Do you fear who you are capable of becoming if the SHTF?

Interesting post for sure. Sounds like the "old-west" is making a come back as far as peoples perceptions goes.

I'm with GoalPoster though. I'm a very humble and unassuming guy. I get on fine with almost everyone my path crosses. However, if this great calamity that everyone is foretelling (whatever it may be) truly comes to fruition and our "normal" way of life ceases to exist, yeah, I know what I'm capable of. I will certainly extend a hand to a fellow human being in need, providing I can help without putting my family at risk. I will rise to the occasion and attempt to be an even better man than I am today. Yes, communities CAN and often do amazing things when people come together.

Keep this in mind though, I will in no way seek out the harming of another human being, but make no mistake, you put me or my families well being in jeopardy, and I will do what it takes to protect us by any means necessary.

I guess I would say I am afraid of not becoming the person I am capable of if SHTF. You see OP, you said that you wanted to believe that you could be and do all those things, what I fear is not becoming the courageous helper and protector of myself and others. It is not that I am weak, it is that I cannot predict those kind of situations. Many say they would or wouldn't take a bullet for another person, but until it actually happens, no one knows what someone is capable of. It will come down to the selfish or selfless in the end.

reply to post by azurecara


One of the later tribal dominated societies was the one experienced here in the United States in the nineteenth century.

For example though these tribes were large and "controlled" vast territories, the Sioux fought the Ute, who fought and raided the Crow, who fought and raided the Paiute, who fought the Apache, who fought the Comanche, on and on.

It's an evolutionary process, and early on, some smaller tribes were wiped out. Not that they weren't nice, caring folks, but because stronger predatory tribes were raiding. For what? Territory, security, and women.

If the SHTF, it's going to be a mess. Prudence, preparation, and predatory instincts will go a long way.

This whole scenario is very depressing...I know that right now I would whole heartedly want to help others, but in an apocalyptic type of situation I don't know how I would react. It is a very scary thought. I hope that none of us have to know how to react.

reply to post by trthskr


AMEN, my friend. May we never know!

Well considering the fact that I have been preparing for this crap for about 7 months I won't have to kill someone to feed my children. I will share what I can but that will not last long because food will not last long if the SHTF literally. Now I would not hesitate to blow some scum bag away to protect my child because as far as I am concerned thats #1 priority. I will give what I can but just face it they should have prepared too and this just didn't happen over night no matter what the sheeple think. I plan to beet it too the hills if violence escalates and i'll just go out to the country and plant my own food. We have been a selfish spoiled culture for way to long and karma is going to pay us back big time. I plan on getting active in my local church and helping others to plant but I will not give food to people that won't even take the initiative to feed themselves or support their family. I would think that I have enough arms to make a positive impact on so called looters and to be honest the bullet is the last means of saying NO. I am glad I don't live around some of You people because killing people to take their food will put you at the end of my sites and probably end with you being dead. I will not have no remorse what so ever its just the cold hard facts because You should have been responsible and prepared for what is coming.

Oh if You consider me heartless just let me educate You. Anyone can prepare and I mean anyone. It doesn't take alot to prepare for the SHTF scenario just 180 bucks worth of wheat will feed one adult for a year. So do the math because You could have fed Your whole family on what You wasted on a damn ipod. So tell Your family if they will listen because You don't have to be a victim of some mad banker scheme. Oh another thing dry goods will last a real long time possibly 10 years so there is no excuse.

reply to post by spy66


Good Question....very good question. As I see it people are all for fighting for these things, as long as they are not directly involved in the fighting.

Yes I have thought about it. Just ask your self what you would do when your child or grandchild says "it hurts, I'm hungry"? The problems is not what you will do, its can you live with yourself once you do it.

I can altready tell you that I'd protect and provide for my family and maybe a couple of our closest friends. I already know where I'd go. It's easy to protect, has a huge amount of crystal clear running water from underground mountain springs. I already have enough gear to fully outfit my group with everything we need. If anyone should have the misfortune of venturing into my area, then it's truely nothing personal but you'd be our next meal. I make no apologies for that fact. It's just survival baby, just survival.

reply to post by Trayen11


I feel like we have a disconnect between our conversation and the OP's question.

Question was "what are you capeable of" i think you are worried about what i would do. Not trying to speak for you, but big difference. If the SHTF i and i know my neighbors weve had many a beer together, would rally up. Actually i my family, close friends and neighbors would go to my lake house with our supplies and help one another.

What i would do, and what i am capeable of (hopefully before i'm branded) are 2 seperate things.

I fear who/what I am capable of becoming/being everyday and have for years.... regardless of a SHTF scenario.

I feel very fortunate to have developed enough discipline
to hopefully prevent such a beast from ever being unleashed.

But it's there if I ever have need to call upon it.
Just waiting....

Originally posted by Shystargazer
I want to believe that I would help as many people as I can.
I want to believe that there will still be good in everybody.
I want to believe that I will still be treated fairly by other people.
I want to believe that no one would want to harm me.
I want to believe that I would never have to use the gun I bought for protection.

But what I fear most is what I may be capable of becoming if I had to to survive. Have you honestly thought what you would be capable of doing to survive?

This is the greatest thread ever!!!

Yes, I do fear what I could become if I had to try to survive... but not for my own selfish reasons. I would have no problem suffering and dying if I was all alone... no family, no friends, nobody close to me.

That's te problem I have. My Kids. My Wife. My Family. All of whom live very close to me, and I'm sure we will all be together if the S does hit the fan.

There is another possiblity we could be faced with if times get a little bit to harsh...



[edit on 18-11-2008 by Doomsday 2029]

reply to post by slimpickens93


It's amazing when you have kids how it comes out. I never thought of what i was capable of until the day came i held my 2 YO daughter in my arms (my first child) as she turned blue, went limp and the eyes rolled back in her head.I realized at that moment (at the before mentioned lake house) i was 30 minutes from medical help.I have always been calm,cool, and collected, but i was anything but at that moment. Capable of anything to help her!

She ended up OK btw.

I believe that I am prepared for the worst case scenario and I credit my ten years of military training and my deployments to Afghanistan for me to be able to say that. Before I found ATS I can say that I was a bit blinded by many issues that are hampering our society today but learning how other members feel and what they truly believe has awakened me so thanks ATS, However there are somethings here I still cannot believe and are just too fantastic to ever believe.

I used to listen to my neighbor talk and I would pay close attention to him, His name is Bryan and he was a Navy Special Operator who is responsible for pushing me to my limits physically and mentally and helping me realize my military goals, Bryan and I are close and we talk and speculate and he believes like most of you do about that if TSHTF are we prepared and he is well prepared but he goes a step further by saying that he thinks the military may turn on the people, not the whole military but small factions ran by renegade officers. I used to kind of smile and blow it off but the way things have been going have made me alter my thinking a little. I have the utmost for him and I have been getting my plan in order. Since we are neighbors we have decided that we will link up and head to our predetermined location that we agreed upon, We both still have friends that are willing to eventually meet up with us but will be difficult due to them being scattered all over and establish a sort of base of operations, The only thing I am concerned with is making sure my loved ones are safe and equipped. I truly wish that this never comes to fruition because its actually scares me to even think about it so the only advice I can give is to stock up and create a working plan with your family and pray for peace and prosperity but prepare for the a giant poop sandwich.. Thanks you for letting me share...Star and flag for the OP

reply to post by jkm1864


You are right about being prepared. But what about the people that refuse to see the danger coming?

I started preparing several months ago. I stocked up on a lot of provisions for myself. I am a widow...almost 60. A few months ago I lost my job and needed knee surgery. To help make ends stretch a bit I rented a room to a co-worker of mine. He has started acting like my food provisions are his own personal store and wants to use everything I have.

People just won't take life seriously.

And YES...I've told him to move out!!

Originally posted by Shystargazer
I want to believe that I would help as many people as I can.
I want to believe that there will still be good in everybody.
I want to believe that I will still be treated fairly by other people.
I want to believe that no one would want to harm me.
I want to believe that I would never have to use the gun I bought for protection.

But what I fear most is what I may be capable of becoming if I had to to survive. Have you honestly thought what you would be capable of doing to survive?

What you are saying is what is expected in the civilized world. If SHTF, it's the return to the "jungle". I hate to say it but, it's survival of the fittest. Animals don't kill each other for pleasure. They do it for territory or to avoid death from hunger. That is the situation in which they are.

A business tries to eradicate competition because it's survival. Once again, everything hinges on the situation you face at any given moment. Like you, I expect the best but prepare for the worst.

However, we all know better:

In 3 days, people will steal for food.
In 1 week, they will kill for food.

None of the above present a civilized response to the situation at hand.

It all boils down to one thing: You have to take care of yourself first before you can take care of others. And with yourself I mean, your family.

[edit on 11/18/2008 by manticore]

reply to post by Doomsday 2029


This is exactly what i thought of, Great reply.


To me it's easy to judge when all you have to worry about is yourself, but when others depend and look to you sometimes you have to make unpopular decisions.

I would become what I once was and would welcome it just as I would welcome sending that part of me back into retirement, when the crisis was over.

I don't fear it any more then I fear going to work or breathing. others should not fear it either. It is what we are designed for.