More on Community Organization for the Collapse

Anonymous left a new comment on your post Green Beret versus Doomsday Prepper: "I don't really disagree with this story. But I don't agree that 400 neighbors is necessarily better then going it alone. I can assure you some of those 400 neighbors don't like you and some want what you have. If you think politics and human greed will suspend itself until the crisis ends you are wrong. The difference will be that you will have enemies within AND outside. You will not know who is your friend. Those people who openly dislike you are probably harmless while those who dislike you but put on a fake front will probably do you harm. The lady down the street with three kids and a husband thrives on drama and enjoys turning one person against another. That middle aged quiet guy is infatuated with your wife and thinks if he could eliminate you he would have a chance with her. That sullen guy that never talks much is still pissed at you for parking in the street a year ago in a spot he thinks is for him alone. Some of these people will do you harm directly or indirectly and you probably won't see it coming. "

UrbanMan's reply:" I do not disagree with you. Most of us that have ever been involved with some sort of Mil or LE team would rather have a small team of trained and trusted individuals as opposed to having dozens of individuals with suspect motives and character.

Let's say you decide to Bug In. If you make no effort to develop your neighbors into at least a loosely based group for mutual support, then you face, potentially, a much larger close threat. Again, I agree with your supposition that you would have neighbors who dislike you, even hate you and want what you have be it supplies, weapons,...or as you put it "your wife". (side note: he would have no idea what he would be getting into!).

I think there will be several categories of people in your possible Survivor Group:

1. People who would gladly welcome leadership and assistance in the confusing chaos of the collapse. These people may initially be the least useful, but you would need the manpower to do everything from main observation posts and checkpoints; construct necessary things; garden and grow crops; procure and/or filter water; procure (scrounge) necessary items.

2. People who will worthless. Not able to do anything, but expect someone to take care of them because we have bred that into our population the last 50 years. You may be able to make some of the types marginally useful, but the trick is to not let them such up resources at a ratio that far exceeds their contribution.

3. There will be people who disagree with most or everything you would be trying to do such as establish OP/LPS, checkpoints, develop teams to garden, procure, etc. They may be disagreeing out of fear, or out of some character flaw like wanting status and power. There will be people who are jealous of you and your "stuff". There will be people who may exploit the situation to bully or harass or even sexually assault women. You would have to deal with these people in order to develop the bigger team. Use your "spidy sense" in detecting these people if their overt actions and words don't expose them first. Hunkering down by your lonesome, in my mind is not an option.

Let's just say, worst case scenario, you don't do any team building, ......don't interface with your neighbors,.......or anything. Then the collapse starts. Let's say it's an oil boycott, followed quickly by a stock market collapse and within days food deliveries to groceries and stores are drying up and the local government basically collapses as hyper inflation hits. Going to your nearest neighbors, the ones you think are approach-able and asking how they are doing and make some suggestions on security, protection, water storage, food stocks could only build rapport and enhance your standing with them. At a minimum they could become eyes and ears for you enhancing your security.

I have a bunch of FRS radios that I can give out to my neighbors, albeit at the right time, so we can communicate. I can replace their batteries periodically with my solar powered re-chargeable systems. If a neighbor makes comms with me saying he has some suspicious people lurking about, my choices are to address the potential or actual threat now or to wait until they try and loot my house. Me and mine? We're being pro-active.

Who knows maybe your neighbors have some skills that will augment your survival plan. Maybe the old lady down the street grows tomatoes and cans them. Maybe there is a young couple across the street wit hthe husband being a welder and his wife a practical nurse.

It is much better knowing all this before the collapse. It would makes organization much easier knowing your neighbors, having rapport, building respect between you and them now as opposed to when the collapse and therefore panic hits.

You are absolutely right about be wary of the shitheads, but you'll have to deal with them in order to build that community survival group for the benefit of all. Afterall, you can always Bug Out if need be.