How Horrific Will It Be For The Non-Prepper?

[rightwing401]

While massive preparedness for an "end of the world" event is rather stupid, it's equally stupid to assume that the world will just keep spinning as it always has. Some don't realize just how close we've come to all out nuclear war. In the 1970's we (the U.S.) almost launched a full scale first strike against the USSR due to a freaking glich in the computers that showed a massive incoming barrage was on its way. Only a few level headed personel at NORAD that waited for visual confirmation of said incoming missiles prevented us from hitting the launch buttons. Similarily, a Russian Officer, one Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov, faced a similar situation across the pond in the 80's. Thankfully, he guessed that the massive incoming missle strike was a glitch in the computers instead of hitting the launch button. Freaking scary to think how just a handful of resevered and level headed men on both sides prevented the end of the world as we know it, and potentially the extinction of the entire human race.

[Sammich]

Freaking scary to think how just a handful of resevered and level headed men on both sides prevented the end of the world as we know it, and potentially the extinction of the entire human race. What is even more terrifying is that all of the level headed personnel have been weeded out and replaced with yes men who are only concerned with their careers. Just look at what the feds are doing to whistleblowers nowdays.

[CJ Markham]

While massive preparedness for an "end of the world" event is rather stupid, it's equally stupid to assume that the world will just keep spinning as it always has. Some don't realize just how close we've come to all out nuclear war. In the 1970's we (the U.S.) almost launched a full scale first strike against the USSR due to a freaking glich in the computers that showed a massive incoming barrage was on its way. Only a few level headed personel at NORAD that waited for visual confirmation of said incoming missiles prevented us from hitting the launch buttons. Similarily, a Russian Officer, one Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov, faced a similar situation across the pond in the 80's. Thankfully, he guessed that the massive incoming missle strike was a glitch in the computers instead of hitting the launch button. Freaking scary to think how just a handful of resevered and level headed men on both sides prevented the end of the world as we know it, and potentially the extinction of the entire human race. You sound a little confused. On one hand, you're starting out by saying that "massiv preparedness for an 'end of the world' event is rather stupid'....but then you bring up these other, seemingly contradictory facts, to what? Back up that statement? Or, perhaps you're just putting those facts out there. I've heard of both scenarios, and a couple of others. And, nightmarish as they seem...they're true. They actually happened. And, we didn't know about them until (usually) long after the fact. If a computer glitch, human error, or a terrorist plot triggers an all-out nuclear holocaust, then there would be nothing I could do to stop it....back then or even now. It would all be over within thirty minutes, and we'd all be dead...and no amount of preparedness would do anything to help. Call me "stupid" if you like, but I'm not going to spend my life worrying about something like that...the same way I'm not going to worry about a rogue asteroid hitting the planet. The same way I'm not going to worry about germ warfare between the Russians and Chinese spilling over into the rest of the world. The same way I'm not going to worry about a solar flare suddenly frying everything in an EMP-like episode. Those are scenarios beyond my control. And, nothing--10K rounds of ammo for 10 AKs, a year's worth of freeze dried eggs, or a potassium iodide aenema is going to save my life in those far-out scenarios. If anything, random chance would determine who survives and who doesn't...if any survive at all.

[SymphonicX]

there is a distinct "end of the world" element to this thread....for sure...ironically American should be one of the least worried countries right now. It's the starvation and poverty that was in place LONG before this economic crisis that you should be concerned with. Gotta say though it appears America loves a good "hunker down" and shelter session every few years - if they aint got you hiding in a basement because of Anthrax (good band, if you ask me), they've got you buying useless gas masks and queuing up outside food stores in blind panic. If you're that worried about the sheer apocalyptic boogeyman - just start growing your own vegtables. Insulate your houses. Become as self sufficient now as you can whilst it's easier...that's just good life practice anyway....The whole "the end is nigh" thing has become a bit boring after SARS, Swine Flu, 2012 mayan calendars, "reckoning", Anthrax, Marilyn Manson etc...ugh. Stop panicking. It's not a good look!

[CJ Markham]

SymphonicX...you're an island of reality in an ocean of diarrhea.

[Mike70]

there is a distinct "end of the world" element to this thread....for sure...ironically American should be one of the least worried countries right now. It's the starvation and poverty that was in place LONG before this economic crisis that you should be concerned with. Gotta say though it appears America loves a good "hunker down" and shelter session every few years - if they aint got you hiding in a basement because of Anthrax (good band, if you ask me), they've got you buying useless gas masks and queuing up outside food stores in blind panic. If you're that worried about the sheer apocalyptic boogeyman - just start growing your own vegtables. Insulate your houses. Become as self sufficient now as you can whilst it's easier...that's just good life practice anyway....The whole "the end is nigh" thing has become a bit boring after SARS, Swine Flu, 2012 mayan calendars, "reckoning", Anthrax, Marilyn Manson etc...ugh. Stop panicking. It's not a good look! please do not rob me of one of the few things about america that i find really, really funny. i've never understood this paranoia that seems to bubble just under the surface in america. there is no reason for it. fear is one of the worst mindsets you can make decisions in or out of. the world is not going to "end" for a very, very long time. sure long before the sun dies the earth will no longer be habitable for humans (the sun will continue to get hotter and brighter as it ages, that's an inescapble fact) but even that is several hundred million years, if not more, in the future. i just kick up my feet and get a good laugh every few years at the expense of these folks. it's the Y2K bullshit all over again, the planetary alignment that was supposed to destroy us all again, it just makes me laugh. everyone sing along: "admire me, admire my home, admire my son, he's my clone." "this land is mine, this land is free, i'll do what i want so irresponsibly." "it's evolution, baby!"

[SymphonicX]

please do not rob me of one of the few things about america that i find really, really funny. i've never understood this paranoia that seems to bubble just under the surface in america. there is no reason for it. fear is one of the worst mindsets you can make decisions in or out of. the world is not going to "end" for a very, very long time. sure long before the sun dies the earth will no longer be habitable for humans (the sun will continue to get hotter and brighter as it ages, that's an inescapble fact) but even that is several hundred million years, if not more, in the future. i just kick up my feet and get a good laugh every few years at the expense of these folks. it's the Y2K bullshit all over again, the planetary alignment that was supposed to destroy us all again, it just makes me laugh. everyone sing along: "admire me, admire my home, admire my son, he's my clone." "this land is mine, this land is free, i'll do what i want so irresponsibly." "it's evolution, baby!" LOL I wouldn't wanna be accused of stealing America's thunder! I just realised actually, last month our gov decided to rile up the population with a fuel crisis - proclaiming to "fill up your tanks while you still can" and all this because of a strike in the industry anyway it got EVERYONE up and running around like headless wankers trying to fill up their cars before the apocalyptic 3 days of a fuel strike. The strike never went ahead, but what did happen were massive queues outside almost every petrol station in the country, with most garage forecourts selling out in a matter of hours - and even one member of the public setting themselves on fire trying to pour petrol from canister to canister (whilst in a kitchen with a running gas hob alight...I know....STUPID!!!) causing ironically, one of the worst fuel shortages we've had since the last time a government pulled that on us (New Labour in 2001 I believe). So we're susceptible to it too, and we played that one out pathetically. On a side note I never bought more petrol than I needed. I did need to drive to a garage down the road from me rather than the one near my house - but that was basically it. On an even sidier note - I blame hollywood movies for a the women burning herself with petrol. Movies have long forsaken the real flammability of petroleum - with gangsters and heroes alike all able to smoke cigarrettes over an open cannister of petrol. You also get a lot of scenes showing someone flicking a match or lighter at a pool of petrol then standing within 1 foot of it as it ignites. Personally I had never tried to ignite petrol before seeing a mate do it to a furnace full of dried leaves that he'd covered in fuel and flicked a match at....the resulting BOOM and fire shooting 6 foot out of the top was enough to teach a very young me that petrol is FAR FAR more flammable than movies popularise. Food for thought eh.

[EvilNed]

Anyone read "Last Light" by Alex Scarrow? It's a pretty scary book about how society breaks down totally when a series of terrorist attacks around the globe cripple the oil market. Essentially, over the course of a week, the first world (the book is specifically set in england) is turned into a apocalyptic nightmare where there's no government, no law and no food. I hear there's a sequel to it as well, but I haven't read it. I really would want to, tho, considering Last Light is creepy as hell...

[Mike70]

Anyone read "Last Light" by Alex Scarrow? It's a pretty scary book about how society breaks down totally when a series of terrorist attacks around the globe cripple the oil market. Essentially, over the course of a week, the first world (the book is specifically set in england) is turned into a apocalyptic nightmare where there's no government, no law and no food. I hear there's a sequel to it as well, but I haven't read it. I really would want to, tho, considering Last Light is creepy as hell... i have not read this but it is on the reading list now.

[EvilNed]

Just to stress: I'm not one of the "The End is Nigh" crowd, even though I believe that we, the western world, are currently living an unsustainable lifestyle that will eventually crash in on itself. That doesn't mean that it'll be the end. Probably more of a new beginning. A new cycle in the history of man. Just like the fall of Rome, China, Mongols, Spaniards....

[Mike70]

Just to stress: I'm not one of the "The End is Nigh" crowd, even though I believe that we, the western world, are currently living an unsustainable lifestyle that will eventually crash in on itself. That doesn't mean that it'll be the end. Probably more of a new beginning. A new cycle in the history of man. Just like the fall of Rome, China, Mongols, Spaniards.... everything lives its time and then dies. you don't have to be an end of the worlder to enjoy post-apocalyptic literature or movies. maybe through this cycle or rises and falls, we might someday get things right. we may also be doomed to repeating the same mistakes over and over (which is the warrant of "a canticle for leibowitz). that's why i think the cliche "those do don't remember history are doomed to repeat it" is a meaningless piece of garble. until there is a fundamental change in humans, we will continue to do the same damn things over and over and over. the uneducated will continue to follow the bombastic, nationlistic rants of demagogues and the few rational people will continue to either be swept away or sent to places like Kolyma, a word that makes my blood run cold. hell, even highly cultured countries with exceptional rates of education can fall prey to this sort of thing - just look at Germany in the 30's.