One nice aspect to being single is there's only one person to talk into or convince of anything. Knowing Myself as well as I do, it's really easy for Me to talk Myself into some kind of mischief (Myself is a pushover).
But when it comes to talking another into something, I'm pretty convinced that the person being persuaded has to be 'in the mood' to being receptive to the project or idea.
Which is the dilemma many preppers face: convincing Better Half of the need for particular items of interest and need. As Publius commented, "Got any ideas on how to convince Dearly Beloved of the need for preps?"
No. Sorry. Zip. None. Nada.
But I do have a story about how an acquaintance got his Better Half fully on board until she became the Prepper and he sat back and watched. Consider this...
...around the early 70's I was stationed in a Nameless Place to learn some military things. Being there quite a while, I made friends and learned to influence people. One of them was 'Bill'. ("Hi, my name is 'Bill' and I'm a closet Prepper.")
Bill was a Prepper First Class. Ex-military, Viet vet, and a jack of all trades. He'd returned from Nam and decided he wasn't going to be caught up in the nine-to-five of the rest of the world and went about making a decent living doing whatever came to mind. Scrounging was his specialty and he could find anything, could talk a snake out of its fangs.
Except for the Missus.
At the time, they had been married only a short while- less than a couple years- and with her career as a police officer ahead, she wasn't about to put on a tin foil hat and espouse tales of doom and gloom for this country. (Jimmy Cahtah hadn't been elected yet.) Needless to say, Bill was in a quandary.
True to his Prepper code, however, he wasn't deterred. One way or another he was going to get Sally on board.
Surrounding a campfire one night, consoled by a bunch of us beer swilling military types, he brought us into his nightmare. Brainstorming ensued and the plan was...
...0300 and the tires made a helluva racket in the driveway as Bill screeched to a halt, slammed open the door and ran into the house screaming, "Sally- get up! We gotta run!"
Of course, awakened from a deep sleep, Sally was kind of confused as she watched her husband load guns and packs on the living room floor, telling her to get busy.
About five minutes later, several (half drunk) buddies race into the drive, honking horns and shouting, "It's happening!"
Of course, we helped Bill and Sally load their BOBs into Bill's truck, offering advice and encouragement, totally ignoring Sally's questions.
It didn't hurt that Sally knew some of us, that we weren't nuts and one even had a really serious position in the military establishment.
It didn't hurt that Sally knew some of us, that we weren't nuts and one even had a really serious position in the military establishment.
Less than 15 minutes and Bill and Sally were racing off to Bill's hideout, Sally still confused but obedient. On the way he explained what had happened: Israel had been attacked and the U.S. was under red alert as well, Russian subs spotted off the coast (which wasn't that far away) and people were being warned to prepare for missile attacks.
(If Sally had been smart enough to turn on the radio or call her department, the gig would have been over. But that's another story.)
We saw Bill a few days later and he was grinning ear to ear: Sally had really been pist when he told her the truth, but had listened as he explained the current events and how easily this country could be in turmoil even by something as far away as Israel and Egypt. By the time he was finished, she was fully convinced he was right and willing to help any way she could.
Now, I'm not going to say Bill's technique was proper or right, but it was effective. And IMO, it's up to we who are paying attention to world and local events to show the non-believer how it all fits together. Such as how the markets have been dropping- no one can miss these events without hiding from the truth- and how our 401Ks and other retirement plans or being wiped away. Of how leaders of other countries are implying the 'only way to solve the dilemma is a world bank and one-world leadership'. Even the MSM is coming out with news about possible civil unrest due to the scarcity of jobs, medical assistance, lay-offs, decreasing food supplies, hoarding, increased gang activities, border troubles with Mexico- the pending war within that country and its law-v-drug cartels, how this is heading north of the border. There's enough danger going on that the denial response has to be exposed for what it is and acceptance of responsibilities follows. Hopefully, anyway.
Another opportunity may be to drag them to the screen and force feed them wisdom from others of their gender on reasons for being ready. After all, setting aside for a rainy day is a normal American reaction.
We just have to convince them of that.
One serious comment: Millennium Ark: Hot News
God bless, prep on.
Shy
Nice post... I don't think that middle of the night technique would go over well here. Have a 2 year old! But it's a great story.
ReplyDeleteThings seem to be happening fast, but we don't know where they're going.
Now you're going to tell us you didn't have a single thing to with coming up with that idea, right Shy. You were proably the ring leader. Seriously, it is a good story and goes to show once again, where there's a will a way will be found. Good job my friend.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this one Shy....awesome post!
ReplyDeleteWell, my wife pulled the crying thing last night. She said that I should be on some kind of anti-depressant medication because of my desire to prepare, and my view of where this nation, economy, and planet are headed.
ReplyDeleteShe also said that I'm going through a mid-life crisis... and want to feel important.
Gotta come up with a way to cope with this denial. I plan to be more cheerful and "normal."
I'm just going to prep and shut the hell up about it.
Publis - I am sorry that you cannot just be yourself, but I understand. Wish I could help...
ReplyDeleteShy - great story - loved it! Blessed to have a husband and kids on same page!
Thanks you guys!
Ernie
I think some people, women in particular, don't like to focus on the "doom and gloom" aspect. Women have a natural tendency to want to be protected, and might not necessarily deal well with the messy details of the big, bad world out there (try as they may to denounce their true nature). They find it overwhelming and depressing to think about. I (being a woman myself) feel this way sometimes...but I still prepare.
ReplyDeleteIt might help to back off the doom and gloom political stuff, and focus on something that is more up a woman's alley...like making sure there's enough food for the kids in case of a more run of the mill emergency scenario, like a really bad ice storm that knocks out power, or a situation where your income dried up due to layoffs, injury or illness. Save your rants about the NWO for your buddies (at least til she's ready for them) and keep it low key with her. Start slow with a food pantry (real food, rotated regularly), then work up to oil lamps, etc. Who can argue with the need for two weeks of food and water, flashlights, and batteries, right? I'm not saying that you need to actually prep that slowly, but just keep your explanations simple. "Honey, a year's worth of food sounds like a lot, but it will get used if we rotate it regularly, and it would come in handy if we lost our income for a long time, or if food prices go way up."
Just my opinion.
Oh, and even after you've gotten her to gradually accept the more harsh emergency possibilities, be aware of how she is feeling when you discuss such things. If you're talking about it too long or too often, she may start feeling overwhelmed or depressed...in which case you need to back off and change the subject. Otherwise, she may rebel against the whole thing, just to save her peace of mind.
ReplyDelete