GUEST ARTICLE
Doom As A Hobby -- A Partial Rebuttal
I met Jim last summer. For the curious: he's cute, personable, witty, a good talker but quiet, a serious thinker with a great smile. Good thing wife #4 moved back in, or some smart girl might've taken her place. And yes there are $7.77 prime rib specials at the casino, and while doing the tour of Elko, I got to see several Bison Survival Blog monuments, his bicycle, the Wal-Mart (ack), the grocery stores, the main street. I didn't see where he works or the feed store or the Bison Survival compound, there is a limit to my nosiness. Although I love when he publishes his budget.
At one point in the conversation, Jim suggested that doom was just a hobby. I really had to think about that. It was nearly semi-offensive. But when you hear things like that, best to sit back and ruminate a bit. And then he said it again in the 9/29 post, "Even those of us that are cynical and paranoid fear to imagine much past the long slow collapse. It is too scary seeing a future without luxury. Doom and gloomers are mostly playing. It’s just a weird hobby."
MSN dictionary defines a hobby as an enjoyable activity, and activity engaged in for pleasure and relaxation during spare time. I can't argue with that. But it doesn't exactly cover all aspects of doom preps, does it? Doom lite is my specialty. I only have one girly gun, and anybody in the vicinity should be worried if I try to point it somewhere. Over the last few years I've gotten plenty of practice with food preservation techniques, and now I have a pretty respectable pantry. We installed a big rain barrel and got a water filter. Our finances are just about in order. Between me and the spouse, we have a few skills, but we don't do shoe repair, plumbing, or a host of other things, probably for the best. It seems like we always know somebody who knows someone, so we're covered. Health issues are likeliest to be the biggest concern in the event of collapse. You do what you can.
But to get to the point. Doom prepping is beyond hobby level. Thinking about collapse, financial, personal, governmental, that's enough to make you reach for the anti-depressants or maybe the TV remote. You have to give up your ideas about government, corporations, social security, political parties, money, American history, etc. I'm just wrapping up 2-3 years of Peak Oil anxiety, and easing into acceptance-of-death mode. Doom has altered some personal relationships, sucked up a good chunka paycheck, practically dictated how my leisure time is spent, which books I read, etc. I've had to give up being an introvert, and get out there and meet other doomers, learn doom-worthy skills, buy tools & ammo, etc. Sure the canning of food can be fun work, and I like keeping an inventory of the pantry and I like petting the bunnies we keep for garden manure. The morbid humor is funny. And it's good for me to get out there and meet and greet. But it is practically all-encompassing, getting one's doom act together. Knitting is a hobby. Collecting old Barbie dolls is a hobby.
Doom? More than a hobby. Maybe an obsession. Make it work for you.
END
MY NOTE- No, people, I didn't write this one. I almost blushed reading it. This is from our eastern correspondant who has posted guest articles before. I inserted the breaks, pasting the original gave me one lump of words. BUY MY CRAP www.bisonpress.com
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5 comments:
Good post. Myself, I really doubt my sanity as I store away my umpteenth sack of wheat. I, too, have thought of prepping as a sort of hobby. It seems so unreal to think farther into the future than today's football game. I think of "Eclesiastes" in the Bible and think that all my labor may go to someone else, probably my wife and kids. If they "inherit" my labors and don't understand what I was trying to do, all my preparation will all go to waste. It's like most people don't understand the survivalist point of view.
Several years ago, I wouldn't have understood me, either. One day, I was fairly happy. Then, as I read a few crucial web sites (like dieoff.org and bison and Rawles and Cryptogon.com) and read a few books on peak oil, it suddenly hit me: Sometime between now and very soon, things can get really really bad, and I and everyone I love will be up the old creek without a paddle.
I have known crazy bosses and unemployment and sickness in my family. I have had some really hard times and some real good times. However, to read "The Long Emergency" by Kunstler and other books envisioning mass death and collapse and then start to believe the scenario with all your heart, something happens inside of you and you just can't go back to being "normal". The hard times I have had seem like nothing compared to what's to come.
Attitudes are formed by knowledge and experience.
Joe Sixpack is about 90% of the population. He stuffs his face
with pizza, swills Bud without ever taking his eyes off The Game and wets himself in ecstacy when the Harlem Globeclintons score another basket. Joe knows little other than sports heroes and their mindbogglingly wonderul achievements.He aint worried about no steeeenking peak oil whatver that is.
I can see how a bright fellow like Jim Dakin became very aware of grim realities and wants to prepare to survive. I respect his opinions. He has read much probably including Margaret Bourke-White's book on death camps with pictures of starvelings stacked like cordwood; Harold Lamb histories of Temujin, Suleman and Attila; eruptions of Vesusius and Krakatoa, various tsunamis, and having seen the Arizona meteor crater no longer laughs at Chicken Little. He is correct that the SMLE 303 British is
the best of the affordable surplus bolt action rifles. I would feel adequately armed with the SMLE although I prefer and have absolute confidence in the 3006 Garand. After you kill eight you will have time to reload. I was a rifleman in Ent's platoon Co B 27th Wolfhounds Korea Sep 50 to Sep 51.
BTW this re death camps http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/ar/labour%20camps/arclabourcamps.html
A prisoner at Treblinka working in the yard sorting clothes saw his young son get off the train that just arrived. The boy ran to his father. The man kissed him and told him, "Go take your shower. I will see you at supper." Thus the man saved his own cowardly miserable life for a few more hours or days before he too was sent to the showers and gas chamber.
You can be reduced to that, too. Just hand in your guns to the police when so ordered. I will not do that, thank you. I hope to kill at least eight JBT when they come for me. Do not fear death. The valkyries know who to take to Valhalla and which carcasses to leave for the crows.
"He is correct that the SMLE 303 British is the best of the affordable surplus bolt action rifles.
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All things considered, I think the Finnish M39 give the Enfield SMLE a VERY good run for it's money. Keep in mind that right now an SMLE in good condition begs a ridiculous price, most quite a bit north of $500 while you can still find UNISSUED M39s for $300-$400! The M39 has a 5rd mag capacity, yet the ammo itself is a fraction of the price at today's 7.62x54 bulk prices, the quality and ruggedness is equal if not going to the M39 slightly.
With the M39 you get all of the pro's of the Mosin Nagant 91/30 but with very high quality of manufacture, much better stock & improved "no-jam" mag, better sights and near match-grade accuracy. If you like the Mosin but have complaints, look up the M39. http://www.gunsnammo.com/ is a good sight to start.
PLUS, if you get an M39 with a receiver made before 1900, it counts as an antique and ANYONE can mail order it, no C&R or FFL needed! How can you beat that???
If a cartridge case ruptures on firing the receiver gas relief hole diverts gas away from the face of
the shooter, so as not to blow his eyes out.
Where is the receiver gas relief hole on Mosin Nagant rifles?
I think the guest writer is correct. Most people start out in the doomosphere afraid. This becomes a passionate hobby, a means to an end. Eventually, with enough education, information, preparation and forethought, you realize it is no longer a hobby, but a way of life.
And you're no longer afraid. ~Survival Acres~
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