This article was originally published by Michael Snyder The Economic Collapse Blog.
Michael Snyder is a nationally syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is publisher of The Most Important News and the author of four books including The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters.
I can’t think of a time when Americans were more apathetic about getting prepared, and yet this is exactly the time when the urgency to get prepared should be at the highest. Earlier today, my wife Meranda and I were discussing the fact that every single element of “the perfect storm” is coming together just as we had anticipated. One by one, the pieces are all falling into place, and I share the most recent things that my research has uncovered with all of you on a daily basis. Unfortunately, most Americans are absolutely convinced that there is no reason to get prepared for hard times because everything is going to be just great. In America today, most people either believe that the future is going to be totally wonderful or that the future will be totally wonderful once we get rid of Trump. Because so many of us have adopted one of these false narratives, most Americans are partying instead of preparing, and that is going to mean big trouble when things really start going haywire.
Are you familiar with “the rule of three”? I just looked it up on Google, and this is how it is defined…
“You can survive for 3 Minutes without air (oxygen) or in icy water. You can survive for 3 Hours without shelter in a harsh environment (unless in icy water) You can survive for 3 Days without water (if sheltered from a harsh environment) You can survive for 3 Weeks without food (if you have water and shelter)”
Of course these numbers are not exact. For example, many have gone without food for more than 3 weeks without serious problems. But in general, this is a pretty good guideline for survival.
Sadly, if a major emergency were to hit this country tonight, most Americans would be completely unprepared when it comes to even the most basic essentials. In fact, one survey found that only 39 percent of Americans have any sort of an “emergency kit” whatsoever…
When it comes to being prepared for an emergency, 39% say they have an emergency kit, while another 39% have a non-perishable food stock. A little less than one-third (28%) of people have stockpiles of water, and one in four people (25%) have an evacuation plan.
Of those who have an emergency kit, the most common items to have in the kit are: a first-aid kit (86%), flashlights or other light sources (83%), food (65%), water (63%), and blankets (62%).
Those are depressingly low numbers.
So what are all of those people going to do when things hit the fan and the government is not there to rescue them?
Needless to say, a lot of people will really freak out when they can’t get what they need.
But as long as things are relatively “normal”, this astounding lack of preparation will not be a problem. And right now, Americans are acting as if things will be “normal” for the foreseeable future. In fact, most of us are partying like it’s 1999 all over again. According to CNBC, U.S. consumer debt just surpassed the four trillion dollar mark for the first time ever…
As of this month, outstanding consumer debt exceeded $4 trillionfor the first time, according to the Federal Reserve.
Relatively strong holiday spending, particularly in November, and increasing credit card debt added more than $41 billion in outstanding balances at the end of 2018, according to LendingTree, a loan comparison website, which analyzed the data from the Fed.
We are spending money as if there is no tomorrow, and that would be fine if tomorrow never arrived.
Of course we really shouldn’t be spending money so wildly anyway, because many of us are already completely drowning in debt. For example, auto loan delinquencies are already far higher than they were during the peak of the last recession. The following comes from NBC News…
At least 7 million Americans were in serious delinquency on their car loan — 90 or more days behind — at the end of 2018, according to data released Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
That’s 1 million more than at the end of 2010, after the recession.
And student loan delinquencies also just shot up to the highest level ever. We have never seen anything like this before in modern American history, and yet the party continues to roll on.
For now.
Unfortunately, all parties eventually come to an end, and the end of this one is going to be particularly painful.
When disaster strikes, most Americans are going to be out of resources very, very rapidly. One survey found that 78 percent of all American workers are living paycheck to paycheck. That number is a little higher than other figures that I have seen, but everyone agrees that a solid majority of the country is barely scraping by each month.
When things get really bad, I honestly don’t know how most people are going to make it.
A number of years ago, a survey asked Americans how long they thought they would survive if the electrical grid went down for an extended period of time.
Nearly 75 percent said that they would be dead before the two month mark.
Hopefully you are more resourceful than that. But without a doubt all of us are going to stand a better chance of surviving what is ahead if we make some basic preparations. It’s isn’t rocket science, but if you choose to do nothing because you have blind faith in the system, then you and your entire family could find yourselves in a world of hurt when things start getting really crazy out there.
If we had made different choices as a nation, we could have had a very different future.
Sadly, our self-destructive behavior continues to get even worse, and a day of reckoning for America is fast approaching.
This article originally appeared on The Economic Collapse Blog. About the author: Michael Snyder is a nationally syndicated writer, media personality and political activist. He is publisher of The Most Important News and the author of four books including The Beginning Of The End and Living A Life That Really Matters.
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For various reasons mostly I believe revolving around circus, the US public, by and large can best be described as insouciant. This is not a word that I generally use but it is absolutely descriptive of the psychology of the masses. It takes all the following words and in ten letters cuts to the chase, it’s defined as: showing a casual lack of concern; indifferent.
Yep, thats our body politic that even worse are mixed in with lunatics.
K2, Ya I call it apathy. Bread and circuses. When you hear the same old shit for years on end you become numbed to it. However true it may be, you get burned out on it. I still do the same ol stuff, buy ammo etc. I have been playing this game for 23 years now. I have failed and succeeded and done pretty much everything I could afford. I have designed shit and made it work and started valleywide comms and had big wins. I also lost a lot by involving women I was with at the time. I still have a ton of fun doing the things I love! Exploring with the quads, rebuilding an old cabin, prospecting, adding on to the cabin, solar shit, shinin, I never run out of fun stuff to do! The world can crash tommorrow and I would never know the diff (almost). My wife and my dog and my 4×4…. I will survive 🙂
I kinda drifted off subject but maybe only I knew it. I was largely speaking regarding what is going on around them. I cringe when I hear, “That doesn’t effect me”. They don’t know, don’t care and don’t care to know; insouciant.
You my man are always welcome at my door! I mean it too!
And what, K2, is one to do if they care very deeply? I think that often times what seems insouciant is, in reality, merely resignation. That would describe me and most prepper friends I know. We have tried the legal avenues open to us without success and have resigned ourselves to the fact that America is gone. It isn’t coming back. Ergo (another cool word for you) we quietly prepare and try to live good and decent lives.
Stuart, boy did I ‘hear ya’ in your words. I’m not sure of the answer though. My first reaction was to recommend you/whomsoever just stop caring. That is… if it is really possible to do that. Like most here, I’ve done what I hope is enough to see me through. I’ve seen, I’ve achieved…. resignation too. America may very well be ‘gone’ as you put it. My goal beyond just surviving whatever the hell comes is this dream I have of a new America based on all the good that was in the old and none of the crap. What a dream, huh?
Yep.
‘Normalcy Bias’.
I just read ‘Amusing Ourselves to Death’ written in 1985 by Neil Postman for the 2nd time. History proved him correct. Our republic is in a free-fall while Americans are consumed by distractions and disinformation. We are a nation of narcissists, selfies, self-prophets, links, likes, forwards, shares and frivolous videos. Books? Not so much.
Americans are exactly where their government wants them.
Millions of Americans want the Trump presidency to end so they can get done with this individual liberty stuff and just get on with electing a benevolent dictator.
It reminds me of the state of mind places in Europe such as Berlin and Paris were in in the 20’s. And who was the symboi (and maybe catalyst) of that insouciant state of mind of European society? Josephne Baker.
test
Good let the Tares party, LEO s are perpetuating this perversion to get their big pension. And they should get what they deserve. Paybacks a bitch. Own it LEO.
Mr. Snyder, do you really think that many people are prepared. I doubt it. Perhaps one in twenty is prepared enough to survive two months without some type of assistance; and that is probably being overly optimistic. If things get really bad there will be few survivors – the very rich and the old hermit that lives out in the woods, Old Guy in his cave, and a few others.
.
I know people that don’t even own a screwdriver or flashlight. I think only 1 in 100 have the supplies and “grit” to last 2 months.
Hey , let’s all collectively thank our war vets for perpetuating this satanic system and keeping us all safe. What would we do without them protecting the satanists . Of course they didn’t know. They never do. And never will.
Sorry but who should we blame.
2% of Americans identify as preppers/homesteaders. That equals 330 million times 2% = 6,600,000. Most of the USA will.obviously not survive and many of these preppers will face fleeing refugees. Thus they will be overrun.
When the SHTF, then every prepper will band together based on spiritual and philosophical shared values, and then we will fight those who differ from us…including preppers.
You might as well realize this Christians. These atheists hate our guts and there are satanic atheists and Lucferians hidden among them.
htt ps://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-02-25/former-federal-prosecutor-we-are-civil-war-buy-guns
This guy gets it. It’s going to be like Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia x 100.
The more you comment, the more you give a country boy a bad name. You remind me of some guys I went to basic training with. They talked a lot of smack about how they were gonna go into special forces and do all this badass shit, and that was on the bus from processing in Ft.Jackson to Ft. Benning. Turns out, they were the ones who quit in the first or second week. I had no clue at that point that I would end up being an operator. Wasn’t any interest or desire of mine till a buddy talked me into signing. So I did, and I’m, to this day, forever grateful. But guys like you just talk. You ain’t never done anything except run your fuckin trap. I seriously have a deep dislike for your kind. You think you know so much but you really don’t know shit except how to run your mouth. When the shtf, I’m gonna steal your food, fuck your fat ugly girlfriend (which is probably your sister) and butt stroke you and knock out your only toof you got left. Just shut the fuck up
I’m glad you posted and threatened me publically with your psychopathic beliefs. You are a classic demonically possessed Luciferian.
Oh now you’re gonna play victim. So classic of people like you.
Right. You make false analogies about things I never claimed. And then in your warped mind, since you dislike me, and I don’t measure up to your Luciferian psychopathic standards, you threaten theft, rape, violence, and slavery. And you pretend that is normal behavior.
Frankly, I think you made a credible threat of extreme violence and your IP address should be reported to law enforcement. People like you commit violent crimes every day.
And if nothing is done, then apparently this has become the new normal. Why would any advertiser wish to support that kind of site?
Why? Just cause I hurt your feelings? Lookie here little boy, I’m 54 years old, work about 55 hours a week (do you have a job?) and never been in trouble. I wouldn’t hurt a little punk like you, why should I ? You’re already miserable. I just don’t like newbies coming here and taking over this site with all their wisdom, when they really ain’t got any. You haven’t made any friends here so why don’t you just shut the hell up or leave. You won’t be missed.
Now you are backpedaling but you wrote what you wrote, and now want to rape my sister? What a psycho you are.
This is problem with reppers because some are just psychopaths whose idea of coping is rape, pillaging, and murder.
Those are your words. I’m glad you voluntarily outed yourself, Bozo.
You are a monster waiting for the collapse. Who would ever want your kind around?
So since you dislike me, then theft, rape, violence, and slavery are all justified?
What a freak you are.
All you are doing is proving the validity of what I wrote.
You are the very definition of a criminal. The only thing stopping you is the law.
How are you any different than an urban thug, a rapist, a murderer, a gang member? Apparently at the first opportunity these are the ways you plan to cope.
Whenever there is a school shooting, or a disgrutled worker goes postal and harms others, there were warning signs prior.
And if someone had noticed and reported it to law enforcement, then tragedies could be averted.
You are a tragedy waiting to happen.
What do you think GOD thinks about what you wrote? Someday, you will have to answer for it.
Either you are a liar and have a criminal history, or you will be a criminal if there is an opportunity.
Otherwise, you are coward using an anonymous threat.
There is no way to justify what you wrote. You should feel shame, yet you don’t. That is a classic sign of a psychopath.
By no means are you a good man.
Is this you???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsWxkU0g9Z4
Oh sorry, you are in this cult…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xxgRUyzgs0
Errrr maybe more like this you fuckin kill em all freakshow!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClQcUyhoxTg
When the shtf…..
I’m sorry but the sad truth is the strong WILL devour the weak. People will freaking kill each other. They will kill you take what they want and leave.its that simple.
Any community NOT well defended WITH GUNS and really hard ass folk to use em. Will be slaughtered. Countries and governments rise fall all the time. Check recent history. Country collapses government fails leaves a power vacuum and presto powered will slowly consolidate into one or two warlords.
The wicked and the violent ; they to have thier purpose for these days of calamity.
Might be M that one day a heathen like me is the only thing standing between you or someone you love and something truly horrific that stirs when you put a weapon in his hand.
Remember that on the dreadful day.
Well you claim to be a Christian, yet you hate the Bible, and now label yourself a heathen. Which is it?
Matthew 24 states this.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Matthew 24:9-10
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you , delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. 16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. 18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish. 19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luke 21:12-19
The very people who believe and call themselves Christians, will undergo apostisia in the Greek ie they reject Christianity and then betray other Christians.
Your actions and those of others on this site mirror these passages.
These words of Jesus Christ are a warning of the End Times that all Bible believing Christians watch for
no, marantha, you hate our guts. even with a common goal, you have stated, indirectly, that i am your enemy. welcome to the table sir!
This is false. The preponderance of Christian volunteerism is helping nonbelievers. Ask any Christian church where the foodbank, clothing closet, single mom ministry, soup kitchen, meeting rooms for AA and NA and diseases and mental illness, rent/utility assistence goes to. The majoritygoes to nonbelievers.
Christians help nonbelievers even though we know in Luke 21 and Matthew 24 that you will persecute us.
Love Your Enemies
(Leviticus 24:17-23; Luke 6:27-36)
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:38-47
This is one of highest commandments and is tied to Matthew 25.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee ? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed
thee ? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Matthew 25:34-46
There is nothing in the Bible about Christians being a doormat. We are to know how to fight with our hands and with weapons. That is in Joel 3.
We are to help the suffering, including our enemies, but also fight against those who persecute us.
There is no such thing as Christian pacifism. That is heretical as it is contrary to the whole of Scripture.
We are to forgive our enemies in spite of Matthew 24 and Luke 21.
This is incomprehensible to nonbelievers.
ht tps://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/is-jesus-a-pacifist/
This writer explains it well: Christian pacifism is heresy.
Hiroshima,Nagasaki, Dresden, Atlanta, And the rest.ra ra.?
Reminds me of the mentality of students when I used to “teach.”
One can have many preps and STILL not be prepared.
The only way to be fully prepared is to get yourself right with God.
Selah.
Amen.
There used to be what were called hobbies. All of the old ones pertained to some constructive trade, often in the way of creating food, clothes, or something useful.
No matter how unobtrusively you are making something, the lazy and degenerate person has a way of accusing you of causing a disturbance. No matter how artful, it will be called ugly. They wreck it, if they can, and believe they are rightfighting.
“When things get really bad, I honestly don’t know how most people are going to make it.”
They’re going to blame you.
Huge difference between homesteading and prepping.
For a homesteader stocking food, fixing stuff, being self reliant is a daily ritual not just a trip to the Costco or gun store in payday.
I was born and raised in that environment.
First time I heard the word prepping was only 15 years ago maybe. To me a prepper lives a normal life job bills kids and that’s what takes up the bulk of your thinking.
Homesteader just does these things anyway only everyday. Your brought up learning to hunt fish trap track make clothing can foodstuffs sharpen blades whatever is needed.
I was raised by my grandparents who survived 2 world wars Spanish flu the great depression and all that came with that. They both lived into their late 80s
I tend to think they knew a thing or two about staying alive.
AB, you are 100% right! Those peeps weren’t whoosies by any means! Some tough folks for sure!
AMEN! to that Angry Beaver. Homesteading takes life skills and long hard work. And when you get old you better have some younger ones sharing the load.
https://youtu.be/2nX6qGeyaGM
That famous American philosopher Yogi Berra once stated that “when you come to a fork in the road, take it”. You will know what’s coming down the pike once it runs you over! Until then, unless you are truly self-reliant, you are nothing more than a boy scout. I know a lot of preppers who have a massive collection of guns (what for?), lots of food stashed away and still lack the common sense to fill a mason jar. I have been around several places where society collapses in mayhem and the lesson learned is this: no matter what you think you know, you are not prepared; buying all this neat crap on Amazon that people want to sell you does not amount to squat. To the inevitable question of whether I am able to survive …. yes, but I really don’t want to and don’t plan to.
I’ve been say to everyone that will listen. Prep like there is no tomorrow, because it is easy to get and there is a lot are items around, because when the Dems take back over and the commies are in charge is when you will need it. Now and you can get everything you need. PREP now for WW3 or Civil war.
Sgt.
kevx,
Yes, and Jesus said to love your enemies. Do you think when I actively volunteered for decades it was to Christians? NOPE, most of the people helped were nonbelievers. Several were angry pagans and atheists and a few were antitheists.
You don’t get it. Christians help everyone. We don’t want people to end up in Hell, that doesn’t mean we hate you.
Not only did I help by volunteering,but personally helped people of other beliefs like Wiccans. Mostly it was to no avail.
A good percentage of youth ministry ends up not benefiting Christians. Most leave churches and do not return except to get married. And then typically do not return untilsah age 6-7 the parents realize they might want them to get instruction and see the merit of church attendence. These are low numbers.
Most of the food bank and clothing closet ministries, the soup kitchen, the single mom ministry, the rent/utility assistance goes to nonbelievers.
And Christians do this KNOWING that nonbelievers will end up persecuting Christians according to Matthew 24 and Luke 21.