Why do we prepare?

G

g123

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Oct 25, 2009
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Why do we prepare?

On this and other forums we communicate with each other to learn how to be self reliant and independent. For what purpose?

I hope the answer come down to this: To be good Americans and to love our neighbor.

America was founded on many ideas and principles but it all boiled down to this: being responsible for ourselves so not to be a burden on others, to be united together for the good of others and dare I say it, but to serve and worship God freely. Not to be free from God, all though we do have that right in America.

So why am I righting this? We who are learning these skills have responsibly to use them to a good purpose. I think most people on this forum care about others and love this country. That is why I am writing this.

In our world and even our own government we face many divisional conflicts and ideas. We must keep in mind the primary reason we are a great country, just look at our history. United we stand and divided we fall.

I keep a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution in my briefcase; I think I should look at these documents more often.

This is how the Declaration of Independence starts off.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”

Here is how it ends

“And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

It starts of with the right of life and ends with a pledge to each of our lives. What kind of culture are we allowing to grown in America today?

The preamble from the Constitution:

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

There is a “WE” in all of it, not a me.

So here is the challenge – What are “WE” going to do to bring us back to our roots? That is where survival really starts. I say it starts with our own attitude and how we live are lives among each other.

Preparing is good, but why you prepare is more important.

Geoff
 
While I enjoyed your post, I hate to say this may be more appropriately placed in the political forum.

In reponse to your post, I prepare for myself and my family.

For myself: knowing that you can do something yourself makes you feel good. Whether that something is fixing a leaking pipe, starting a campfire, or changing a tire, it gives you confidence...in short, I think it makes me a better man. In these times, having a extra bit of knowledge, along with the gear, helps put my mind at ease.

For my family: in an emergency situation, the skills, tools and gear that I have could make things easier, and safer for my family. Worst case scenario, it could even keep them alive.

Many thanks to all those who have shared their skills and experiences here, that I could learn from them.
 
I can say with all honesty that my interest in wilderness and survival skills has everything to do with my love of the outdoors and absolutely nothing to do with god, country, or the founding documents of my neighbours. My broader interest in preparedness relates to an awareness of how little it takes to transition from normalcy to emergency, and a desire to be able to cope with such situations responsibly.

But to each his own, eh?

All the best,

- Mike
 
Because chasing longpork down is a helluva lot harder than just catching it with a trap.

My reasons for being prepared and continually evolving my skillz are a lot more selfish and a lot less noble, I'm afraid.

Wanna know what truth I hold self-evident?

The lazy always look for someone to save them, and then resort to stupidity when they see that that someone ain't gonna do it--or ain't doin' it fast enough.

Jesus died for a bunch of ingrates. I ain't about to.

That said, every single person in my neighborhood is welcome at my house for a BBQ.
 
I prepare so I can survive. Its not up to me to prepare so that others dont have to or feel the need to. I can be very neighborly and helpful, but there is a limit.
 
This may sound trivial, but I prepare because it's fun! It is an extension of my enjoyment of outdoors activities, and it has the added advantage of being useful in an emergency.
 
I prepare because the more dependent you are on others, the more you are a slave to them.

Through many years I have learned:

Depend on nobody.

Trust nobody.

Stay in control of your own actions and emotions

That does not mean that people don't need others to depend on during a crisis. It doesn't mean that others can't be trusted.

It means I can reduce my reliance, and more importantly my risk, by minimizing my dependence and trust of others.

The more I am prepared, the less I have to worry about.

Carl-
 
I would have to say that my preparation stems from a genuine love of the outdoors, and the desire to be as knowledgeable and as comfortable as possible in the woods. It has nothing to do with being an American, and being not at all a religious person, even less to do with God.

Perhaps this thread is better suited in the Political forum.
 
Because Hurrican Katrina taught me that FEMA may never get there.
 
We prepare in order to save our butts, and those of our families. Consider this, if you will: if we as individuals don't prepare for and survive a catastrophe, we will not contribute to our country, nor even to the neighbors on our own block. In such a catastrophe (whatever it might be) the survival of the individual is paramount: without it there is no society.

That's what we prepare for.
 
most of the things i carry everyday are not only to help me but should a situation arise i have them to allow me to provide help to others as well
 
Because I was a boy scout,can't help it.
Kemsat,don't married people taste as good? That said, every single person in my neighborhood is welcome at my house for a BBQ.
Reply With Quote
 
I prepare for everything because I don't expect to get any handouts.

Same reason why I went to school, hold my job and buy insurance. All because the gub'mint is horrible in taking care of you.

If you expect somebody else to provide you with the basics to survive, then you deserve what you get.
 
I'm glad to see this did not turn political. I do not like moving a thread in progress to the Political Arena. It may not even meet their requirements. For example, the original poster is a Registered User, and would not have been eligible to start a thread there.
 
Pleas excuse the ramblings. . .

I believe preparation is a responsibility. I adhere to the historic view that one should not be a burden on others. In addition to that, the culture of self has cast into doubt whether others would be either inclined or able to help should the situation arise.

That is why I am even more impressed with the young men and women that volunteered for military service in the last few years. In generations past, such service was considered ones duty, either by society or family expectation. Today, service is what we want others to provide to us, not something we are compelled to provide.

This type of forum naturally attacts those that "don't play well with others." That isn't to say that all fit into this category, but I think it explains the "I've got mine. Screw everybody else." type comments that come up from time to time.

In the US, we have a cultural memory of the soverign citize, limited government, and that association in communities was voluntary. I get as provoked as anybody else at the abandonment of limited government and individual responsibility. I long for the isolated, self-sufficient cabin in the woods as much as anybody else here. At the same time, I am uncomfortable with the idea of checking out and no longer trying to "be part of the solution" and help to push the culture in the right direction. Perhaps said cabin would be a better retreat that hermitage.

My desire is to be sufficiently prepared to take care of my family and be a positive example to my neighbors in respect to self-sufficiency. Additionally, I want to be able and willing to help others I encounter who are in need. That doesn't mean I will adopt every stray I come across, but will strive to do what I can, with what I have, so long as it does not impoverish me or put my family in jeopardy.

That being said, I have no interest being an enabler to lazy ne'er do wells. Similarly, I would be fully willing to deal ruthlessly with those that would be so bold as to think they are entitled to take what is mine or threaten my family.
 
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