orchestrate or tyrate should not be tolerated by anyone. We�ve got enough of these leaches now, there won�t be any need for them in the future. Communities will also have far better growing capabilties then small bands, marshalling labor and resources on a larger scale. They will also be able to deal with defensive issues against raiding parties and �outlaws� (the small survivalist bands) far better then smaller groups. There will be both safety and oppression in numbers (just like now). This is one of the big advantages of communities over ecovillages by the way, I�ve yet to hear about an ecovillage that is prepared to meet the needs of the surrounding community, or even to adequately defend itself. Ecovillages will be quickly overrun and consumed by hungry people. The solution for survival isn�t a loner approach, or even a small band or tribe (unless you truly manage to isolate yourselves and stay that way and are willing to work like hell trying to stay alive). The solution is community based. Find a community that you can become a part of and integrate yourself and family into that community. This community will need to have plentiful water as stated in Part I of this series. It will also require fertile soil, something I don�t think I�ve mentioned yet. Importantly, the community will need to come up to speed very quickly with the issues of community survival if it is not already. Some communities are already �on their way�, particularily in Cascadia. I don�t know all the details, but they are working towards sustainable living and have both plentiful water, good soils and decent growing seasons (for now, climate change may change that, thus you may find yourself moving again in time). The big problem with Cascadia is population, there are simply far too many people there and nearby that will migrate in to feed. This will be a huge problem in the US especially and in Europe. However, most communities are totally clueless on sustainability and will think you�re nuts to even suggest it. This is where the survival groups will come into play. Picking a community, forming survival groups with the intention of �converting� the township as circumstances force them is a good strategy. They�ll get on board because they will have to. And if they don�t, they will have either left, killed you, or died themselves, but they�re not going to ignore the collapse, nobody is. |
Re: Forming Survival Groups
What the fellow says here is pretty sharp:
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Good post. Survival groups seem to be one of those ideas that attracts newcomers who may not have considered all the pitfalls.
My very first experience with a survival group back in the 70s went awry when one of the group developed some pretty serious psychopathic tendencies. He'd been in his early 20s when we started it. Over the next couple of years, he started manifesting increasingly alarming personality traits. We ended it when he began fantasizing about which guy in the group he was going to have to kill off first for challenging him after TSHTF. We're lucky the guy didn't go off and do something crazy enough to attract unwanted attention to all of us. We should have ended the group earlier than we did, but in those pre-Internet days, it wasn't all that easy to contact others of like mind, and I think we were all reluctant to let go of the group. Unless I get stuck in my neighborhood, my group will be family. We've already made plans. Any additional close friends that will may be let in will be from among our caving friends (my sister, husband, and I all share these friends). We know them extremely well, have known them for years, and we know how they work together and how they handle life-threatening situations and stress. |
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He reports that over 95% of the groups fail. His observations about human nature seem based upon serious experience and personal study. This really is a very thought-provoking article.
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Good article and while he says that most groups fail he also believes
as do I that comunities will be best prepared post shtf to survive. |
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:bear_thumb: This part he has right...
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Their mindset will be their worst enemy...when the pressure is cranked up and the food runs low those with lesser skills and lesser brains will be judged expendable very quickly...your own group will throw you to the wolves to insure survival of the group as a whole... Still want to join The Mouseketeers ? I think not.... :eek_ma: :eek_ma: :eek_ma: |
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IMO - the success of the group depends on many variables, the most important being the mindset of the individuals that make up the group.
Assembling a group post SHTF will likely be tough as most would be unprepared newcomers, too much to learn, still brainwashed sheeple. |
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My greatest fear about the "go it alone" strategy is that there is little defense against snipers.
Think of how the Indians lived hundreds of years ago. There was little opportunity for individuality. Either you were part of the tribe and living with the tribe or your days were numbered on your own. Renegades had to form groups for survival. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. The easy life will be history WTSHTF. |
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Just read a blog and comments with similiar thinking. Being able to organize an existing community would seem to have better risk/reward ratio than attempting to build a lifeboat type community.
Where are the Lifeboat Communities?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> By John Michael Greer The Archdruid Report http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.c...mmunities.html Good article but my favourite quotes are from a couple comments after it: Quote:
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I tried starting a SURVIVAL TEAM back in 81 when I bought my cabin and land it was a total DISASTER and the IDEALISTIC fanticy I had was SHATTERED and PULVERISED! I believe that the KEY is COMUNICATION befor,during and AFTER and I am inclined to believe that perhaps rather than the CLOSENESS it may actualy work out BEST for INDIVIGUALS if they have PREPOSITIONED and PREPARED and have many asorted ABILITIES! I am inclined to believe that a LOOSE group of INDIVIGUALS who manage to stay in comunication (Sat links,short wave.Etc.) can offer suport threw INFORMATION and proper PLANING but would NOT directly be in COMPITITION with others in the group. Once the DUST settles and the majority have TAKEN EACH OTHER OUT or died off fairly quickly due to the trigering disaster/emergency the "LOAN WOLFS" can come together and form a PACK based on MUTUIL RESPECT that the others are potentialy JUST as DANGEROUS so best to GET ALONG and suport each other and the pack! People under stress fall apart and it does not realy take much and at that point the term "SLEEPING with the ENEMY" has its core of TRUTH. I think the best way to know how a person will act is as simple as seeing how they act when going with out SLEEP even for just a day or two! After 3 to 5 days of only geting short CAT NAPS even the BEST and STRONGIST will CRACK not nessarly geting VIOLENT (althow that is probably high on the list) JUDGMENT and MISTAKES become the REAL KILLERS that will take YOU or any one OUT real fast! Actualy it is a fairly good way to find out how YOU will do under STRESS! What YOU think you know and will do, I GARANTEE will be very diferent from what happens! Knowing THAT could just save YOUR own life actualy, because you can be PREPARED for and looking for the PROBLEMS you discover doing the TEST! When you are EXHAUSTED and have had NO or very little sleep CRAZY things HAPPEN and your MIND can and likely WILL shut down to some extent, you will be functioning on AUTO PIOLET, there but not REALY thinking. As time goes on with out sleep, the mix of REALITY and DREAM state gets BLENDED and telling one from the other is not realy posable! My record was 154 hours and at that point wile not violent I know I was as crazy as a RAT (not RR) in an ash can! Even with a night or two of sleep I became disorintated on a drive home from a city just 100 miles away,I missed a road sign (I was not driving the main interstate highway and only about 25 miles from home) and I wound up fairly deep in a state park that is close to ware I live. I came across two kids smoking a joint and offered them $20.00 just to get ME to the nearist town (like 5 miles) and from THERE I knew I could get home BLIND or in the dark any way! It took over a weak fo me to get my self back to NORMAL or at least as normal as a DUCK can be! :stupid: :laugh: With out SLEEP you can't even truely trust YOUR SELF and a group,even a friend or partner just multiplies that problem!:albertein I dbout most people would even MARRY if they went 4 days with out sleep and under real stress together befor getting married! :love: the DUCK |
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interesting remark about "communities formed around a purpose."
a purpose other than "survival." think about the forms of human societies for a second. in the west what are the longest and most enduring institutions? I dont mean type of institutions, I mean, institutions with definite and continuous successions uninterrupted-- continuously existing? easy answer 1. Roman Catholic Church 2. other Apostolic Churches-- like Greek Orthodox Church 3. Universities.... like the Sorbonne http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbonne or the University of Bologna http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Bologna or Cambridge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cambridge or Oxford http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Oxford -- pretty much all those founded in the 12th or 13 centuries. How many French governments has the Sorbonne outlived? How many English dynasties has Oxford outlived? How many imperial masters has Bologna outlived? Bet you never thought of universities as one of the most stable institutions in the west didya? |
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:albertein Today we shall explore the meaning of Capital and Labor. Gimme some tuition. |
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I don't know about one of those writers, it really isn't hard to raise food. Maybe he's doing it wrong or lives in an extremely hostile environment?
Likewise everything in the country is worse than in the city? He must have picked a bad location. I did background and demographic checks before I bought my place, everything here is heads and shoulders above the city. I had trash to pick up from the former owners but when that's gone its gone, no comparison to the cycles of renewable garbage in streets every day in the city. The air even smells better out here. I think some people either just plain get it wrong or don't have what it takes. I have read other articles like the "Survival Preps: Contrarian Investment Of 2007" that had some pretty ridiculous ideas about survival communities. The author believed that when you got to the country you'd find turnkey farms abandonned just waiting for you to walk in and start them up. He also believed that establised rural folk would happily accept soft, pasty refugees as valuable members of their group. Wherever you are and whatever your numbers securing your perimeter needs to be a top priority. |
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If someone had 40 or 200 acres should they define a smaller inner perimeter? How do you secure a perimeter without troops on watch 24/7? The shotshell trip alarms are a good idea for paths of least resistance but what about the rest of the perimeter? I envision a sniper putting a bullet in my skull from a number of angles. I think a smaller tract like 10 or 20 acres with many like minded neighbors would be safer than large tracts next to USFS. |
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Yup, you'd have to have concentrate your effort on a smaller more easily defensible inner perimeter.
If I had 40+ acres the first thing I'd want to do is dig a very large pond between my home and the access road. I would hope to have dense woods, swamp, steep hills or similar on the wings of my property. This would funnel vehicular traffic down a predetermined path and if you were lucky it would force them to approach single file. With all that dirt I would construct earthworks around my house, up to roof level. I'd allow grass and such to grow on the hill to make it look more natural, if you're lucky a passerby won't even know you're there. There should be a few tens of yard of open space between your house and the earthworks, that way you can have a certain number of crops and livestock within this area and you could feel safe moving about there as long as there was no higher position from which you could be sniped. Outside the earthworks would be a cleared area preferably extended 200 or 300 yards all around. Most people couldn't reliably hit you from the edge of that clearing and you'd have an easier time spotting them while you yourself are in defilade on your earthworks. The clearing would probably have to be put to use for pasture and growing some crops. I would just make sure to lay out things like rows, fences, any necessary outbuildings in such a way that they didn't really obstruct your view too much. On the other hand if you have 40+ acres of heavy woods in an isolated area your best bet would probably be just to try and be unobtrusive. No matter what your situation you need dogs, geese or a similarly useful alarm animal. Use them to set up listening posts outside your perimeter. If you used 4 different animals with distinct alarm sounds you could instantly tell which quadrant a threat was coming from. You'd probably want a backup animal listening post in case your first animal is eliminated the second one will hear the commotion and go off. If you can keep a handful of remote cameras operational you can then place them where they can watch the main approaches to give you and idea of what's out there before leaving your home. As long as you can keep tabs on them it's probably best to let them come to a killzone than to go out and meet them. There are all kinds of booby traps you can place closer in, you wouldn't want them too far out because they could end up just alerting somebody to your position. Anyway those old steel jawed bear traps are the poor man's reuseable land mine. I like the idea of treble hooks hanging from trees, hedges of spikey plants like sasparilla or wild blackberries can slow somebody down, too. Lots more obvious stuff like that if you think about it. |
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No shit..... |
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Good ideas, REV127.
I'm covered on predetermined vehicular path. I'm primarily concerned with pedestrian trespass. A dog would definitely be a neccessity, but setting up listening posts it seems would entail chaining the dogs at different corners of the property. The easiest way in on foot would be from the East and with prevailing winds from the West, dogs would have to be chained where the bears, lions and wolves could have him for a snack. This discussion has been beneficial in that it has diverted my focus to my Eastern boundary, as all other boundaries are very steep downhill from my place. The Eastern boundary is timbered and relatively steep uphill from the homesite but offers few sniping points. As your vegetation ideas would not apply to this dry climate I would have to come up with some way of monitoring a line about 250 yards long. Treble hooks tied to Douglas Fir branches might help. I don't know if it would be feasible to try to power several webcams 100 yards from the cabin with solar energy. |
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I wouldn't chain the dogs or the birds, I'd put them in protective cages. It doesn't have to be a big dog either, all you need is the alarm so any small yapper would do.
A standard web cam probably wouldn't work from 100 yards unless you had a substation with ethernet back to your house. I'd be looking more at possible cctv and the wireless X10. I have no idea what your property actually looks like so I couldn't give any specific opinion on where to set up what. |
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:cool2: Seasoned hunters and ex military types with bush and jungle training will not buy into the group philosophy for numerous reasons...
The average sheep is not a killer by choice...self defense is a word to them...not a normal,everyday routine or a state of mind. The seriousness of a survival situation depends on being proactive,not reactive...todays' dumbed down mindset of The Empire as the great protector and benevolent law enforcer is beaten into their heads and broadcast 24/7 non stop...the party line is the Empire will take care of it...do nothing...help is a phone call away...serious consequences await those who actually think and take care of their own problems outside the system.Penalties for non conformists are severe... It's pure psychological disinformation and social engineering on a vast scale to build the perfect drone and group dependent ideology. Seems to be working only too well.... Those that argue the safety in numbers(group survival) issue as the logical answer to all problems are already dead...you just don't know it yet. That's a harsh statement...but remember what you're dealing with. Do you actually think you're going to undo and erase years of psychological Empire conditioning in 24 hours ? Surround yourself with these people and you're dead meat...the mental conditioning and trauma of shock once the bullets and blood start flying will be utter chaos...maybe one in a hundred has the killer instinct still intact. If that's all I have to work with...I'll pass. If things get that bad and massive urban war breaks out nationwide I want wolves around me...nasty,bloodthirsty,phychotic killers I would feel safer with than a herd of bean counters and yuppie suburbanites with cell phones and AKs... Yeah,I know...nobody wants to hear this Armegeddon survival BS...it can never get that bad... Wanna bet ? If you're still alive,I'll see you on the other side...and we'll compare notes. :cool2: :cool2: :cool2: :cool2: BTW: If my opinion is unpopular...GOOD...maybe you'll get irked enough to turn off the TV and THINK... |
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Rev127, when or if I ever strike it rich, I would like to hire you to help me design my fortress.
On the topic of the thread, my biggest fear of joining a survival group would be letting the other members of the group know about my survival supplies/gear. The more camaraderie that develops, the more I'd be likely to suggest PM's to the crew or say hey guys you should store up at least 6 months of food, etc. Now, these fair weather friends just might turn on me when they get hungry. Their original intent was to find some camping buddies, you see and they just weren't as dedicated as I in survival preps. On the other hand, if I were to join a survival group and remain tightlipped and standoffish, what exactly would I be gaining. I suppose I could gain some knowledge off the others, but that's not the point of a survival group, it is making commrades to fight along side when society crumbles. |
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Maybe some of us just prefer our own company even during these "normal" times. WTSHTF a person's comfort level for companionship probably wouldn't change.
:smokin: no...I don't want to go bowling tonight pal. |
Re: Forming Survival Groups
:beer: Thanks gpond...appreciate the support.
Now...let's get down to the bottom line and the real reason most of us are here. Information and support...PMs,Conspiracy,Survival,Government..take your pick. If you are a member at GIM you've already partially split from the program and decided things are not exactly what they seem.Maybe the Empire is evil after all...you just need more proof to nail down your theory. That being the case...information and input across a wide variety of members is where the gold is...you might log on one day and get your socks blown off by a post out of left field that answers a nagging question you had or some other members' philosophy and experience gives you a whole new outlook on something you never knew before. It's a learning experience and a damn good one...the experience and opinions at work here are way above average on a variety of subjects,so if something rubs your fur the wrong way jump in and state your position or contribute another perspective to broaden the scope of the debate...reserve judgment on everything until the fat lady sings...otherwise you might miss something by slamming the door before the show ends... Vital knowledge can come from obscure sources...keep an open mind even if another member is 180 degrees out of sync with your opinion or experience...both of you might learn something after the dust clears and 75 opinions are posted...walk away mad ...you learn nothing. One thing everybody at GIM should know about me... I have a very low opinion of sheep....and next to zero confidence in things miraculously turning for the better before The Empire self destructs...barring a miracle or a grass roots revolution. I got real many years ago...to some here at GIM it comes across as pessimism...to others who have experienced the injustice and wrath of The Empire and got scorched...you know the score...I don't have to explain anything. Nobody said life is fair... OK...rant over...excuse me...I thought you put gas in the plane... :eek_ma: :banana: :eek_ma: :banana: |
Re: Forming Survival Groups
"Yeah,I know...nobody wants to hear this Armegeddon survival BS...it can never get that bad...
Wanna bet ?" There is a high probability that it will happen.... |
Re: Forming Survival Groups
I would argue that being part of a group is a huge benefit, but only if the other members of the group are of very high quality.
I think you "misunderestimate" the sheeple's capacity to kill. When they are under pressure and affraid they won't get their bread buttered they will lash out against their own and anybody else. Backstabbing is their way of life. Letting sheeple into your life is just plain dangerous. Likewise I have no use for a stone cold killer that can't tell the sharks from the guppies. Both these groups are unstable defectives and can't be relied upon for anything. Unfortunately between the two you have the majority of the population covered. Quality over quantity, always. The sheeple have always been sheeple and will always be sheeple. You can't expect anything of them. I suspect they represent a surplus population of defectives that by their nature spawn tyrants to destroy them as some kind of strange ecological balancing act. I am in complete agreement that we will have to weather this storm because there will be no uprising against the darkness sweeping the world. I am content with this as I have a better than average chance at surviving this mess and emerging stronger into a better world. Whether my enemy is vanquished by my hand or his own is immaterial to me so long as he is vanquished. |
Re: Forming Survival Groups
:coolbeer: Posted by REV127:
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:applause_ :applause_ :applause_ Defectives sounds cooler than Sheeple... For the record I propose we drop all reference to sheep as a generic label for clarity and adopt REV's new and improved terminology...defectives. Right you are Bro...defectives it is. Catchy as hell...we can run with it... :D :D :D :D |
Re: Forming Survival Groups
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:stickyman don't say "that's lame" or I will sue you. After sleeping on this thread I think that some of us are not so much loners as anti-Authority. Very few at GIM supports the government. My guess is that our aversion to groups is really an aversion of having a Boss, Leader, or Superior. Even when times are "normal" nobody here seems to take to organized Power. I think we are basically social misfits not because we prefer Solitude but because we just don't like being told what to do. That whole peer-group pressure thingie. WTSHTF the sheeple and their little dictator bossman become even more contemptible. Is it basically that we won't be told what to do rather than preferring Solitude? Is that our real aversion to groups? :smokin: |
Re: Forming Survival Groups
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At the inception of any survival group these points should be addressed: The main reasons for establishing such a group. That each others confidentiality shall be respected. That expectatations from other members shall be minimal and limited to agreed upon criteria. It's not about sharing resources but about watching each others backs. I might sell my current bug out if I encounter a suitable tract in an area I like that has neighbors with a like mindset about survival. |
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