An event at my grocery store.

reply to post by mellisamouse


I live in Oz. We don't have much of a problem here, in most places you go - outside of our big cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane - people are willing to help people.

It has been noted in experiments with various animals that they all behave the same when overcrowding occurs (like in the world's large cities), fighting and competing for scraps. Maybe this accounts for the variables in this thread. Some of you state people wanting to fight each other, others saying people banding together to help each other. I really do live in a lucky country (and I stay out of the big cities as much as I can)

Just as an aside, did you know that if the world financial system suffered a computer breakdown for just three days it would probably not recover? Interesting thought eh?

Originally posted by weedwhacker
reply to post by TeddiRevolution

 

Reminds me of an original Twilight Zone episode ( Season One, #22 ) "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street".

Rod Serling, writer, creator of the show, was extremely plugged in to the psychology of his fellow Man.

I was thinking of the exact same original Twilight Zone episode WeedWhacker and also "The Shelter" which was Season 3 episode 3 came to mind... Do do do do

www.imdb.com...



[edit on 11-8-2009 by Epsillion70]

[edit on 11-8-2009 by Epsillion70]

Originally posted by exile1981

Originally posted by badgerprints

Always have a C note tucked in the back of a purse or wallet.

I prefer 5 $20's as so many places have signs saying they don't take $100's anymore.

I just got a bag of nonnumismatic, not good enough to collect, silver dimes. If the shtf, people will take silver as payment, even if dollars are only good for tp. But the wad of even ones or fives, is good if a street thug holds you up. Pull the wad out of paper out and throw it in the air, and run. He'll be too busy trying to get it to mess with you any more. Or find the REAL stash!

I am not at all surprised by this incident. I have witnessed on several occasions, people swearing in front of small children, pushing their carts into people, yelling, etc.. just because the cashier is elderly and scans/bags things a bit slower. When a snow storm hits where I live, people leave work happy, but if the mall closes as well, people go crazy! I often wished I could video their reactions and press replay so that they could see themselves with different perspective.

reply to post by TeddiRevolution


S&F OP!

People around here (ATS) talk of the horrors of the Greys, NWO, Illuminati, etc. but your story was really scary.

People seem to have some deep-seeded need to invent a bogeyman to fear, but as your story highlights man is his own worst enemy.

Your scenario may make a good short story; would you mind if I used it?

reply to post by TeddiRevolution


This happend to my local bank. When they lost power from a storm. They didn't open until a week. The only way to get your money was to go to the main headquarters. When people heard that a few people were like ok because it was close to where they live. It was in my area. But for others it was a far distance and they really ed created a fuss. Some told the bank clerks they wanted to see their manager. They told him a mouthful. Lots of people were upset on why it's taking this long to get money. One lady had to cash a check for her son because her son builds computers and sells them on craglst. So she had to go to the main headquarters.I went to the main and saw that lady their and she got even more upest when they found out the lady that bought the pc gave them a fake cashiers check. They already shipped the pc to the lady. She started to blame the bank that they must not be doing something right.

This was after the storm where many areas was out of power and it was really humid out and was 95 degrees. Very hot and humid. You get that and problems with the bank. It creates a mess.

So your experience at the store isn't surprising to me. I could imagine how it would be if the U.S dollar goes broke. Their will be lots of finger pointing. Forget the laws and rules. I am sure many will look for the gov officials that got us in that mess and do something unlawful to them. I mean it will become a battle grounds for criminals.

Just saying no one would know what to do and would be scared at what might happen. This will create a panic and cause people to do thinks they wouldn't normally do.

People started pointing fingers at the cashiers, THEY must have done something. When the manager tried to explain it was not the cashier's doing, the company was to blame for making such a flawed system. Soon enough, with no knowledge of how the system actually worked, people began blaming others for buying too many groceries in the first place. In the span of a few minutes, perfectly calm, content people turned on those around them and eventually each other because food and money weren't immediately available to them

I have been there, I have been the cashier...it isn't pretty anf]d most of the time they don't realize(the customers) that if not for all the ruckus they cause that things could be handled faster, because instead of management trying to calm them, they could be on the phone with the credit machine company(yes ever place that has these machines have someone who put them there and fixes the problems when they arise) And have them fixing the problem. People are just so impatient. I think your advice is wise when tshtf I won't be going anyplace public!!!! S&F.

The OP reminded me of something that happened to me years ago - The "Blizzard of 78". It was New England in February of 1978, 39 inches of snow. There were snow drifts over 6 feet high in places.

I got stuck on the highway on my way home from work, as did thousands of other people. The snow was coming down heavy and fast. I managed to keep re-starting my car just enough to pull over into the breakdown lane and went to get a blanket I had in the trunk, fully expecting to be forced to spend the night stranded. A guy in a pickup truck stopped and asked if I needed help. I told him I was stuck and he asked me where I lived. I told him, and he happened to live in the same city and offered me a ride.

For the next two weeks cars were banned from the roads, so everyone had to walk everywhere. Store deliveries were almost impossible, and I think only took place once during that time. Shelves were emptying fast, and I remember that milk and bread were the first things to run out.

During this whole time, I was in shock at how friendly people were! Strangers would greet each other on the streets walking by. Sometimes they would even walk and talk with each other, if you can even imagine that! People in line at the store were all conversing. No one fought over resources, and people checked on their elderly neighbors daily to make sure they were OK and see if they needed anything.

Obviously, my experience was totally different than the OP's, and this was over a period of 2 weeks! However, back then everyone carried cash, and we did have electricity most of the time in our homes. And this was no small town where you might expect this kind of behaviour. Still, that "disaster" is one of the best memories of my life.

I wonder if things have really changed that much in 30 years. If so I have absolutely no hope for the future.

Does this remind anyone else of Stephen King's "The Mist" ?

reply to post by Violet Sky
Further more, concerning the computer reliance; if the computers go out, say from a terrorist NEMP blast mid America, the gasoline deliveries are all computerized, the farm equipment and maintenance is all computerized, the manufacturing, and even the ordering from overseas, is all reliant on computers. So if they are fried by the NEMP, it will be months before any semblance of order is restored. And the automobiles would be 'broken', so you couldn't get anywhere to work, or even buy food, just supposing you could find any. And get this, these terrorists are attempting to do just this. But it is easier and cheaper to go after international ocean shipping. Piracy. I tire of this whole business. I'm attempting to stock up on some basics, enough to be able to help others, and barter. May never happen, but better safe than....



[edit on 12-8-2009 by Gregarious]

reply to post by TeddiRevolution


THANKS.

STAR, FLAG AND DIGG-IT for you.

Folks need to wake-up.

The ones who are the most blind . . . will likely be the most angry.

Those with some willfulblindness . . . largely living in denial but with some awareness will also be quite angry.

imho, one needs to KNOW who amongst their relatives, friends and NEIGHBORS they can trust and how far.

Certainly folks need to be prayerfully ready to the max.

reply to post by TeddiRevolution


Is anyone else reminded of the movie "The Fog" by this story? Its the almost exact same setting! But is is true...lock 3 or more humans in an empty room, and they start choosing sides and plotting ways to kill each other. Humans are quite literally sociologically insane. S&F from me!

The closed eye human mind is very small, and the voluntarily blinded will react violently when unwanted changed is "forced" upon them. Whether needed or not. It is increasingly frustrating seeing people who are nothing more than consumerist crap factories simply because they would rather run after their short term material desires instead of taking the harder route to something much more fulfilling. It's like trying to sustain yourself on fruit rollups and cheetos.

How did we ever get ourselves in such a mess? We can't do anything without the computer now adays. This is a small example at what would happen if it were suddenly lost.

Theres a wise saying that sums this up nicely: "People are stupid!"

so, honest question here..


if TSHTF for real, do you honestly think most people are going to give a damn about silver or gold over cash? I think they're going to go lower to base essentials and survival. "hey, nice shoes".

thoughts?

I have worked in retail on and off again for the last 4 years, and I can say without a doubt that this kind of thing happens way more often then people would like to admit. Sure, it's often on a smaller scale, usually only involving maybe a handful of people, but the reactions are always the same. We live in a country of entitlement, where most believe that everything should go their way no matter what, and when it doesnt, they completely lose it.

I had an incident similar to this yesterday. I work in the photo department of a CVS and our photo developer was down, meaning that any orders we received would not be ready in an hour and I was frank in telling people they would most likely not be ready until the next day. Some people were very understanding, joking about technology and how it's supposed to make our lives easier. But a number of individuals were first stunned, then angry, demanding I somehow get their pictures printed anyways. They would ask me the same questions again and again "Did you call a tech?" "Did you try and fix it?" "Cant you just print them out another way?". And there would be this venom in their voice directed at me, as if I had purposely done this to inconvenience them. I would often have to call my manager to deal with them since they were monopolizing my time and preventing from helping other customers.

So I guess my two cents here isnt so much about our culture at large as it is a plea to everyone out there who doesnt work retail but deals with those employed by it. Look, we're not perfect, we have bad days, we dont always do the most amazing job ever, but please, if you could start showing us even a modicum of respect and understanding, it may make our jobs that much easier and we'd be more inclined to help you out and go out of our way to do a great job. Cause let me tell ya, the pay certainty isnt a good motivator.

It just shows how quickly and easily people will take the chip in order to buy food, just what the powers to be want.

It seems like everyone has a little madness about them but what makes us different to the common masses? iv been in situation where everyone seems to be losing their head but i keep it cool. why are we a rarer breed?

reply to post by Maslo


are we stupid though... or have we just learned how to be and live in a certain way. we dont know any different. so when there is major change or panic.. fear of the unknown creates hysteria and insanity..

it is sad though