THINK! THINK, BEFORE THAT'S A KILLING OFFENSE!
IF WE SEE THE COLLAPSE OF CIVILIZATION, FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND WE FIND OURSELVES WITHOUT THE MEANS TO GET FOOD, CLEAN WATER, MEDICAL ATTENTION, OR TO TRAVEL FROM 'POINT A TO POINT B' WITHOUT BEING ATTACKED AND/OR JAILED, DO YOU HONESTLY SEE THAT ANY OF THOSE THINGS IN THE TITLE OF THIS POST WILL BE OF ANY HELP AT ALL TO ANYONE?
WHEN THERE IS NO FOOD, FOOD ITSELF BECOMES 'CURRENCY'.
WHAT GOOD IS GOLD WHEN NATIONS ARE ON THEIR KNEES FROM A CATACLYSMIC DISASTER?
WILL ANYONE TRADE YOU FOOD ENOUGH FOR EVEN A DAY FOR ALL THE GOLD YOU HAVE?
BANKS WILL BE A THING OF THE PAST.
BANKING WILL END AND MAY NEVER RETURN IN A "POST-APOCALYPTIC" WORLD!
"AFTER THE LIGHTS GO OUT", GOLD WILL CEASE TO SHINE SO BRIGHTLY.
WHEN ONE IS STRUGGLING AGAINST ALL ODDS TO SIMPLY LIVE, TO SURVIVE, NO ONE WILL BE COUNTING THEIR "MONEY".
THEY WILL BE COUNTING THEIR FOOD SUPPLIES, THEIR WATER RESERVES, THEIR LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AND LIKELY THEIR AMMUNITION, THEIR MEANS TO MAKE FIRE, THEIR ABILITY TO FIND SHELTER, SAFE LOCATIONS...
YOU SEE, MEDICINES WILL ALSO BE A HIGH-DEMAND "CURRENCY" SHOULD WE LOSE OUR ABILITY TO MANUFACTURE MORE.
PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON MEDICINES FOR LIFE ITSELF WILL NEED AND DESPERATELY WANT MEDICINES, NOT DIAMONDS, NOT CASH, JUST MEDICINES.
CLEAN WATER WILL BE WORTH MORE THAN ALL THE GOLD ANY NATION HAS.
WHAT WILL YOU OFFER FOR ENOUGH WATER TO SEE THAT YOU AND THOSE YOU LOVE DO NOT PERISH?
HOW LONG CAN A HUMAN SURVIVE WITHOUT CLEAN WATER?
WILL ANYONE PREFER A POUND OF GOLD TO A POUND OF FOOD, A GALLON OF WATER, A LIFE-SAVING DRUG?
YOU MAY THINK, WELL, AFTER THE CATASTROPHE PASSES, THEN GOLD AND MONEY AND PRECIOUS GEMS WILL BE IN DEMAND AGAIN.
YOU'D LIKELY BE WRONG.
WITH ALL THAT WE KNOW TODAY LYING IN RUIN ABOUT US, WITH NOTHING 'WORKING' THAT RUNS ON ELECTRICITY, AND THEREFORE OIL BEING EQUALLY OF LITTLE VALUE ANYMORE SINCE OUR 'INDUSTRIES' WILL ALL BE NULL AND VOID, WHEN WE'RE FORCED TO RESORT TO "ANCIENT METHODS" TO HEAT, COOK, LIVE, WHO WILL TRADE A DAY'S SUSTENANCE FOR AN OUNCE OF USELESS GOLD?
CERTAINLY WE CAN ASSUME THAT, AT FIRST, HUMANS BEING CREATURES OF HABIT, MANY WILL HANG ON TO THEIR GOLD, CURRENCIES, ETC. THEY WILL BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE REPAIRED, WILL RETURN TO "NORMAL".
THEY'LL BE WRONG.
"NORMAL" WILL BECOME SOMETHING THAT FEW WISH TO CONSIDER...SAVAGERY WILL SOON REIGN SUPREME AS HUMANS STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE.
NEIGHBOR WILL TURN AGAINST NEIGHBOR, KIN AGAINST KIN, AS ALL TRY TO EKE OUT AN EXISTENCE.
THOSE NATIONS WHO HAVE THE MOST USEABLE RESOURCES WILL SURELY BE ATTACKED BY THOSE WHO HAVE LESS.
PANICKED PEOPLE PEOPLE WITH LITTLE OR NO HOPE, DO DESPERATE THINGS.
IF ANY TECHNOLOGY SURVIVES THAT WILL ALLOW THE LAUNCH OF WEAPONS, MAD MEN WILL BE PUSHING BUTTONS FAST AND FURIOUSLY, TRYING TO GET THAT "FIRST STRIKE" IN.
ADD NUCLEAR WINTER TO THE MIX.
SO FEW OF US HAVE AN INKLING OF HOW TO SURVIVE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY, WITHOUT AUTOMOBILES, WITHOUT COZY HEATED/COOLED HOMES ABOUT US, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO "SHOP" FOR WHAT WE NEED, THAT MOST COULDN'T SO MUCH AS FIND FOOD IN THE WILD AND COOK IT OVER AN OPEN FIRE.
HOW MANY COULD FORAGE FOR EDIBLE FOODS?
HOW MANY MIGHT DIE EATING THINGS THAT ARE TOXIC OR STARVE NOT EATING WHAT'S OUT THERE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALIZE WHAT IS EDIBLE?
HOW MANY WOULD SURVIVE THAT FIRST COLD, DARK WINTER, ESPECIALLY A 'NUCLEAR WINTER'?
CAN YOU SEE JOE Q. CITIZEN CROUCHED, SHIVERING AND DESPERATE FOR FOOD IN THE PATHETIC REMAINS OF HIS ONCE-COMFORTABLE HOME COUNTING OUT HIS MONEY OR HIS GOLD?
I SUBMIT THAT JOE Q. WILL BE FRANTIC TO FIND FUEL FOR A FIRE, FOOD TO EAT, WATER TO DRINK, SOMETHING TO KEEP HIM WARM AND DRY, MAYBE MEDICINES FOR HIS DIABETES, HEART CONDITION, ETC.
WHO WILL TRADE HIM THOSE THINGS FOR ANYTHING THAT RESEMBLES "MONEY"?
I WOULDN'T.
I WOULD KNOW THAT SURVIVAL WILL BE A LONG, SEEMINGLY INTERMINABLE STRUGGLE, FOR SOCIETY AS WE KNOW IT WILL BE GONE.
LIKE IT OR NOT, ONLY THE STRONG, EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY, WILL SURVIVE, AND THOSE PREPARED FOR DISASTER WILL FARE THE BEST...THOSE WITH ENOUGH FOOD, WATER, MEDICINES, CLOTHING AND MEANS TO EKE OUT LIFE FROM THE RUINS.
IN THE PAST, NOT SO LONG AGO, RECOVERY FROM DISASTERS WAS NOT DEPENDENT ON AN ELECTRIC GRID, OR ON AUTOMOBILES, "CASH ON HAND", OR
HAVING A HIGH-PAYING JOB.
MEN AND WOMEN BUILT LIVES WITHIN A SMALL CIRCLE OF FAMILY AND TRUSTED FRIENDS.
THE MEN COULD GO OUT TO HUNT AND/OR TRAP, THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO GARDEN OR GATHER, AND EVEN A SIX-YEAR-OLD CHILD COULD BE TRUSTED TO "MAKE IT" ON HIS OWN SHOULD HE BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE SMALL CIRCLE FOR A TIME.
PEOPLE SELDOM SAT STILL FOR VERY LONG, ALWAYS BUSY MAKING PROVISION FOR LIVING, FOR HAVING ENOUGH. THEY ACCUSTOMED THEMSELVES TO THE ELEMENTS, TO THEIR SURROUNDINGS, TO EACH SEASON.
THEY HAD THE COMMON SENSE TO LAY IN RESERVES WHEN POSSIBLE, TO LOOK AT THE "LONG-RUN, NOT THE SHORT TERM, FOR THEY KNEW THINGS CAN CHANGE FROM GOOD TO BAD IN MINUTES.
PEOPLE WERE FAMILIAR WITH THEIR SURROUNDINGS, KNEW WHERE TO GO TO GET WHAT WAS NEEDED TO SURVIVE, EVEN IF BARELY, AND KNEW WHERE TO TAKE REFUGE FROM ENEMIES, FROM DANGER.
PEOPLE WITHIN THIS CIRCLE HAD LEARNED TO BE THEIR OWN DOCTORS, TO A POINT, TO KNOW THAT CERTAIN PLANTS WOULD HELP THEM LIVE OVER ILLNESSES OR DISEASE THAT STRUCK THEM. (AFTER ALL, WHERE DO THE MOST OF OUR PUREST MEDICINES COME FROM? PLANTS...EVEN ALGAE, MOLDS, FUNGI ARE PLANTS.)
IT WAS COMMON TO SHARE THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE WITH THOSE INSIDE THE CIRCLE. THOSE WHO HAD SHARED FREELY, THOSE WHO DIDN'T HAVE WORKED TO HAVE MORE, NOT EXPECTING TO ALWAYS BE WITHOUT, KNOWING THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH A SMALL CIRCLE CAN PROVIDE TO THOSE WITHIN IT, ESPECIALLY IN TERRIBLE TIMES.
NOT ANYMORE.
WE HAVE BECOME SO DEPENDENT ON THINGS THAT RUN ON ELECTRICITY, AND ON OIL/GAS, THAT I OFTEN WONDER HOW MANY COULD EVEN MANAGE A 10-MILE HIKE TO GET A MEAL, OR A SUPPLY OF WATER.
HOW WOULD WE KEEP WHAT WE HAD, KEEP IT FROM ROTTING, SPOILING, "GOING BAD"?
DOES ANYONE KNOW THESE DAYS HOW TO STORE FRESH MEAT OR VEGETABLES SO THEY DON'T SPOIL, KEEP THEM FOR MONTHS AT A TIME, SANS ELECTRICITY?
THERE ARE WAYS TO KEEP SUCH THINGS FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
GOLD WOULDN'T BUY A STORAGE PLACE EVEN, IF WE LOSE OUR "MODERN SOCIETY", BUT COMMON SENSE "KNOW-HOW" WILL BE INVALUABLE, AND SOMETHING EVERYONE WILL LOOK TO IN OTHERS, FOR FEW IN AMERICA WILL HAVE SUCH SKILLS.
IF THE UNIMAGINABLE HAPPENS, IF WE ARE CAUGHT SUDDENLY IN AN "APOCALYPTIC SCENARIO", IF, SECONDS FROM DISASTER, WE FIND OURSELVES WITH NO SURVIVAL SKILLS, NO PLACE SAFE TO RUN TO, NO IDEA OF WHAT TO DO NEXT, WILL A TON OF GOLD BUY US A SAFE HAVEN?
WILL ALL THE DIAMONDS ON EARTH SECURE US A SPOT IN ANOTHER PERSON'S SHELTER FROM THE STORM?
WILL BE ABLE TO TRADE A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE MEANS TO SURVIVE A DAY, A WEEK, A MONTH, 10 YEARS?
PEOPLE CHANGE AFTER DISASTERS STRIKE.
THEY GO INTO SURVIVAL MODE, IF THEY HAVE ANY SENSES LEFT ABOUT THEM TO DO SO, AND ONCE IN SURVIVAL MODE, THE FIRST "LAW OF NATURE" APPLIES...SELF-SURVIVAL, WITH PRESERVATION OF SPECIES COMING IN AFTER THAT.
SO, NO, YOU WILL FIND LITTLE USE FOR ANY FORM OF CURRENCY SHOULD THINGS 'BLOW UP' ALL AROUND US.
PEOPLE WILL SEE LESS AND LESS USE FOR SUCH AS TIME GOES ON.
NO ONE WILL GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR STOCKPILES OF CASH OR METALS OR GEMS.
THEY WILL WANT FOOD, WATER, MEDICINES, MEANS TO SURVIVE.
EVER SINCE THE TEA ROOM OPENED, EACH WEEK, EACH MONTH, THE MOST-READ BLOGS HAVE BEEN ABOUT GOLD, ABOUT "MONEY".
YES, GOLD IS BETTER THAN FIAT MONEY, THAN ANY PAPER CURRENCY, THAT IS TRUE.
ANYTHING CONSIDERED "PRECIOUS" IS BETTER THAN WORTHLESS PAPER MONEY WHETHER "PRECIOUS METALS", "PRECIOUS GEMS", WHATEVER.
BUT, BE WARNED...PLEASE BE WARNED...WHEN GLOBAL DISASTER STRIKES, AND IT WILL, NOTHING BUT THAT WHICH ENSURES SURVIVAL WILL BE WORTH A HILL OF BEANS, AND THAT PROVERBIAL HILL OF BEANS, SEEDS, THE ASSURANCE OF FOOD AVAILABILITY IN THE FUTURE, IF WE GET A FUTURE, WILL BE FAR MORE VALUABLE TO US THAN ANY AMOUNT OF GOLD, WHICH WILL BE RENDERED USELESS BY THOSE SCRATCHING AND CLAWING TO SURVIVE.
BETTER TO SPEND THE GOLD ON THINGS WE CAN USE TO SUSTAIN LIFE, SHOULD "ALL HELL BREAK LOOSE" ACROSS THIS FRAGILE WORLD, SPEND SOME GOLD NOW IN ANTICIPATION OF BEING ABLE TO SURVIVE A GLOBAL CATASTROPHE, NOT JUST AN ECONOMIC MELTDOWN, BUT TOTAL COLLAPSE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND LIFESTYLE.
BETTER TO HAVE SAFE HAVEN, FOOD, WATER, MEDICINES ENOUGH FOR US AND THOSE WE LOVE THAN A PILE OF GOLD THAT WE CAN NEVER EAT, DRINK WEAR, NOR LIVE BENEATH.
BETTER TO KNOW WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, HOW TO SURVIVE THAN TO KNOW THE STOCK MARKET OR THE PRICE OF GOLD TODAY.
IF DISASTER STRIKES TODAY, WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR, WHICH DO YOU THINK THOSE WHO DEPEND ON YOU WILL BE MOST GLAD FOR... A NICE PORTFOLIO AND GOOD SUPPLY OF CURRENCY/GOLD, OR THE MEANS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SURVIVAL?
CERTAINLY NOTHING IS WRONG WITH "FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY", WITH "SOUND FINANCIAL PLANNING" , BUT WHEN WE LOSE THE VERY SOCIETY, THE MODERN LIFESTYLE IN WHICH THAT IS CURRENTLY IMPORTANT AND ENTER INTO A SOCIETY THAT IS SIMPLY STRUGGLING TO LIVE, WHAT YOU TAKE INTO THAT NEW LIFESTYLE WILL BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
IF YOU THINK GOLD OR 'MONEY' WILL SAVE YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES, THEN BY ALL MEANS KEEP SAVING THAT.
BUT IF YOU CAN SOMEHOW SEE THAT SURVIVAL SKILLS, FOOD, WATER, THINGS THAT WILL MAINTAIN LIFE ARE MORE IMPORTANT, PERHAPS YOU CAN TURN LOOSE SOME OF THAT GOLD NOW, TODAY RATHER THAN WISH YOU HAD WHEN DISASTER STRIKES.
SURE, WE MAY NEVER SEE A DAY WHEN ALL THIS WE KNOW NOW IS GONE, BUT THAT'S LIKE BETTING ON A HORSE THAT CAN DROP DEAD ON ITS WAY TO THE RACE TRACK, ISN'T IT?
YOU MAY CALL SUCH A "GOOD BET"...I CALL EVEN A "SURE THING" RISKY!
THINGS CAN AND HAVE CHANGED IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, ALWAYS HAVE, ALWAYS WILL.
THINK ABOUT IT...
FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE POEMS, BY ROBERT WILLIAM SERVICE:
"This is the law of the Yukon, and ever she makes it plain:
"Send not your foolish and feeble; send me your strong and your sane --
Strong for the red rage of battle; sane for I harry them sore;
Send me men girt for the combat, men who are grit to the core;
Swift as the panther in triumph, fierce as the bear in defeat,
Sired of a bulldog parent, steeled in the furnace heat.
Send me the best of your breeding, lend me your chosen ones;
Them will I take to my bosom, them will I call my sons;"
"Wild and wide are my borders, stern as death is my sway;
From my ruthless throne I have ruled alone for a million years and a day;"
"Staggering blind through the storm-whirl, stumbling mad through the snow,
Frozen stiff in the ice-pack, brittle and bent like a bow;
Featureless, formless, forsaken, scented by wolves in their flight,
Left for the wind to make music through ribs that are glittering white;
Gnawing the black crust of failure, searching the pit of despair..."
"This is the Law of the Yukon, that only the Strong shall thrive;
That surely the Weak shall perish, and only the Fit survive.
Dissolute, damned and despairful, crippled and palsied and slain,
This is the Will of the Yukon, -- Lo, how she makes it plain!"
MAY YOU BE WELL, MAY YOU TAKE HEED, MAY YOU PREPARE YOUR WAY SHOULD ALL AROUND US CRUMBLE.
The following short film, The Shelter, was an episode of the Twilight Zone which first aired in 1961, written and directed by the show host, Rod Serling. Serling wanted to bring public awareness to the growing threat of nuclear confrontation with the Soviet Union, the need to make preparations, and the probable human physical and mental responses to such a disaster. It was a landmark episode for not dwelling in the supernatural or paranormal events typically associated with the series, because Serling felt the need to focus more on the moral and ethical situations and decision making processes the common man must endure should the worst happen. The Shelter provoked an immediate response from its viewing audiences as it struck a new, uncomfortable chord by "waking up" the public.
YOU MAY FIND IT "HOKIE", OLD-FASHIONED, WHATEVER, BUT THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IF DISASTER STRIKES, BELIEVE ME.
http://youtu.be/4TqOu4r1KQA
http://youtu.be/IU7v1Cs-Bc4
http://youtu.be/zSwrIy4IwoU
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
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