Ferfal (his nom de blog: his real name is Fernando Aguirre), who blogs at Survival In Argentina, also has a YouTube channel where he does regular podcasts and short "lessons learned" videos. Here's one he posted yesterday, analyzing why many so-called "preppers" were caught short by the sudden arrival of the coronavirus pandemic. He makes some good points, and highlights valuable lessons we can all learn.
Interesting and thought-provoking. He has many other videos on his channel, which will repay your attention.
Peter
14 comments:
I invariably dismiss videos; they seem to be, in the absence of the need to physically demonstrate a technique or evolution, an inefficient way to communicate information.
I can read much faster than most presenters speak and do not have to wade through all of the verbal tics to obtain the desired information. As an example, this gentleman is a good source for information but I lack the time to wade through a 12 minute video that I could assimilate in 2 minutes.
But then again I was taught to diagram sentences in the third grade, and syntax was not thought to be a levy upon tobacco and alcohol.
+1 to BFR. I tuned out after the first minute or two.
Put it in writing.
Expecting everyone to have a gas mask makes about as much sense as expecting everyone to have full MOPP Level 4 gear. It's massive over kill for almost every situation and the only thing they are really good for is if you are in an area where the boys in blue are over happy with CS grenades.
Interesting but tedious... sigh
Too many words, not enough meat. I do admit to vastly preferring reading something like this rather than watching a video. Might be my years are showing.
To those who found the video tedious: I understand. That's why I'm writing a book about emergency preparedness, rather than filming it!
:-)
Sadly, that is what Fernando has declined to.
Once a great resource, now a very long and tedious sound bite.
THe only thing I got caught out on was bacon...and fresh eggs.
Okay, so I totally missed face masks and breathing apparatuses. BFD, for the time being. Lost out on some cheap ammo (buckets of .22LR for example). Got myself a reloading rig just before lock down so I am covered for one type of ammunition if it comes to that. Picking up what I can when I can afford it and when it comes cheap.
Food is still coming in and I am stocking the canned goods more as I continue to eat fresh(wife is sighing heavily as we try to find a few more places to stock it).
I think the biggest take away of this video is the mental aspects of preparing for the worst. When is the best time to up stakes and leave? What is your emotional state? How can you improve your mind and well being? Stuff to think on and stuff you can't really prep for I guess.
I suppose that if one wanted to prepare for everything, one would need their own planet, with financial-equivalent resources to match. And even then...
The majority of my pandemic preps were acquired in 2014 when the US narrowly avoided the Ebola that was raging through Africa. That stuff went into a large tote, and into the check/update queue. I've handed out masks and gloves to friends and family, still have a fair amount left. Thanks, Aesop!
I am worried about the upcoming food shortage, especially as I need to avoid carbohydrates or get a prescription for metformin. Protein and fat don't store as well as carbs do, generally cost more and are harder to get. In spite of my efforts, my food stores are slowly decreasing.
At this point, cash is a decent prepping material. You need money for various personal problems and emergencies, and this economic cliff is going to be deflationary in many ways.
Keep positive (and there are always things to be thankful for).
I am another that does not watch videos for the voices. Might be from being deaf for so long, but even now when I have hearing aids I generally prefer reading to listening, unless it is for visual purposes.
Having been a speed reader since a child, I can breeze thru information that would takes days listening to someone talk about.
We have been prepped since 2009. Mid January the wife and I discussed things and decided to top off all our preps. Emphasis on canned goods and other non perishable stuff.
Wife makes masks and I have a bunch of respirators from work so none of that is a real issue for us.
We have been essentially self-quarantined since the kids moved anyway, so no concern there.
Some of y'all are missing the point.
Due to handing over education to marxist drones, the generations behind the Boomers don't read. Some can't read; the rest were persuaded that it was either hard or boring, or both, mostly due to the crap they were forced ro read in school.
vox Day (who is progressively getting weirder) correctly coined the phrase "Post-literate society". If you want to reach young people, it's got to be video. If you want to know what young people are learning and thinking, you've got to at least keep your finger on the pulse of the videos out there. Expecting them to read is like expecting them to drive a manual transmission.
I agree with you about the written word. It's just no longer relevant.
It helps to watch the videos at 1.75 or 2x speed.
"Expecting them to read is like expecting them to drive a manual transmission."
Comment gold.
All of this is evolutionary, and only self-limited. It is not new by a long shot.
Maybe the better response is: Dude, do you even Mel Tappan...
(In my day I thought that Mel was a noob to the premise.)
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