Useless People and Relatives

[monkeybird]

Some of the discussions on other threads really made me think about society in the future. Think about your family members or even close friends who will be beating down your door for help once TEOTWAWKI happens.

What do you do with useless people? You know the some who are lazy, stupid and think they're entitled.

How do you determine if they are useless? For instances, my husband has serious heart disease, but he can send a man to the moon. He can also tell you have to build just about anything and why something will work and something will not. Trust me after 35 years - I know not to argue about anything engineering. He will probably die in the PAW because of a lack of medication. But think about it, on first look some people seem to have nothing to offer. But on closer inspection, their contribution would be priceless.

Now as to the lazy. Nothing gets me madder than a lazy do for nothing. While it's easy to say if they don't work, they don't eat, but can you trust them? Most lazy people forced to do work will do a really poor job. How do you handle such people.

Then you have the know it all's. These are perhaps the worse. I have a friend or too that are like that. They are good, kind people, but want to run EVERTHING. Unfortunately, the things they want to run they know nothing about.

It would be hard indeed to have your nephew or niece knocking on the door for food and have to turn them away.

In the novel "One Second After" the town had a screen tool. What is your criteria for those you choose to take in or leave out of your survival group?

[eeyore]

You have to prepare for this, and put extra beans and rice aside for this. That is one of the strong reasons for being located away from people and not easy to get too.

[rice paddy daddy]

Well, I don't have friends, at least that know where I live.:)
We have a small family - 5 kids total, two of whom are cops (good to have in times of crisis, or any other time, actually). They are all welcome on our homestead.
Everyone else is on their own.:cool:

[bountyhunter69]

my plan is simple,ive reached out to all close family and close friends that i would want in a STHF situation,offered my help,knowledge and have tried to convince..so its simple,those who are prepared with food and survival knowledge will be WELCOME @ my place..if they have actively started preppin when SHTF,then they are welcome,many of them complain "i dont have the money to buy extra stuff" example..i have a step-daughter and her BF who shoot league pool 2-3 times a week,drink their good overpriced cold beer from bar,and smoke the best cigs..probably as close as i can figure waste 40-50 dollars per nite,2 to 3 times a week and pay a baby sitterto boot,so IMHO if you have the money to go out 2-3 times a week,smoke cigs and drink cold beer,then my friend YOU HAVE NO MONEY PROBLEMS and i hate to see you starve but sorry bout that..oh BTW,their 3 kids (ages 2,6,and 8 will be welcome and provided for,no ?s asked) sorry to seem so cold hearted,but they have been told and warned,i have tried to show and convince them but it seems to have fallen upon deaf ears

[bountyhunter69]

for those who havent already read it,there is an artical on JWRs site this morning,its sad but true,sometimes u have no choice but to be "slightly coldhearted" but hey its all about survival..and a tune that comes to mind is by Randy Travis "I Told You So" song seems so fitting

[2682nscovell]

If Noah had opened the arc doors for the people outside... I always think about about what could have happened to Noah if he had helped those people who were left for dead. Personally, I think he made a good choice.

I am a firm believer that everyone has use. I am firm believer that everyone has potential. However, I believe you need to make sure you and your family are established before anyone else. Think about the problems in this country... We have so many people that want benefits and aid. Both take large funding from the government (our tax money). But there are so few people that actually pay into the system. There aren't enough supporters to aid the takers. But among those issues, most of the people who are supporting have not yet met the means to be stable themselves! It's like a bleeding person trying to give blood to someone that needs a blood transfusion.

[Bull]

I have family that don't believe in prepping, but who would be very helpful if TSHTF, so I would want them there, even though they aren't bringing any extra food or gear. But I'm struggling the most with my best friend, who I'v known my entire life. Again, he doesn't prep so he wouldn't be showing up with much. He does have guns, fishing gear, outdoor gear, offroad vehicles, tools, and other useful stuff, but no real preps. He is also good at, and knowledgeable of, many useful things. He is a great all around benefit to have in every respect. So I guess he would be welcome. I am struggling though, with dealing with the fact that I am sacrificing and doing without a lot, in order to buy all the prep gear, food, etc. So I guess I would have to deal with my resentment. It really ticks me off that I'm doing without a lot to prep, while he is living it up, and he'll fall back on me if TSHTF. Nothing is saying he'll even show up, but I would want him to be there. I guess I have to keep working on him and figure out how to deal with my irritation. I would like to drive a nice sports car too, you know? Anybody else have these type of thoughts?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Thats a hard one that has been discussed before and is worthy of more discussion for sure. It will be very hard to down KNOWN zombies but for the survival of yours it will have to happen. Your mental preps begin now as it will take it's toll. Killin is hard enough, killin those you have always known will be harder. Your family will resent you for (a) being a killer (no matter what the conditions they always look at you different) (b) killing their loved ones. Less Than Lethal options should be looked at real hard for known zombies such as tasers pepper spray etc however keep in mind they will return as unfriendlies with knowledge of your place and tactics and capablilites if you are not careful.
The castle doctrine should be looked at too. That is if they cant get to you no action is needed however this is out of most folks reach in money.
At least these are my thoughts anyway, kinda depressing bu then so is survival

[Cimarron]

Those of my family I have been talking to are on the west coast. He doesn't really believe me or see any big problems that can happen so I'm still talking to 'air'. Even if he did start preppin he wouldn't head my way, he would go toward another direction.

The Wife's fam. is a little different. One is kind of on board with the 'be ready for something' but he doesn't do much to prep. The others just shake their head or laugh and joke about it.

Those few friends that I have told and that I would want to come show up are still in doubt but see that something could happen. There are a few that I know personally that have been prepping but I wouldn't want to be in a group with (saved for another thread) but I'm glad to know that I will have someone else to trade/barter with and have others for security purposes.

[crossbow]

tell them the story of the Little Red Hen

In the tale, The Little Red Hen finds a grain of wheat, and asks for help from the other farmyard animals to plant it. However, no animal will volunteer to help her.
At each further stage (harvest, threshing, milling the wheat into flour, and baking the flour into bread), the hen again asks for help from the other animals, but again she gets no assistance.
Finally, the hen has completed her task, and asks who will help her eat the bread. This time, all the previous non-participants eagerly volunteer. However, she declines their help, stating that no one aided her in the preparation work, and eats it with her chicks, leaving none for anyone else.
In other versions sometimes the bread is substituted with a cake, and is also said from that day forward when the red hen worked on food, she found volunteers and thus this time shared with all those who aided her.
The moral of the story is that those who show no will to contribute to an end product do not deserve to enjoy the end product, or "if a man does not work, let him not eat."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Red_Hen

[2682nscovell]

I fortunately have it very well on both sides of my family. My side is great... They know the area would turn into a war zone and my wifes side is mainly Indian, so these people understand a thing or two about disaster. Talk to anyone from India and you will realize how comfortable we Americans are in the realms of disaster.

[WiseOwl]

This is a topic I think about quite often. My parents? Brothers? Friends? Who?
I always look out for me, my wife and my son, #2 is in the oven so after June, him too. Also, my brother, his wife and his 2 kids. My father in law would be very valueable because of him being an electrician, builder, etc. Me and my brother have very minimal preps and wouldnt be able to support the rest of the family. My mom wouldnt survive without medicine and she understands that she wouldnt be able to "head for cover" with us. My younger brother would just be a mouth to feed and probably a good laborer. My pops would probably stick it out with his wife. But one thing is no one really sees the sense of urgency to stack bullets, beans, blankets and band-aids like me. I have only one friend whose family is really into this and they have a retreat in West Virginia, that in small talk, me and my home are welcome to. But honestly I have nowhere to go other than some really secluded camping spots in North GA. I just got into this in the last 2 years so I havent had time to find a "retreat" per se. If things can hang tight for 3-5 years, then I will have me a nice spot.
All I do is pray that I never have to go through scenarios, One Second After or Patriots, that would put me in a pickle with 2 small children. I can defend myself and my family against a small group but anything bigger than that and I am toast. Where I live now is a small town 50 miles south of Atlanta and 10-15 miles south of large towns full of entitlement recipients. As I said, I pray that everything see saws until I can G.O.O.D. and start my farm. But best believe I will keep up my preps, my training, my prayer and polishing my skills for that dreaded day.

[2682nscovell]

This is a topic I think about quite often. My parents? Brothers? Friends? Who?
I always look out for me, my wife and my son, #2 is in the oven so after June, him too. Also, my brother, his wife and his 2 kids. My father in law would be very valueable because of him being an electrician, builder, etc. Me and my brother have very minimal preps and wouldnt be able to support the rest of the family. My mom wouldnt survive without medicine and she understands that she wouldnt be able to "head for cover" with us. My younger brother would just be a mouth to feed and probably a good laborer. My pops would probably stick it out with his wife. But one thing is no one really sees the sense of urgency to stack bullets, beans, blankets and band-aids like me. I have only one friend whose family is really into this and they have a retreat in West Virginia, that in small talk, me and my home are welcome to. But honestly I have nowhere to go other than some really secluded camping spots in North GA. I just got into this in the last 2 years so I havent had time to find a "retreat" per se. If things can hang tight for 3-5 years, then I will have me a nice spot.
All I do is pray that I never have to go through scenarios, One Second After or Patriots, that would put me in a pickle with 2 small children. I can defend myself and my family against a small group but anything bigger than that and I am toast. Where I live now is a small town 50 miles south of Atlanta and 10-15 miles south of large towns full of entitlement recipients. As I said, I pray that everything see saws until I can G.O.O.D. and start my farm. But best believe I will keep up my preps, my training, my prayer and polishing my skills for that dreaded day.

WiseOwl, you and I are similar. You probably look at your situation and your loving family and dread what could be. I stay up late thinking and praying for God to bring peace to my heart about this.

[WiseOwl]

2682nscovell, yes sir, every night and day. I just hope my knowledge, skill and luck get me and my family to safety if something crazy ever happens. I told my wife that today, "if TSHTF, I think we could make it, but I would hate to have to hide from folks with small children. I guess I would give you the pistol and depending on how many folks, I would go Rambo on em and either become victorious or die defending yall" She said, I need a red headband for that task...lol

[2682nscovell]

2682nscovell, yes sir, every night and day. I just hope my knowledge, skill and luck get me and my family to safety if something crazy ever happens. I told my wife that today, "if TSHTF, I think we could make it, but I would hate to have to hide from folks with small children. I guess I would give you the pistol and depending on how many folks, I would go Rambo on em and either become victorious or die defending yall" She said, I need a red headband for that task...lol

Man... when I talk to my wife about that stuff. I am either referred as John Connor or EVEN better WILLIAM WALLACE! We keep having children because of those compliments.