Posted on 09/15/2012 6:38:37 AM PDT by Kartographer
So after many years of observation, below are listed the 6 essential traits every survivalist should possess to be successful
1. Tenacity
2. Resourcefulness
3. Thick Skin
4. Improvise, Adapt and Overcome
5. Solidarity
6. Trust
(Excerpt) Read more at thesurvivalmom.com ...
Preppers’ PING!!
For your consideration, discussion and critique.
7. Good physical conditioning.
5.56mm
I hope I don’t hijack my own thread, but along with attributes you need let me suggest things you should watch for in others as warning:
If you look through the Preparedness threads here on FR you will find scoffers and naysayers tough not as many as you use to.
I have posted warnings about those I call “I’ve got lots of guns and plenty of ammo and I’ll just take what I need.” and the “I don’t prep because I don’t believe anything is going to happen, but if it does preppers should share with me.” types on a number of threads.
If you read these peoples post you can easily pick-up on their anger. Read these you will see that it’s not just the Libs that are shocked and infuriated by preppers. Some of this I believe is their deep seated fear that you are right and one of the reactions of people to bad news from someone is to get mad. The old saw ‘Don’t kill the messenger’ has based in fact.
Now some the “I’ll take what I want crowd” when confronted will often back off saying things like “I was just joking”, but I don’t believe it. When I read their post I can’t help but think of this quote from one of my favorite westerns ’Open Range’: “Most times a man will tell you his bad intentions if you listen, let yourself hear.” I’ve ‘heard’ their intentions and they aren’t good.
The third type that I warn about are those who wish to bring God’s Armageddon into the discussion as if they know that it will be God’s will should some catastrophe befall us. They claim this despite the fact that the history of man is full of direr times which were caused by nature or man himself. History has shown us all too well that men do not need God to help them muck things up to a point were their fellows cry out for God to end it all and relieve them of their misery. There are many who consider themselves good Christians, but have taken God’s words and twisted them to fit their views not his.
There will be many in this ‘its God’s will’ crowd who will want to see you punished as they will see your prepping as you trying to dodging God’s punishment. This group along with the “I don’t prep, but you should share” group will be among the first to report you and your ‘hoarding’ to the powers that be in their efforts to make sure you too suffer just as they do. The first group because as I said they see you as trying to escape the rightful wrath of God (as if they know the Lord’s mind) and the second because you proved them wrong.
You can be fairly certain that all three groups will hate you as they will be quick to blame you for the ‘troubles’ because in their twisted way of thinking your prepping brought the ‘troubles’ and therefore you need to be punished for your transgression.
You need to keep in mind that OPSEC is not just for your Lib neighbors many people that you may think of as being conservative thinkers will be just as dangerous.
We have talked a lot about safety in numbers and that is so true, just remember that not all enemies sail under their true colors.
Beware these people, listen to their words carefully and “Listen, let yourself hear.” what they are saying.
You hit on one of the angers of liberals. They want ot take down this country and make everyone suffer but preppers most likely won’t suffer much at all and that ticks them off.
Words to think about and take to heart.
I skim lots of prepper articles and haven't seen this at all. Skepticism? Maybe. hate? Meh.
Perhaps you are being too thin skinned.......
Just a thought, please don't shoot the messenger.
:-)
So true! So true! Also, be aware of those we have to give access to our house. We no longer have a “Termite” inspector. Last one commented on how much food we have on hand. Makes one realize what about the ones that don’t comment, but still notice.
What a wonderful world in which we now live.
Seriously, It is a wonderful world, and I give deep thanks each day for my real Blessings.
They would make good Marines.....
This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.
It’s the people that don’t have a doubt that it’s going to happen but believe they can get what they need at the last minute and it’s only going to last a short time, that worry me.
When it doesn’t last a short time they are all too ready to turn everything over to the “govt” to take care of them, even if the “govt” is just some group of cons out for personal gain.
This “govt” will then confiscate what it needs for the greater good of all.
Perhaps “skimming” articles is the reason you are missing posts from scoffers who are angry at those of us who prep and their posts using nasty words are disgusting.
Since Kart is our guy to post prep threads weekly, he gets the brunt of this more than the rest of us do. However, we have his back and support him when this happens. That means verbally going after the screwball scoffer.
Meant to ping you to my post 13.
I concur. And I’ve been on the ping list a long time, and I’ve seen plenty of posts of the sort Kartographer outlined above.
5. Solidarity - I don't have other preppers in my area with which to Solidify.
6. Trust - I don't. I know Kart and Johnny well enough to trust them with my life, but that's it. I have several friends but wouldn't trust them to know what to do in a dangerous situation. Trusting erroneously can mean your death.
“If I can’t find a solution right away, the problem will stay in the corner of my mind until I find new information that leads to a solution.”
That is what happens - my mind keeps working on it and suddenly I’ll think of something, maybe days later, that might work to solve the problem. I’ve known many people who, when they see a problem, give up right then as though there is NO solution. These people won’t do well in an emergency situation as that is an adapting situation and they can’t adapt.
I was once backing a trailer into a very confined, awkward location on a neighbor's property. Each backing maneuver was gaining me about two inches toward the location required.
The neighbor lady commented to my wife, "He's rather persistent, isn't he?".
My wife responded, "You have no idea".
“The neighbor lady commented to my wife, “He’s rather persistent, isn’t he?”. My wife responded, “You have no idea”.”
You’re the kind of person I’d want near me in a bad situation - you aren’t going to run/give up. And, if there is a problem that takes time to fix, you aren’t leaving ‘till it’s done. Your wife is lucky to have you.
Judging from personal experience, I’m afraid that many American have 0 out of 6.
“Most times a man will tell you his bad intentions if you listen, let yourself hear.”
“We’re going to redistrubute the wealth”
Consider, too, who all your (the general you) spouse and kids have blabbed to.
I'm okay there. My husband (died last year) thought I was a little nuts about this, so he didn't tell anyone. My sister-in-law and her husband, plus my grown son, also think I'm a little nuts so they would be embarrassed to mention it to anyone.
Plus, neither sister-in-law and husband are interested enough to even ask me what I have. They were here a couple of days last week, and something came up, and I told them about WaterBobs - a 100 gallon food grade plastic bag that goes in the bathtub, hook to faucet with included connection, fill it up, seal it and use included siphon pump to get good water out when you want it. The box it's in is fairly small. Just put small box under bathroom sink to be handy and you have 100 gallons of drinking water fast when you fill it. We get hurricanes here, so that's one source of backup water for me.
After I described that, the husband's eyes lit up. They actually wanted one. Told husband he'll get one for Christmas. Cost is $20 where I ordered it.
The only survival equipment they have is what I have given them over the last few years. They live on the coast and have no food or water stored. They are liberal, to the left of Stalin.
thats what i dont understand, I live in Minnesota and any winter we could get a bad storm leaving a family stranded for a few days. its amazing that people think you are crazy for stocking a weeks worth of food and other supplies let alone months or years worth. Sure the gov will get to you in a weather emergency....eventually.
I believe we’re in the end times, but I’m a prepper - after all, it doesn’t hurt anything, it’s not against God’s Word (as long as you’re not relying on your preps for your salvation instead of God’s sovereignty).
If the Rapture occurs the day after I think I’m “ready”, all the bigger the laugh we’ll have!
You have hit on the core of the liberal attitude.
I have a benchmark lib-in-law who, somehow, always seems to have her finger on the liberal talking points of the day.
Two points -
when she realized that we had food stores, she was ANGRY. Seriously, ANGRY. Not just poo-pooing the idea, but ANGRY.
This dovetails with the second point when, at least a year earlier, I was discussing the prospect of a huge economic collapse in the US. Her response was interesting. As if it were the solace we should all take in such a situation, she stated - “then we’ll all be in the same boat”.
This is not true, because the “very rich” won’t be affected nearly as badly, regardless. I think the covetousness of liberalism makes her think that they’ll have to do without as well.
THIS is the reason they’re angry at preppers.
“You guys are trying to avoid our ‘divine judgement’, and you won’t be hurting as bad as everyone else”.
Dead on. My experiences mirror yours. I have this left leaning friend and when she finally discovered I was not going to suffer she was PISSED. Her exact words, “So, you’re one of those assholes that thinks he too good for the rest of us. Well, you can expect a visit from the rest of us because we’re not going to let you live like this.”
Wow! A direct threat! Man, I would have asked her right out - "are you threatening me?"
This is why self-defense is right up there behind food in the prep list.
My situation may be a bit dicey. I don't put it past my lib-in-law to tell others about her daughter's family not suffering and how it's not fair. May have to lock her up in the basement or something... :)
I made a few choice observations about her kind not exactly being experts in ballistics or military style operations and that they would make tasty morsels for the dogs.
Liberals really do believe that if they demand something then someone else will make it happen. Liberals are very childish that way, “Daddy, Daddy, fix it!”
“Sure the gov will get to you in a weather emergency....eventually.”
That’s not as bad as people here who absolutely know we WILL get another hurricane through here - if one come in at Galveston or comes across the lower part of Louisiana and heads west, it’s coming here. They KNOW IT, and have nothing. FEMA had to feed and water Houston after Ike for a week or more.
What stunned me about that one, was, immediately after it passed through Houston, people were trying to line up for FEMA water and food - immediately, and I mean a few hours. People like that are going to be dead fast in another type of emergency when FEMA can’t get there to save them.
It was in 1998 that I realized I depended on someone else for water and food and power, and if that chain broke, I had nothing. I’ve been preparing since then.
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