3 ms·

It's interesting to observe the different perspectives of different national backgrounds. Here in Sweden a lot of the preparation that has become much more comm

It's interesting to observe the different perspectives of different national backgrounds. Here in Sweden a lot of the preparation that has become much more common is about social cohesion and working together (see https://www.dw.com/en/swedish-preppers-a-nation-rehearsing-disaster/a-62483147 https://www.dw.com/en/swedish-preppers-a-nation-rehearsing-d...). In contrast a lot of US prepping seems to be about protecting yourself from your neighbors, because they are after you (you express a similar sentiment so I assume you are a US American). This was also discussed in a recent post about an article in the guardian (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32711413 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32711413).

Test0129 4y ago
I don't think the perspective is uniquely American though you correctly identified my nationality. Protecting yourself from your neighbor is to protect yourself from human nature. It's not to say so much that you should hate your neighbor, but you also shouldn't be overly forthcoming with information, nor should you be expecting help when they themselves are in a worse situation. Consider even in Sweden if your neighbor has children and a wife, they are starving, and they know you have food there's no amount of focus on social cohesion that will stop him from bashing your head with a rock for your can of beans. Social cohesion is higher on the hierarchy of needs than food and water. Humans are still animals and higher order thinking is a privilege of the well nourished. Surely, social cohesion is important. That's why I suggested having a "team". It's often better to cooperate than not. But as the civil wars in Eastern Europe over the last 50 years have shown us none of this matters once food supplies dwindle.
- oneoff786 4y ago
  > Consider even in Sweden if your neighbor has children and a wife, they are starving, and they know you have food there's no amount of focus on social cohesion that will stop him from bashing your head with a rock for your can of beans. Your sense of social cohesion is so poor that you’ve decided the only logical path is to murder your neighbor and steal his food rather than ask to share it.

Test0129 4y ago

I don't think the perspective is uniquely American though you correctly identified my nationality. Protecting yourself from your neighbor is to protect yourself from human nature. It's not to say so much that you should hate your neighbor, but you also shouldn't be overly forthcoming with information, nor should you be expecting help when they themselves are in a worse situation. Consider even in Sweden if your neighbor has children and a wife, they are starving, and they know you have food there's no amount of focus on social cohesion that will stop him from bashing your head with a rock for your can of beans. Social cohesion is higher on the hierarchy of needs than food and water. Humans are still animals and higher order thinking is a privilege of the well nourished. Surely, social cohesion is important. That's why I suggested having a "team". It's often better to cooperate than not. But as the civil wars in Eastern Europe over the last 50 years have shown us none of this matters once food supplies dwindle.

oneoff786 4y ago
> Consider even in Sweden if your neighbor has children and a wife, they are starving, and they know you have food there's no amount of focus on social cohesion that will stop him from bashing your head with a rock for your can of beans. Your sense of social cohesion is so poor that you’ve decided the only logical path is to murder your neighbor and steal his food rather than ask to share it.