Log in

View Full Version : Why are you trying to survive?



Katmandu
10th October 2012, 05:58 PM
The One Most Important Question Survivalists Can Ask Themselves: Why Are You Trying to Survive?
Dan and Sheila Gendron, Contributors
Activist Post
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
http://www.activistpost.com/2012/10/the-one-most-important-question.html#more

Excerpt from article below:

Far too many people die soon after reaching retirement. The reason for this is that they have spent their entire careers with the only goal being that retirement. They did not have a vision of life after retirement, and so they had none. An unfortunate fact.

We have met many people who believe that they truly want to be survivalists. They have many reasons for wanting to survive, based on what they understand of the news. But over time they show that they still want to have one foot on third base, and so will never make it to home plate. They really don't want their comfy lives upset, they don't really want to have to give up their 62” plasma screen TV, they don't really want to eat foods they actually have to cook, they want to be able to whip out their credit card at Trader Joe's forever . . . but they want to be out of the way when TSHTF, too. Their vision is to “hole-up” in a sanctuary until the noise stops, and then go back to the same rat race they were in before – the same rat race that got us all in the predicament in which we now find ourselves as a society.

So why bother? If your ultimate goal is to save your neck so that you can go back to the same old same old, why would you put yourself through this? It's like quitting smoking and starting again, knowing that you'll just have to go through the withdrawal all over again. To be more exact, an ancient book of wisdom talked of “a dog returning to its own vomit.” Why put yourself through that? Why dislocate yourself and your family, mentally as well as physically, if you are ultimately happy right where you are?

If you are contented to fight your way through the morning commute so that you can be given a paycheck for performing a job you hate just so you can still afford your $8 Latte Enema at the local coffee chain and you can use that money to buy your kids every throw-away toy the commercials tell them they want, STAY THERE! You won't be comfortable outside of those bonds.

The right answer to the question proposed in the title is: I want to survive because there is a better way to live, regardless of what the world “out there” does or does not do.

I want to be paid by nature for my own labor and that of my family (by blood or otherwise) in being good stewards of the Earth.

I want to help others who are also willing to work toward a common goal, each lightening the load of the other.

I want to look out my window and be invigorated by the Earth's natural beauty before my eyes, by the stars in the sky.

I want to be judged by my acts of kindness, not by how much money I can obtain.

I want to give something of real value to my children and to theirs.

It's not impossible. It's not a foolish wish. It is being lived now by those who have stopped complying with that which is wrong. It is being lived now by those who know the depth of their own power and use it – not to impose evil acts upon another, but to lead a good and natural life for themselves. It is being lived now by those who choose to survive – not to survive the chaos, but to survive the beating down of the human spirit so that they may be a beacon to renew that spirit in light.

It ain't easy – but it sure is worth it.

Katmandu
10th October 2012, 05:59 PM
I have been thinking about the question above for years now. Here are some of my thoughts.

I could decide not to prep on the hopes that the crap does not hit the fan. But if it does then I am in for a lot of mess and suffering.

I could decide not to prep on the thought that I would perish quickly if the crap hits the fan. But if it does not go down like that, then I am in for a lot of mess and suffering. Plus there is a bit of a bulldog in me, so I probably would not go down quickly or easily.

Neither of the cases above appeals to me and thus I have decided to prep and be ready as many cases as is reasonably possible. I still have a long way to go, but am moving in the that direction. But besides the idea of being prepped and ready, it makes me happy to work towards enjoying:

Land that I can work with my hands.
Watching the earth produce amazingly diverse and nourishing plants from a tiny seed.
Pulling up a potato at the end of the season and marveling that that thing grew underground.
Good hard [real] work that is good for the soul.
Food that I can produce for myself and others around me, not laden with scientifically modified organisms and pesticides.
A draft horse or two that I can farm with.
Other horses for my daughter to ride.
Going fishing on my property, just because I can.
A source of fresh water on my own property.
A sense of independence and self-sufficiency.
A really comfortable hammock under a nice shade tree.
Fresh air to breath and the quiet solitude of a rural morning.
Fruit and nut trees that are nature's cafeteria.
Biting into a perfectly fresh peach right off the tree, and thinking dang, that is really good.
A garden full of hundreds of herbs that are nature's medicine chest.
A big rolling hill in my back yard that is a perfect backstop for target practice.
A group of family and close friends to share this lifestyle with.
Hormone-free and antibiotic-free meat, milk and eggs.
Pulling weeds in the vegetable garden; there is something strangely therapeudic about that.
Saying goodbye to the stress of the rat race, and not missing it one bit.
Having a self-sufficient place to pass on to my children in case thing do take a big turn for the worse.

Neuro
11th October 2012, 05:19 AM
I want to survive because I think that I can contribute to making the society I end up living in a better place, post SHTF, for my children, and I want to see them grow up to become strong independent and thriving people. Nothing would make me more fulfilled, and I can go through a lot of hardship to see that happen.

chad
11th October 2012, 05:32 AM
because i don't want to be dead.

Old Herb Lady
12th October 2012, 05:58 AM
Surviving is just our natural instinct, but we have become so used to modern technology that
we think we' cant survive without all that schtuff, but in reality the simpler way of living is more rewarding.
Prepping and survival is something people are learning about now and getting into it because we realize we
are facing possible imminent danger /extreme survival mode..... If we wouldn't allow ourselves to get caught up in
the modern world as we ALL do at times, this coming transition will be somewhat more tolerable, IMO than those who continue to allow themselves to be totally enslaved and not even realize it.

So I want to survive if the transition happens, but I want to survive knowing that we'll still be OK because we
are meant for survival and everybody has their place and their fair share of work to do, especially kids who nowadays don't know how to do a fraction of the things we did when we were growing up.

The more and more we do the old fashioned things that seem so ridiculously barbaric now, the more we will appreciate
them later .

I'm not gonna do very well in the winter, I already know that. I despise winter time with ALL
of my being. ( My husband LOVES winter & dreams about moving to Montana, NEVER gonna happen !!!!! ) Im trying to toughen up that weakness as best as I can and trying to learn new ways not to freeze to death. I can't believe I EVER went ice fishing in my life. My how times have changed !

Katmandu
12th October 2012, 02:16 PM
The more and more we do the old fashioned things that seem so ridiculously barbaric now, the more we will appreciate
them later .


A resounding yes. I am fascinated with learning how to do things the old fashioned way. They are enjoyable and satisfying to learn and it builds skills that will come in handy if "the lights go out".

OHL, you might have to go anti-old-fashioned and buy lots of hand and foot warmers! For one who hates the cold, you should change your avatar. :)

Old Herb Lady
12th October 2012, 04:49 PM
A resounding yes. I am fascinated with learning how to do things the old fashioned way. They are enjoyable and satisfying to learn and it builds skills that will come in handy if "the lights go out".

OHL, you might have to go anti-old-fashioned and buy lots of hand and foot warmers! For one who hates the cold, you should change your avatar. :)


Haha ! The pic isn't complete without some earmuffs !

I have to do a lot of things to keep warm when everybody else around me is totally ok with the frigid temps in winter.
generally I will sprinkle a little bit of cayenne pepper powder in ma socks to keep my feet warm, but have to be careful not to overdo it because if the feet get too hot & they start sweating IT BURNS like FIRE ! Oops, but I'm still more comfortable with that than having cold feetsies ! The other thing I do is drink cayenne pepper tea and it warms up my whole entire body, face turns red, very powerful blood circulation and uhhh I'm warmer. My car has heated seats in it, I carry those little packs that hunters use to keep warm. Cant remember what you call them. I wear several layers of clothes from now until March/April and I have lots and lots of scarves, gloves, mittens, hats, headbands, down coats, etc that I still hate to wear because its bulky getting in and out of the car toting around child and old people with ice and snow but I start COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS UNTIL NEXT SPRING about NOW ! Haha ! Big Baby !! My old man thinks it funny because
he enjoys winter. Crazy man. He should be hunting with chad and hoarder !
Now in the summer when it's 100 degrees and I'm in the garden all day, uhhh
I LOVE that and live for that..... and my old man is dying sweating by just walking outside, he hates the heat !

We'll survive ! LOL. The older that you get tho, the harder the cold is to tolerate.

Katmandu
12th October 2012, 05:02 PM
....sprinkle a little bit of cayenne pepper powder in ma socks to keep my feet warm.
The other thing I do is drink cayenne pepper tea and it warms up my whole entire body, face turns red, very powerful blood circulation and uhhh I'm warmer.


Ha, I should have known you had an herbal solution for the cold!



I carry those little packs that hunters use to keep warm. Cant remember what you call them.

I call them hand and and foot warmers. :)

Gaillo
16th October 2012, 01:04 PM
Because it beats the alternative! ;D

EE_
16th October 2012, 01:35 PM
Because it beats the alternative! ;D

What's the alternative...do tell?

slowbell
16th October 2012, 01:52 PM
I'm trying to survive because there's so much beauty in this world, that they can't take away. You can't 'print' a beautiful sunset on the beach, like you can funny money. The tides come and go, and the swell changes. You can spend hours listening to it, watching it, and get a laugh at the whole 'system' that's been created, brainwashing, masses slaving away, by design, until the plug is finally pulled on it all...

I want to survive just because I enjoy life. God gave us all this gift of life, and I believe he wants us to enjoy it, live it fully, and never forget the small things he created along the way as well. Such as enjoying a nice sunset.

Gaillo
16th October 2012, 01:52 PM
What's the alternative...do tell?

NOT surviving... and all that implies.

EE_
16th October 2012, 02:02 PM
NOT surviving... and all that implies.

Sorry man, I was just yankin' ya a little. :)