Interesting musings here. One of the benefits of my not giving a rat’s ass what other people think is that I’m quite satisfied to live in a modest home, drive older vehicles, and keep any “improvements” to myself — rather than living in one of the many available nearby McMansions (or actual nearby mansions). I much prefer a low-profile “Q-ship” secured home, even one bordering a less-desirable neighborhood, than a showcase gated-community home I can’t afford to fortify/secure. One’s a refuge; the other’s a target.
A casual dinner visit with some close friends was my point of awakening to how ugly everything will be. We were having beers and discussing how we keep getting warning article after warning article but nothing ever happens. Something commonly discussed here. We are tired of the warnings; we are tired of prepping for something that will never come; we are starting to not believe that there will be a collapse. At this point the brother of my friends comes in. He had been a former employee of mine during a construction project five years ago. During that there had been a conflict whereas he thought he was owed more for his efforts than we had paid him (bonus pay). Over the years it had seemed this rift had healed. He joined the conversation and then boldly stated, “if there is a day like you guys describe then I’ll just hit the road and take whatever the f*** I want. I’ll finally get to get back all that the rich f***s like you have taken from me! F*** you rich bastards! You guys have only gotten ahead because of the sweat from people like me! The day you describe when payback will finally be here!â€
We just sat there stunned! I had never considered myself rich. I had started my business with maxing out one credit card, buying used salvage equip and rehabbing it, and sold off all my furniture to buy opening inventory. I worked over 80 hours a week for the first several years while working another full time job. For all of the risk, hard work, and sacrifice for 10 years we make a nice comfortable living; my friends I was visiting had worked equally hard towards becoming a professor. All this time my friends brother was partying, in and out of jail, playing, playing, playing but now as he has nothing and we are comfortable there is an incredible anger and rage within him! Behold the birth of a MZB!
Think Zimbabwe.
I’m trying not to. When’s the next ride to Mars?
This is one of the reasons I took the CERT training, and why I actively encourage my neighbors to do it. The good news is, the CERT training is offered every 8 weeks, and the class is 24 students, and the waiting list is over a year long. Every prepared person is one more that is an asset and not a liability.