How do you convince people to be prepared?

Heck I've had a hard time just convincing people that it's their duty to be armed and protect themselves and their families. Too many people have come to count on the nanny state to take care of them and protect them.

 

Thats another reason I have decided to keep my mouth shut, I figure if I build up a years supply of food and 30 people come knocking at my door I have a 1 month supply of food, and out of the 30 I doubt anyone of them would help plant a garden or tend to any livestock, or help defend the preps that I have saved.

 

wtf is "normal" ? What most call "Normal" in my experience tends to go "Baa Baaa Baaaa"

 

For Katrina i use myself as an example for being prepard...
After Katrina passed and wife and i are the only one's on the street with a generator...
I made Margarita's...Poured in a large clear margarita glass...
Walked out in the driveway and while sipping on said adult beverage...Waved at the neighbor's...While asking ''How ya doing''...
I believe in leading by example...ccc...

 

I quit trying....A waste of valuable time and effort on my part. "Let them eat cake".

 

Yeah, I am stubborn. I will try to convince them. However, when TSHTF, they had better be bringing some serious skills or contributions to my family and group or they will be given a charity pack of food/water/supplies and shown the road. I, nor my group, cannot house and feed everyone who did not bother to prepare (opting instead to vacation in Cancun for 2 weeks, or bought a new jet ski and spent thousands of dollars on a home entertainment system instead), and I will not reduce my family's ability to eat, or survive, in favor of some friends or family, yes family, who did not have the wisdom or desire to at least in some way be ready for a bad scenario.

I may sound crass, heartless, or even evil to some. My spiritual, moral, and ethical obligations fall first to my Lord, second to my wife, and thirdly my children. After that, I will extend charity but will not start my own "welfare" state, post SHTF. I am an ant, and I will not support the grasshoppers after SHTF. Let them eat cake, indeed.

 

Stang, the inmates run the asylum, man. That is why we prepare.

 

For the first half of my life, I thought I was normal. My life became much easier once I realized that I wasn't normal!

 

I like to tell stories... one I really like is the one about the Danziger Bridge...

You see most people think if something bad happens TPTB will mobilize and come rescue their sorry butt's...

problem with that theory is when the SHTF in real life... all bets are off

The Danziger Bridge Killings: How New Orleans Police Gunned Down Civilians Fleeing the Flood

These cops were convicted of these crimes BTW... but lack of prep made these people victims not survivors...

Edit to Add... you remember back when all those folks were hole up in the dome and Sam Donaldson first reported they had been a report of a 8 yr old girl being raped... later to be downplayed by the Mayor... well there is truth then there is real truth... seems something like 40 rapes were reported in that evacuation site
http://www.wdsu.com/news/5627087/detail.html

 

Hmmm, How do you get people to prepare?

How about bringing them to a FEMA site where they might learn that 2010 was a record setting year for weather and other natural kinds of disasters?

Then keep them on the same site and watch their faces when they learn that even though 2011 is not over, it broke the 2010 record number of disasters?

Finally, if that is not enough, you could just give them an ink stamp that they can stamp anywhere prominently on their body which states VICTIM.

I saw the above info (about 2 record setting FEMA years) on a (forgotten) web site. Even though I'm a prepper, it caught me off guard.

 

Well...to start with, I don't bother unless the person actually says something that makes me believe they have at least some concern about and/or interest in the subject.

Those I care about...kids, grandkids, birth family, in-laws (in general closer than my birth family) and good friends couldn't help but know my attitude about being prepared for whatever might come...but even most of them outside my family based MAG really have no idea of the scope of my preps. Some may call me paranoid because of my "secrecy" about preps, but then, I consider a good dose of paranoia a survival tool rather than a psychological problem. My siblings were raised with a preparedness mindset like I was, but most rejected it so I don't even try to convince them. They all know that they are welcome at my house if they need a place to stay (TEOTWAWKI, TEOCAWKI or SHTF are not subjects I raise), and I will do what I can should the time seem short to get them to "visit".

If the subject arises with an acquaintance in such a way that I perceive interest, I will tend to "minimize" my preps to what we did in the begining (our initial preps were rice, beans and jerky). If they follow those suggestions, I will open a dialogue about how "we" can become more prepared.

In short, I don't present myself as an "expert" or "authority"...just a marginally prepared guy trading ideas...

 

Around 2003 I put together a "preparedness guide" to give to family and friends. It's not much, but it laid down a foundation that , if they wanted, they could build on.

Later the State of MO put out a "Ready in 3" program telling people how to prep for 3 days. We all know 3 days is just a drop in the bucket. But it had the advantage of "being official", and the state would give them to you free. I gave out several hundred copies at several Church's, and other places.

Most of this was done as anonymously as possible.

Most of those that the "I'll come to your house" comment, were discouraged, rather strongly.

I look at it like this. If only 10 people saw the light, that would be 10 people saved, the government won't control.

I do have charity built into my preps. It's not much, but it will be filling. Also it WON'T be given out at my house. If my kids show up hat in hand, well charity starts at home.

 

unless its someone that you really want in your group, why bother?
if they cant smell the roses let them become fertilizer

 

My copy of American Handgunner: Reality Check Survival I gave to a slightly older Lady at work who sounds as if her & her Hubby try to Prepare a little. Gave it away because I've sucked the info from it & just can't bring myself to merely dump a $10 magazine!!!

 

I don't try to convince them to prepare, it is their responsibility to take care of themselves.

If someone asks me to help them get started prepping, that is another story. I have printed preparedness handbooks (FEMA and others) for people and given away cd's with tons of internet links on them to those who want to learn more.

I have small charity packs put together to hand out to those that I find deserving in a post-SHTF situations, but they are small and there are only a few of them; I plan to only give them to those with children. Beyond that, I can't help everyone; I have to limit my preps to me and mine. It is harsh but that is the way it is.

 

WE Have a REd Manual

that has checklists, inventories, instructions etc; however,a vivid lesson was learned by my wife day before Thanksgiving; we were shopping in a major grocery looking for a certain type of frozen turkey. Sold out. She would not buy ahead per my suggestion. Continued shopping, filled the cart when suddenly ZAP! Pow! Lights Out! Entire Store goes dark. "OK, I said, get out your emergency purse LED flashlight" said I. Much fumbling and grumbling "No I left it by the bed".

10 minutes later, the emergency generator finally started and there were some emergency lights but no power for the computers or belts at check out.
One dose of reality is worth 10 verbal cautions. She is now on board 100%.
My ccw was assurance of "social security" in the store--.

Laus Deo
overbore

 

the lord (and i) help those that help themselves
all others are just fodder for the wolfpacks
survival of the fittest (most prepped) shall rule the land

 

An interesting question

Just how do you convince people to be prepared?

Well, I enjoy story telling, so I wrote two books (#3 is in work). The books ARE NOT a rawles type DIY story, but rather tells a tale of bad times and follows some folks as they deal with the bad times.

The story is littered with with problem-solution pieces and possible outcomes.

The hope is that folks will buy the book for the story and as they read, it will cause them to think...

Catch phrase - "Are you prepared for a bad moon rising?"

The books may not lead the horse to water, but they can sure see the puddle form where they sit.

I'll be putting them on sale shortly, maybe get a few more out there.

​

 

One of the biggest problems that I've found is: People NO longer want to read!
Make it a movie, a DVD or some such, and then you'll have their undivided attention!
Make it for a way they can access it easily, as people are just are in the mind frame of the "fast food" syndrome today! Paperbacks and such today are considered so OLD FASHIONED. They have to see it on a miniature screen, or on an 80 inch wide flat screen! Maybe that's the way they learn now? Have to keep up with the times I guess! ( we used to call that lazy, whereas today it's called progress!) Who knew?