Chaos Theory

Back in the day when I instructed self-defense the same old concept arose, “If someone comes at you like this, what do you do?” The same truth still remains, that will never, ever happen. If only conflicts were like Hollywood fight scenes, professionally choreographed with everything and everybody right where they need to be and a predetermined outcome. If anything can be said about conflictive, volatile situations is that Chaos is the rule. Prepping does not generate a known outcome rather hopefully creates options and/or leverage to perpetuate success. Consider the unexpected things that pop up in any given day in what should be routine with an expected outcome. Now consider the unlimited probability in an unknown event, the unexpected and Murphy’s Law has great potential.

Right now we have the ability to be proactive by preparing but be sure in the moment of  a very bad event we will be forced to be reactive due to the fact that we will go from known to the unknown. When I was an Iron worker in the south I have seen this play out many times in bars and saloons. In the approaching of a conflict the persons involved played out pre-determined levels of personality but as soon as the conflicts become volatile all was chaos and confusion became rule and the outcome was usually a surprise.

Lessons I learned:

Chaos is a given, confusion is an option.

Clever and calm always prevails over raging force.

Never underestimate

Have as many options as possible and keep an open mind to all

Winning is about pride, not losing is about survival

Chaos always exists at some level, be aware when it escalates.

Melungeon-

The Founding Preppers

Every basic concept of what we call prepping was exploited in grand fashion by our Founding Fathers:

#1; they had analyzed the situation and decided action was needed.

#2 before they approached the possible conflict they had a great deal in supplies in various caches.

#3 they knew their adversary and was wise enough to know winning the battle was irrelevant, defeating England was imposable rather not losing the war was achievable. North Korea and North Vietnam used this same perception as well.

#4 with never underestimating the threat, Ben Franklin was sent to France, to exploit the Kings hatred of the adversary to gain needed resources. Demonstrating an absolute focus on weakness and emotional vulnerability, perfect

Now that’s Prepping!!!

Melungeon-

Fear Not

Fear in many ways has become part of our society. Job loss, property loss, health, disaster and almost every area of modern. This along with its offspring of stress, anxiety, depression and so on. Fear in all its forms will hinder you in your challenge to prevail. Fear consumes too much energy and produces nothing, it has got to go. We prepare for darker times in that we cannot waste time with fear and when the true challenges of those times are at hand there are many challenges must be quickly analyzed and acted with clear thought, without all “ifs” and” fears” fogging and delaying judgment.

If we think about it, most of the things that have greatly impacted our lives, (good or bad), we never seen them coming. So much energy wasted on fear and expectation. Fear to preppers should be like sin to the pious, at the first sign of it: reject it as evil. Nature hardwired us with fight or flight, well enough save imagination for ingenuity, not fear of things that might be. Do not be a prepper out of emotion, for reason and information will do. That which controls your emotion controls you, make sure you are that which is in control.

Start now being pious about fear and you will be prepared for days to come.


Melungeon-

Doomsday Preppers , NOT GOOD!!!!!

 Again on the soapbox I am a warning our readers of the risk to using mainstream media and industry as a guide to prevail a social collapse.

 My son was doing research watching “Doomsday Preppers” episode #1. After word he told me the resourcefulness and ingenuity of one group profiled. From what he told me I agreed with their efforts but they blew it. To make my point I asked to know of its location, the program perpetuates that it is undisclosed. In an hour my son found the latitude, longitude, driving directions, elevation, a complete tactical layout and an aerial map via” Goggle Earth”. He was amazed at how easy it was. Review the footage, a little research BOOM, ya got it. Most are that easy with an internet connection, a basic laptop and a little thought. Trust me I am not the only guy to consider such things. I had never tried this method but was sure it would work fine, it did. For all the effort these gentlemen put into their prepping they now reside in an established known cache: a little TV time trashed a lot of effort.

For the sake of reference I have looked at these programs. I don’t know who rights these scripts but they have no idea. Be assured the TV show is only as informative as the producer comprehends and the threat is never greater than the product being sold.

Prepping supplies is rational thought, prepping yourself is essential but I’ll get into that later.

As many of you, I have experience in useful skills. I was in the military, learned some demolition as a combat engineer, instructed in self defense, designed and built aboveground and below with concrete and steel and I like to think I am ok with my weapons. That said I know that perspective and comprehension are my greatest skills when SHTF!!