Seniors that are Preppers?

Pepper said:
Guess so as I still can't figure out when you said "Saul Alinsky" did you mean pro or con? That much you're allowed to admit on this non-political forum. You seem both and my only clue for pro is a generalized where you live, cause if con you are in the minority on Cape Cod.

What I told my son is my desire, is not what he would necessarily do but my wish for him to retain his life and that of his family's.
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To know of Saul Alinsky, and to understand him in his writings, is to know he has a blueprint for the subtle overthrow of the US. He lays out the fears we as 'uneducated' citizens would react too and how to mask those incremental steps to replace Capitalism with Communism/Marxism. They are playing out every day in our news cycle. The political powers are happy to have us squabble over small nuances that pit Americans against Americans by race, religion, economic standings. As part of the blueprint, a divided America cannot raise up against the established political structure. Collectively, we could change the course of America, bu not as fractions.
This is just one way that Alinsky maps out how the overthrow will occur.
So, back to my point. You may 'know of' Saul Alinsky, but you don't know Saul Alinsky.
 
That's a true assessment. I have never been interested in Saul Alinsky and can't remember why. Do I lose a contest or something?

Besides, I still can't tell if you are pro or con. Just can't figure that one out. Brain fog.
 
Blessed said:
It is not that easy, even if you can get the tank. You have to be able to have the strength to put your head in bag, sealed around you neck, turn it on. Then, in those 30 seconds you are fighting for oxygen, the normal human response is tear off that bag. It is not an easy out by any means. If this is something you think about, you need a plan B. Most I have heard off that have done this required assistance. Do you want to put that anyone else, that they helped you take your life.
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OK. First you need to understand a few things.

1. We breathe 78% nitrogen every time we breath normally.
2. This is death by Hypoxia. They are looking at it for executions. It's obviously less suffering than electrocution, or firing squad.
3. You're slowly starved of oxygen, not suddenly.
 
Blessed said:
I appreciate that, but I have seen a documentary that has shown this as a method to try. That is why I say it is not so easy, maybe not the best plan as most are unsuccesful or needed the help of someone to leave this world in that manner. I do not think is is wise to suggest what someone might do if they wanted to take their life. The everlasting guilt, the pain it causes not only in the attempt or conclusion to the person.

It has a great effect on those who hold this person dear, family, friends, communities. It has far reaching tragedy beyond the death the person chose. Why, you may ask does she think about these things. I took care of my husband through a 5 year cancer battle. He was given 8 months, he got 5 years and one month.

He saw his son graduate from high school with honors. He got to see his son win state and national titles in marching band. He got to see him win at meets for cross country running and pole vaulting. Imagine how our son would feel if his Dad gave up, left him without seeing everything he could do, how hard he worked to make his Dad proud. We never gave up hope. I just do not want anyone to take their life unless it is no longer possible to carry on,.,there is always someone looking up to you... how to handle things when it gets hard. So, trust me, I am not assured of anything, I should not be here without my husband, I am sure of that.
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Again, for clarity. The assuredness I was talking about referred to the person originally blithely suggesting using nitrogen, not you.

Good story, though.
 
Blessed said:
@Sawfish, you stated I made a reply that was not warranted, an air of assuredness. I replied. My question is now, after my reply, do you understand where I am coming from?

I am not saying that it is wrong but that people need to stop and think, how will this change my legacy for future generations. It is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Certainly, if there is no other choice, I don't want anyone to suffer during the act they choose. So many try, then wind up still alive, but with more severe problems that are not only hard on them but there families as well. I hope that the decision to end one's life will be made available, under certain circumstances in our world. In the end, it comes down to the individual, the doctor and the families to all agree that it is the best course for all.

I hope you understand, I am not self assured. I do not say things lightly. I live in fear and anxiety everyday. I wish I could give you an example that could help you understand. I will try this one, you accidently drive on to a railway track, you can see the train coming but you can't get out of the car. You are locked in a car you can't escape, the train is coming, you hold your breath, waiting for impact. This is where I live every day. It is not pleasant.

The only time I have been without that terror is when I met my husband. We were both just fifteen years old. He promised he would keep me safe and he did. I lived a normal full life only because of him. Since he has passed, our parents have passed. The son grown and married with a family of his own. I am alone, now, I have to rely on my own determination to keep going. The fear, the terror has returned. I live with it everyday, even when I think it would be better to take my life, I know I will not. There are people that suffer so much more than I.

I do not know you well yet. I do not know if you are married, divorced, widowed. I do not yet know any of those things you have or what you have been through. I am just asking for you to reply, to accept I was not having a tone and I gave a response that is warranted from my expericience. Yes, my feelings were hurt, you have painted a picture of me that does not fit at all.
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Like I said in today's earlier reply to you...
 
Blessed said:
The only time I have been without that terror is when I met my husband. We were both just fifteen years old. He promised he would keep me safe and he did. I lived a normal full life only because of him. Since he has passed, our parents have passed. The son grown and married with a family of his own. I am alone, now, I have to rely on my own determination to keep going. The fear, the terror has returned. I live with it everyday, even when I think it would be better to take my life, I know I will not. There are people that suffer so much more than I.
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Totally understand. Fell back into fears I forgot I had after he died.
 
Blessed said:
I appreciate that, but I have seen a documentary that has shown this as a method to try. That is why I say it is not so easy, maybe not the best plan as most are unsuccesful or needed the help of someone to leave this world in that manner. I do not think is is wise to suggest what someone might do if they wanted to take their life. The everlasting guilt, the pain it causes not only in the attempt or conclusion to the person.
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I was responding to the question about suicide with weapon. Unlike my method, it's a lot faster, but not always fatal. Some regrettably lived for awhile.

But I'm referring to someone whose alone, terminal and without support. I have no doubt your husband had reasons to fight. I sure would. Treasuring each day to see my loved ones once more waking up in the morning.

Now let's return to the question of origin.
 
Pepper said:
Guess so as I still can't figure out when you said "Saul Alinsky" did you mean pro or con? That much you're allowed to admit on this non-political forum. You seem both and my only clue for pro is a generalized where you live, cause if con you are in the minority on Cape Cod.

What I told my son is my desire, is not what he would necessarily do but my wish for him to retain his life and that of his family's.
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Yes,I generally see it that way, too. My purpose at this point, if there's a purpose for *anything*, is to keep my offspring alive and well and as advantaged as I can make them.

I *make* it my purpose, I suppose.
 
Sippican said:
To know of Saul Alinsky, and to understand him in his writings, is to know he has a blueprint for the subtle overthrow of the US. He lays out the fears we as 'uneducated' citizens would react too and how to mask those incremental steps to replace Capitalism with Communism/Marxism. They are playing out every day in our news cycle. The political powers are happy to have us squabble over small nuances that pit Americans against Americans by race, religion, economic standings. As part of the blueprint, a divided America cannot raise up against the established political structure. Collectively, we could change the course of America, bu not as fractions.
This is just one way that Alinsky maps out how the overthrow will occur.
So, back to my point. You may 'know of' Saul Alinsky, but you don't know Saul Alinsky.
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We should have a thread to discuss Saul Alinsky. I read a bit about him several years ago and agreed with much of what he believed and wrote. Here is a bit of that...

One of my articles of faith is what Justice Learned Hand called "that ever-gnawing inner doubt as to whether you are right." I've never been sure I'm right but also I'm also sure nobody else has this thing called truth. I hate dogma. People who believed they owned the truth have been responsible for the most terrible things that have happened in our world, whether they were Communist purges or the Spanish Inquisition or the Salem witch hunts.​
 
SeniorBen said:
We should have a thread to discuss Saul Alinsky. I read a bit about him several years ago and agreed with much of what he believed and wrote. Here is a bit of that...

One of my articles of faith is what Justice Learned Hand called "that ever-gnawing inner doubt as to whether you are right." I've never been sure I'm right but also I'm also sure nobody else has this thing called truth. I hate dogma. People who believed they owned the truth have been responsible for the most terrible things that have happened in our world, whether they were Communist purges or the Spanish Inquisition or the Salem witch hunts.​
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Anyone on this forum has lived long enough to have figured this out independently.

I know I've got a limited view of verifiable reality, but the biggest, most valuable thing I *do* know is that you do, too.

Kinda takes the air out of listening to authority, doesn't it?

Really, if we haven't learn a lot by living life to this point, I guess there's no helping you know...
 
chic said:
When you said preppers I thought you meant like preppies. I was going to say yes, except I wear better jewelry which answer goes to show you how ill prepared I would be to survive an apolcalypse.

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That was my reaction too. I thought we were going to be talking about Madras pants, how to make a Cape Codder, our favorite John Cheever stories...you know, fun things.
 
JimBob1952 said:
That was my reaction too. I thought we were going to be talking about Madras pants, how to make a Cape Codder, our favorite John Cheever stories...you know, fun things.
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Yup. We're not ready for survival but I do have an assortment of batteries and a hurricane lantern if the party gets rough.
 
katlupe said:
I lived that way for over twenty years and I got tired of it. Too hard as my mobility issues became apparent. I was off the grid with limited power (and we had 20 solar panels and a wind turbine). Lived over six years without refrigeration then got the solar refrigerator. I grew and canned foods and foraged for wild plants for food and medicinal purposes. I will say I loved cooking on my wood cook stove and miss that and my raised beds. I knew I couldn't keep on with that life and especially if I ended up alone out there in the forest. I wrote about it in two blogs, Solar Baby and Homesteading on the Internet. It was the focus of my life and I belonged to homesteading groups and forums.

Now I am just happy to make it to the next day. There is a big difference between a prepper and a modern homesteader. A prepper prepares for an emergency (which is good) and the homesteader lives that way all the time. I have gotten used to my life here now and it is very different.
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I consider myself a modern homesteader. I definitely used to be a prepper, but now that I'm older, I don't think I want to live through a horrible disaster, alone.
 
i've assisted with fortifications in urban and wilderness environments, outfitted for redundancy... things do pile up.

there's a limit to how much you can prepare and you're really not sure for what. my thoughts are leading more toward developing networks of individuals with special skills to support those with varying capabilities and spread the responsibility of supply.

social engineering gets a bad rap because the inane pranks that can be pulled on someone achieves immediately reactive response (black hat.) creating the scenario for survival uses the same tools but for mutual gain.
 
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I have enough stored food and water to survive several weeks or months, though meal combinations would surely become, ahem, interesting, after a few weeks. This is meant for local emergencies, like earthquakes other natural disaster or localized lioting, not for a nationwide or planet-wide societal collapse.

Have read enough dystopian novels to be pretty sure of the following:

If government, police/fire protection and society collapses, I'd likely be quickly picked off as one of the weaker members of the herd. Simply living in a city, suburbs or exurbs puts one at greatest risk.

Within a few days, businesses will be ransacked, and homes perceived to have ample resources will be targeted by the desperate. Solar panels, noisy generators, or obvious signs of electricity will serve as flashing neon welcome signs. Not unlike today's version of parking an unlocked car in the driveway with the keys in it.

The desperate will dispatch the occupants one way or the other, then help themselves to everything, including weapons and ammo, thereby enhancing their ability to hit the next place. After easy pickings are exhausted, marauding bands of ruthless criminals will hit better fortified places and move further afield. One thing is clear, even rural folks will eventually run out of bullets. At some point, such horrors as cannibalism will ensue.

Societal collapse is survivable only by the most ruthless among us, or those who live dozens of miles from neighbors, surviving completely off grid in extremely remote areas, and who are smart enough to not allow visible smoke to pour from their chimneys. I'm not in either group.

The ultimate rescue to a country so afflicted will likely come in the form of an occupying force. Think China or Russia. They'll wait until remaining law abiding citizens are beyond desperate, then bring in troops, enact martial law with defy-it-and-be-shot-on-sight consequences, restore order, and take over. Permanently.

Even billionaires who've set up plush underground escape bunkers will eventually have to reemerge to the light of day and deal with the new normal.
 
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Prepare for what? People have been preparing for doomsday or the end of the world or whatever for thousands of years and we're still here. Trump would have called it "Fake News".

We do have too many large cities; I'll admit to that! News is that there are a lot of war loving people out there in power just itching to start the 3rd one.

I'm 76 and I have had a great life. Ain't gonna worry about nothin'. My cremation service was paid for years ago. In that little way, maybe you might call me a "prepper." LOL
 
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