Yuppies are getting on the survivalist bandwagon

[BIG-TARGET NJ]

So much for getting the genepool chlorinated

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/f...1365134400&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

 

[j williams]

Stockpiling food with no way to protect it is idiotic. These yuppie pantiewaists can stockpile all the food they want, and poke fun at the idea of stockpiling ammo and weapons, but when jethro comes a knockin with his ak47, 12 mags, and is hungry, he will be fed and these jag-offs will become victims.

 

[Rupestris]

So much for getting the genepool chlorinated

I gotta disagree with the genepool comment (somewhat - but not completely). If people (regardless of economic status) are realizing that preparedness is not a joke, good for them.

To prove I'm not disagreeing with you 100%

“I’m not a gun-nut, camo-wearing skinhead. I don’t even hunt or fish,” said Bill Marcom, 53, a construction executive in Dallas.

I'm glad he's not a "skinhead" but the fact that he doesn't hunt or fish just may be his downfall. While I believe preparedness is a good thing, I, like most here, believe that if you don't practice the skills needed to survive, you simply won't.

I guess we'll see when the Have's are separated from the Have-Not's.

Chris

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Ya gotta start somewhere.
Once they begin to prepare, they can go on from there.

 

[shecky]

Why the hate?

 

[Mack]

Why is it called hate?
Can we not say that we disagree with people without "hating"?
I have no hate for these people, I disagree with 99 percent of how they conduct their lives but I don't hate.

 

[tyrantblade]

LMAO.....I can see it now,Gucci and Louie Vatton survival bags
and Ralph Lauren survival vest. ohhh wait no...Saks fifth Ave
having several aisle's devoted this years fashion in survival gear



Tyrantblade


this is great, at least their trying and maybe after the fad wears off
some will actually retain the knowledge and need to use it.

 

[Pritch]

So much for getting the genepool chlorinated

So stop standing in the shallow end and peeing! So a bunch of people that may live in a city and have different politics are finally catching on that preparedness is important and you're offended?

Why is it called hate?
Can we not say that we disagree with people without "hating"?
I have no hate for these people, I disagree with 99 percent of how they conduct their lives but I don't hate.

Apparently not. BT didn't say anything about disagreeing with the people in the article. Instead, he lamented that they might actually survive when he was hoping the globe would be cleansed of them.

In the article, I didn't appreciate the "gun nut/skinhead" comments, but I was gratified to see that people that traditionally look to government to take care of them are starting to take responsibility. As Esav pointed out, these baby steps of preparation might lead to a more complete "awakening."

There are regular participants on this forum from all walks of life. I enjoy spirited debate with people whose ideas differ from mine, but I don't appreciate pointless ad hominem attacks, especially when the attacker fail to bring anything of substance along with the mud.

</rant off>

-- FLIX

 

[CWL]

I find it greatly amusing that the OP lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, reads the "Fashion & Style" column of the New York Times and calls other people Yuppies?

 

[j williams]

I dont hate. Good for everyone to be prepared. Maybe that will insure the survival of our species. I dont lie the anti-gun, skinhead remarks in the article, and I pointed out that people need to think about protecting their stash and family from un prepared people. I get fired up easily, and if my use of the english language offends, my appologies. I meant every word I said.

 

[shecky]

Hey, if we survivalists don't want to be offended by being called gun nuts and skin heads, we should probably stop being gun nuts and skin heads.

(Spoken from shaven headed, self proclaimed gun nut.)

Seriously, it's surprising how many rough tough outdoorsy survivalists here get all pissy about some "yuppies" (the article doesn't make them sound too much like young urban professionals) squeezing in on "our" ideology. The truth is that those folks in the article probably look a lot like what we forum members see in the mirror every day. More than we may want to admit.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

I was born and raised in New York City. I lived and worked there most of my life, most recently on the Upper East Side for over twenty years.

I have never owned firearms and could count off the number of times I've fired them without using all the fingers of one hand. I am not a hunter or a fisherman. My family is mostly urban liberal, with some of the older generation classical Socialists. For three of the four generations we've been in America, most of my relatives have been "yuppies" -- including me.

I spend time outdoors, in the woods and fields and hills, not because I want the skills to survive the End Of The World As We Know It. I do it because I enjoy being in a natural environment, which is part of all of our genetic inheritance. I have whistled at birds, chattered at squirrels, whined at dogs, and purred at cats, and had them look at me in surprise that a stupid human actually took the trouble to learn a few words of their language.

I am afraid too many people here overstate their survivalist credentials to convince themselves of their invincibility or convince us of their good old boy character. I think this preening gets overdone.

This forum has many really good people, who truly enjoy and understand the wilds that still remain accessible to us. I hope we continue to stress their contributions here, and not waste time on socio-political posturing. There is an Arena elsewhere on Bladeforums for that.

 

[DarkenRahl]

<snip>

Well said. I'm pretty sure most people on this forum would disagree with me on my political beliefs/philosophy on life but the important thing is sharing what we do have in common.
Without getting to corny it's something we should do more often in every aspect of our lives. I'd much rather a mate than an enemy.

On that note some people are just dicks though.

 

[Codger_64]

I read the linked article and don't find it offensive at all. I think it is a good thing that more and more, the idea of "preparedness" is going mainstream and people who describe themselves as liberal, "greens", (or simply have no attraction to outdoor recreation) etc. are becoming aware of the fact that it makes perfect sense to accept responsibility for protecting themselves and their families from unforseen calamity by putting up a few supplies like food and such to tide them over rough times.

I can tell you from experience that the "end of the world as we know it" can be as close to home as losing your job, getting hit with devastating medical bills, your wife moving in with another man and leaving you with children to raise without helping, a direct hit from a hurricane leaving you unemployed and without transportation for weeks on end and no utilities or access to fresh food and water.

That people from all walks of life are beginning to see the benefits of doing what my grandparents did all their lives, the things that got them and their families through the Great Depression and Dust Bowl days, and my parents through the shortages and rationing of WWII is a positive. Katrina and it's aftermath did provide an eye-opening example for a lot of folks. Including my ex who termed me a "survivalist-nut" for my preparations back last century. When more people prepare to help themselves, regardless of their political outlook or religious beliefs, I see it as a win-win situation for everyone.

Codger

 

[DOC-CANADA]

What Esav, DarkenRahl, and Codger said!!! And well said at that!

Doc

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Absolutely. My next-door neighbor went all out for Y2K. Got a pistol and spent time practicing with it at the range. Stocked up on all kinds of rations and water. Read up on how to keep warm without power in the winter.

Very little of this was wasted effort or expense in any way. The food and water got rotated (used) over the next many months, and given the extended hours he normally worked, were an actual convenience.

(I gotta tell ya, though. He treated it almost like a religion, and could not stop preaching that we should all stock up. )

Some kinds of self-reliance fit in very well with a rational green lifestyle, speaking of our forebears. Growing some of your own food or preparing meals from scratch, canning fruits and vegetables, is healthier than buying commercial fat-, salt-, and sugar-impregnated canned goods or "lite" microwave dinners. And you can afford more of it, which makes it easier to put some by.

 

[RescueRiley]

we should use our own modern survival skills and come up with yuppie lines of preparedness gear..

 

[Troop]

I can see we have a lot of Democrats chiming-in on this post.

 

[kgd]

we should use our own modern survival skills and come up with yuppie lines of preparedness gear..

Hmm - how about a firesteel with a handle that matches the pretty handle of your knife

Seriously - very well said Esav and Codger. The thing about disasters is that they are usually unexpected events. You can throw in illness and medical conditions in your list as well. For example, a loved one has a stroke and you are suddenly faced with providing homecare, compromising your own job that jepardizes your economic situation, housing etc etc. This isn't as romantic as being lost in the woods or that common fantasy of having society suddenly culled and you are miraculously left alone (with three good looking ladies) in the woods.

To me a survivalist has the maturity and confidence to take stock of their situation, be able to adapt to it with clear goals and be able to make the right sets of compromises to accomplish those goals. This requires a mind that is adaptable to circumstances and an openness to learning new skills throughout one's life. I think this is more important than learning a prescripted list of skillsets or banking on something like having firearms to get you through the day (oops my leftist/socialism side is creeping out here....).

 

[Smash05]

Lets see, I am liberal on most issues, young (28), I have a Juris Doctor and am admitted to practice law. I live in an urban environment. I like the outdoors, and I own 7 guns. Where do I fit in to your classification? I fit the mold of Yuppie to a lot of people, then again my most liberal friends don't know what to make of my owning firearms. My answer is simple, I am an individual, I have reasoned opinions on many things. I am highly educated. This puts me in what category? The more people learn to be prepared the better off they will be. Educated, prepared, and secure people are not only in a position to help themselves, but they are the best prepared to help others. Tell me why again we don't want "them" around?