How are my fellow Americans preparing for the upcoming apocalypse?

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I've got quite a lot of rice and beans saved up, and some canned goods and I'm a mechanic by trade, 2nd least likely to die in an Apocalypse scenario, 1st being Doctors, of course.

I'm rural and have running water just a short walk from the property if the well stops pumping and I've got an old revolver with a few rounds in case I feel like checking-out early.

You guys?

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I am screaming into a pillow at the image of Americans prepping for the apocalypse while doing zero things to avoid it.

Look, I've said this a bunch of times around here this week and it seems like I'm trolling, but I'm not. I've been spooked for years at finding out that my US friends were absolutely unwilling to engage in any political action but were also consistently sure that a violent revolution or uprising was both inevitable and imminent. The idea that this is a widespread societal thing and that not only has it not been altered by another wave of trumpism but has in fact been reinforced is absolutely wild.

I don't know who convinced Americans that they are simultaneously the sole main characters of life but also absolutely absent of any agency or responsibility over what happens, but holy crap, they did an amazing job.

I am screaming into a pillow at the image of Americans prepping for the apocalypse while doing zero things to avoid it.

amen

Extremely well put. The individualism really is weird and terrible. The main character syndrome is part of what takes away the agency, I think... Like, we need to hear *The Call To Adventure*. We need *The Plot* to show up at our fucking house. We need to be *The Person* that *Does The Thing* in the *Room Where It Happens*. The Founding Father. It's all or nothing. Either the thing we personally do somehow fixes the country, or we don't do it at all.

Maybe we imagine that we can be the hero and shoot the bad guy and save the day. But we can't imagine, like, *Fixing Things*. Deciding what the future holds. What would that even look like? Boldly waving a parchment in the air? When would everybody cheer for me in particular?

No, it doesn't look like an individual. It looks like a crowd. It looks like people, outside, *angry.* I hope enough people see that in time.

Cheers to Good Trouble.

The Conservative Propaganda Machine.

living outside the country good buddy

That's not really an option for me. I have torn feelings with my family. My cousins are all my age and like brothers to me, but were taken in by the Trump bullshit like everyone else around me.

Die or lose my family and eventually die? I dunno, man. I might toss a quarter over it.

If they’re all still Trumpers you’ve already lost them, you just haven’t realized it yet.

You can rebuild elsewhere. It's not easy, but you can build community in another country, if you're willing to integrate in the host culture.

seems the one way that can move easiest, that are not rich. are professors, and scientist, not so much for the BS, and MS holders. because many european and western countries have a shortage of scientists.

Of your looking for jobs for BS in a peer review magazine, you’re doing it wrong.

sorry to hear that.

you certainly don't have to travel if you dont want to, I just like people being aware of the option, but I'm not following one thing:

How does disagreeing with and being alienated from your family make traveling less of an option for you?

Eating cheetos playing video games and masturbating

I have a sneaking suspicion you are leaving out the consumption of copious amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol

Yellow powder, everywhere....

I made several large purchases right after the election knowing that tariffs were on the way (new brakes for my car, new PC, new AC units for 2 rooms in the house). I stocked up on pandemic supplies (masks, toilet paper, cleaning products). I stocked up on bread and AP flour (I'm always baking something anyway, so this isn't anything out of the ordinary) and froze it. Stocked up on shelf-stable foods for me and my partner, and cat food/litter for our cats (many pet food items are imported to the US). We have a generator and water treatment kits that we can use with the running water on our property. I did all of this slowly, from November up until now. I am not one of those crazy selfish people that goes into COSTCO and buys the entire shelf of toilet paper for myself.

I've had a "go bag" for at least 10 years, so that's always been ready. My partner and I have written up several "what if" scenarios and how we would respond to them (flee the state, or flee the country, what are we bringing with us, etc). We both have current passports. I'm taking a firearms course next month so that I can legally own a gun.

Some people might think all of this is overkill or that we're being paranoid, but we really don't give a shit. If it comes down to it, we can literally walk away from this house or lock it down and defend it depending on the situation, and if that makes me sleep better at night, I don't care what anyone thinks.

Gonna lay down and die.

Brother I've been doing it for years. It takes forever.

apocalypse has happened before it's bound to happen again, no preparation will help

just ask any Native American

Not preparing at all, just living my life like normal. When things get really bad here I'll sell my car and move to Europe with my girlfriend (I have dual citizenship and can sponsor her).

How many planes will fly to Europe when things get really bad, to bring home everybody with dual citizenship and their loved ones?

People should leave through Mexico or Canada depending on which is closest and fly to Europe from there. Not just in an emergency or if you’re afraid of getting your passport taken. I don’t trust American airspace at all anymore just because of how many air traffic controllers have been fired.

Good question, but we pay close attention to the news and hopefully we'll get out before that's a problem. If we're unable to leave the country then I guess I'd contact the Swedish embassy to see if they can help.

I got out permanently. You should too if you have the chance. Other countries don’t wrench your guts every time you see the news.

All of you idiots who haven’t started their EU paperwork. Start it tomorrow, or don’t at all.

Most people can't afford to. Myself included.

Welder/machinist > mechanic

I shall remember your valiant efforts to survive the purge and curse your kind for losing every last 10mm socket.

I'm stockpiling 10mm sockets. I shall rule in the wastelands.

Im watching humanity going full moron, forgetting all the lessons from the world wars. For the people who died in them, must feel like a complete waste.

Prepping certainly is a fun and worthwhile exercise if you prep for things that will most likely happen. As someone who likes making lists and thinking through things this is a fun question.

For food I have a box in my pantry with canned beans, fruit, vegetables, salt, pepper, and rice. I also learned recently it’s best to keep a couple bags of cat food just in case!

Your point on water is good. I honestly don’t know what I would do since I rely on the city.

I also don’t know what I would do for my child’s milk but they could eat see same food as us.

My work in academia would be instantly worthless if the country fails. It is still worthwhile to me though. I’ve considered printing out my notes and papers. You have made me think I should do it this month.

Edit:

For more end of the country preparedness I do have tools to defend my family. I have our documents printed out and in a fireproof container. I also keep maps of the nearby states in my car.

for things that will most likely happen.

When I took the First-aid/CPR course, the red cross trainer spent like 30 minutes doing a list of what can realistically happen where we are. An interesting exercise.

Full blown apocalypse is unlikely, but doing stuff like *checking the flood-risk map* before renting/buying a home (Especially ground floor apartment and single-floor house) does wonder at not having to evacuate. Knowing the kind of dangerous factory/goods in your area also helps a lot planning for the right thing.

How was that course? That sounds great.

Those are all good tips. How do you figure out the dangerous stuff though?

I honestly don’t know what I would do since I rely on the city.

You need some bottles of water.

Something to consider: How do you cook your rice without electricity?

You've heard of fire, right?

How long does bottled water last? Can I do it myself and just rotate it once a week or so?

Good point. I have no method other than fire. I am good at cooking it without a rice cooker. Thanks for the suggestion! That is our main source of carbs.

Bottled water doesn't go bad, but the bottles can leak harmful plastic contaminants into the water over long term.
Glass bottles don't have that problem.

especially exposed to sunlight, which cause it to leach faster.

Getting a second job... Gonna try to save up as much as I can for a while

Looking into purchasing a firearm. Too many stupids in this country. Have to protect myself.

Realizing that each human life encompasses a time-space span of generally double digit years and miles. Further that a good life is good but a good death is superior to a bad life. Death is inevitable but it is a choice to "experience" the apocalypse.

but a good death is superior to a bad life.

But that's apples and oranges. You could theoretically have both? The good death doesn't really offset the bad life? It's not as cool-sounding, but I think "a good death is superior to a bad death" and "a good life is superior to a bad life" are still pretty much true, if technically subjective.

life and death just is and it does not matter if death is good or bad given its nature. Lifes quality though is important and if it does not have enough of it then I will have none of it. Im old enough though that im not looking to survive a horrible decade of facism. Surviving auschwitz if your young enough to possibly enjoy some decades of decentness afterwards is one thing but if your old enough that after that experience you are left with nothing and have to try and "retire" and look after your increasingly failing health. Ill skip that.

I just bought 20 pound bags of bread flour, sugar, and all purpose flour. Plus what I have in my chest freezers I’m good for a few months..

Not joking

Be sure to keep the flour as cold and dry as possible. Refrigerate or freeze if possible. You can sift out grain beetles and larva, but they're very allergenic and the more exposure you get to them the higher the chance you'll develop a severe allergy.

Not sure if you have a typo, You said I can sift out the beetles , but you say by doing so I can wind up with an allergy?

Yes, even if sifted out they leave behind particles of their body and feces that have allergenic proteins\

My allergy to grain beetles went from bad to dangerous while I was working at an industrial bakery, so I'm on a crusade to tell everyone about this little known hazard lol

Why not just leave the beetles in, if it still harms me? If it comes to that, I'm going to be tired and cutting corners.

that's increasing the amount of allergenic proteins but it is more protein overall lol

Trying to get my retirement money moved to foreign assets and currency. Ideally I want it to out of reach of the US government so that if I do somehow make it out of the other side alive I'll still have access to it. I believe the ideal way would be to create an offshore LLC and create a self directed IRA that I then move my retirement money to. I have no idea how tenable this is though.

Aren't IRAs a US tax account? Like the Canadian TFSA.

They are, but like I said it's possible to create a self directed one. Essentially I'm wanting to hedge my bets. On the small chance that things don't go to complete shit I would like what I do to be above board and legal under the (somewhat) sane(r) laws and regulations so I don't get nailed by the IRS. Doing what I mentioned would essentially put the money out of reach of the US government if they decided to start seizing assets or if I were arrested, but still legal if things don't go south.

It's not an insignificant amount of money, but it's also not enough to have a dedicated firm or person to manage all of this (if it were I'd probably be safe in this oligarchy hell scape).

I can only wish you good luck.

Thanks. I'd say it was a good run, but I don't like lying.

There is no upcoming apocalypse. That's just doomscrolling too much of Lemmy.

BUT it's always good to have a good supply of everything for natural disasters, pandemics, etc.

I am totally stocked and I wouldn't have to rely on any services for over a year. When the pandemic happenend, I didn't even flinch. I just went thru my stuff, and restocked when things got better.

My land is paid for. I can garden. I have chickens. I have solar power. I am good with my hands. And plenty of timber for heating. Snows and rains a lot here.

There will be no apocalypse just because you don't like the president. People said the same shit the first time he was prez. But being prepared for anything is awesome. :)

There was one last time Trump was in power so why don’t you think there will be another?

Because it didn't end the world and it didn't happen just because Trump was in office.

So that’s your stance?

Even though it happened while Trump was in office and fundamentally changed the world since Trump wasn’t the sole reason it doesn’t count?

Even though it happened while Trump was in office and fundamentally changed the world since Trump wasn’t the sole reason it doesn’t count?

That's correct. It happened to the world. Trump couldn't have prevented it. No one could have. And since it didn't happen BECAUSE of him, I'm not scared it's suddenly going to happen again just because he's in office.

Would you be this afraid if Harris were in office? Because the odds of a pandemic are the same regardless of who is in office.

The man is batting a thousand though.

I'm betting on Oregon not completely shitting the bed

Losing weight, building up endurance. Saving "money".

Won't you miss that extra body fat when it's cold and there's nothing to eat?

Might also put more actual meat on your bones, which is a risk. A lot of people are more into Filets vs. like a Ribeye, for example.

Easier to hunt meat as meat, than as fat.

My wife and I decided that if it gets that bad..

We won't

Not American but from EU, have a 3 day survival box with water and food.

There is a real chance Russia at some point attacks, I don't think they will drop a nuke any time. But they might try to sabotage the electricity network or financial system. So if a large (cyber) attack happens my family has enough for 3 days, a week if we have to.

I've achieved full nihilism. Nothing makes a man more capable of vicious self defense.

The o'l "can't threaten a man with nothing to lose" gambit.

Why would you wish to survive an apocalypse?

To rule as road King amongst my band of misfits.

See, this is the problem, no one wants to create a commune to fight the would be Road Kings

Solar power with battery storage, hunting and fishing for meat, gardening for vegetables, rain barrels for water.

The same way we prepared for Y2K!