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Convincing those who are in denial.

1599 Views 15 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  sydneymum, 
mantis tobogen
I'm trying to get my parents on board with prepping but its incredibly difficult. Both their heads are basically up in the clouds and live comfortably enough that they don't think anything that bad will ever happen. My dad works a lot still and is trying to retire, and they are going to downsize their house in the next two years (IE move somewhere smaller) which makes it even harder to convince them to stockpile a bunch of food and water. They are both in the mid-late 60s.

These are intelligent people, but very set in their comfortable ways and have a very difficult time accepting that S may HTF due to a number of reasons. The fact that it never crossed their mind before I started talking about it 1) makes me seem crazy/unreliable (because no one else has bothered to bring these issues up with them, and when the media does it is in passing without ever connecting the dots to a bigger picture) and 2) make it all the more difficult to even begin to explain some of these concepts.

I was extremely delighted when they said they were going to install a generator after losing power for a week with Hurricane Sandy, however it hasn't been installed yet but they claim that it is coming.

Anyways, I've been trying to show, at least to my dad, some videos which explain the petro dollar status, and how uncertain the future of the dollar is. I showed him a bunch of stormclouds gathering vids, other youtube vids including fukushima, NWO type stuff but he didn't like them for various reasons including them being overly dramatic (which they can be).

I need more mainstream "reliable" sources to show him. Things like infowards/zero hedge etc. aren't going to fly and I don't even consider those to be good sources per say. I know the MSM can be filled with propaganda but they also do report things that confirm our suspicions: dollar/economic collapse in near future, civil unrest, another world war, DHS/police militarization and mobilization to a police state.

I've found a few and I am going to email them to him, but if anyone has ever tried to convince their parents, spouse, girlfriend/BF, kids, friends ANYONE, how did you do it? Any reliable* articles from MSM sources in particular you used to help get these ideas across? If you have any saved or have any experience helping to open the minds of people up to these things, then please share

*something a sheeple would basically find as a reliable source.


These are some "mainstream" articles I've found but I am going to need a lot more to try and at least open their minds to this:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101133131


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...n-china-s-favor-to-boost-record-reserves.html


http://www.ibtimes.com/so-long-yankees-china-brazil-ditch-us-dollar-trade-deal-brics-summit-1153415


http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/13/bill-would-outlaw-us-dollar-russia/


http://rt.com/business/russian-lawmaker-dollar-ban-663/


http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/brea...apse--hopefully---peter-schiff-192921791.html


http://washingtonexaminer.com/be-pr...mo-for-protection-in-collapse/article/2541205


Any more would be very helpful.
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mantis tobogen
Its also really messing up my plans for a number of reasons. If SHTF I want to be with my family, but I live about 50 miles away. Without a car, I can't get all my preps from point A to point B.

Since they don't prep, and I dont have a lot of money of my own, so I basically prep for myself. If I were to bug out to their location at this point, it wouldn't serve me any other purpose than to be in the same house, but without them on board with prepping I am essentially setting myself up for failure by bugging out to them; especially if I need to bug out by foot, I won't be able to carry much of my preps at all.

This situation has actually put my prepping to a grinding halt now because I am stuck between bugging in (and leaving my parents stranded helpless) or bugging out and pretty much shooting myself in the foot by doing so because I'd have to abandon most of my preps if I need to bug out on foot.
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Matchking Man
Just wait until your healthcare, food and rent are more than you can afford and move back in with them. That should open their eyes AND solve your SHTF 50 mile commute quandry.
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mantis tobogen
Matchking Man said:
Just wait until your healthcare, food and rent are more than you can afford and move back in with them. That should open their eyes AND solve your SHTF 50 mile commute quandry.
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TBH the sooner they get the heck outta NJ, the more likely I WILL end up moving in with them and I probably would have already done so if it wasn't for the state they live in. I hate even going to visit NJ to see them, once they leave I doubt I'll ever step foot in the state ever again. I won't live there because doing so would require me to either live as a felon (due to gun laws, magazine limits and may-issue CCW laws) or sell my long guns/give up my carry rights, and that is just not going to happen.
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Harmless Drudge
You can't convince people against their confirmation bias, because everything that happens in their lives, they will view in terms of their confirmation bias. If a giant bear came charging at them, and was shot by a good samaritan at the last second, they would be comfortable that their preconceived bias came true, and that other people would take care of them. It would take someone getting eaten by the bear to cause them to change their minds.

My point is that you can only teach people by being the one with the solution. You can rant and rave all you like about what they would do if a rampaging bear tried to eat them, and get nowhere, but if they call you in shock that the neighbor got eaten by a bear, then you can say, "Yup, that's why I always carry a rifle in my truck." And they will learn.
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Eagle Scout Survivor
This may not be much help but here is what I have done. It should be noted that the best results I have gotten is my parents letting me prep and my girlfriend thinking it is "cute" although she is slowly coming around with wanting to go shooting and camping.

Anyways... from the sounds of it you are trying to get them started in the deep end if they where learning how to swim. I would advise having them start in the "Shallow End" by trying to push them to prepare for natural disasters. You already seem to be doing this since they are looking at getting a generator. I would push this point of acceptance of your parents and build upon it.

Do they have a firearm? If no mention how it would help deter looters and that the police where overwhelmed during the hurricane.

Once they get a gun mention how the School shooting made the buying panic and how you wished you stocked up more and you could of saved so much money.

If they get a generator tell them they should stock up on fuel since the gas stations ran out of gas last time.

For food don't tell them to start buying 5 gallon buckets of wheat. Instead tell them to just buy a few more cans of soup. Or buying in bulk is cheaper. At most maybe suggest some of the number 10 cans of food or freeze dried Mountain House food for easy quick disaster food.

The main point of this is not to rush them into the idea and try for them to catch up immediately to where you are situated for preps. Have them start off by buying a few spare gas cans of gas not 200 gallon tank. Buy 4 spare boxes of ammo not 4000 rounds. You get the idea.

Also since they lived through a hurricane I would start off by showing news articles about how people suffered through hurricanes and other natural disasters.
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T
Sandy Hook made there power go out?




Just bustin your nuggets a little ;)
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CTHorner
What seems to work for me is starting over from the beginning when I reach an impasse.

Look for common ground, then expand using logic and reason. Inflation is always something everybody can understand. Buy in bulk to save money put it in a safe place to protect your investment. Once they start to develop a food store then you can suggest additions.
Ask them if you can store some of your stuff with them so if you have to leave home due to fire, flood, natural disaster, or man made catastrophe like an anhydrous ammonia tanker careening off the rails near your home.

Leave the TEOTWAYKI and WROL out of it for now, they are concepts just too hard for some people to accept.

Always remember your goal isn’t to be proven right, but to get them prepared.

Hope this helps.

C.T.
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Matchking Man
mantis tobogen said:
TBH the sooner they get the heck outta NJ, the more likely I WILL end up moving in with them and I probably would have already done so if it wasn't for the state they live in. I hate even going to visit NJ to see them, once they leave I doubt I'll ever step foot in the state ever again. I won't live there because doing so would require me to either live as a felon (due to gun laws, magazine limits and may-issue CCW laws) or sell my long guns/give up my carry rights, and that is just not going to happen.
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In all seriousness. You need to prep wisely, because they may be coming "your way" not how you envision it currently when SHTF.
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mantis tobogen
Good advice so far, I probably DO need to take them into the "shallow end" of the pool first and hold their hand along the way.
Hurricane Sandy was definitely a good starting point, but its been over a year and the only result has been the acceptance of needing a generator. I'll revist the issue with the hurricane next time I bring up the topic.

They were lucky and there wasn't any looting in the town they live in, as far as I know.

My mom doesn't like guns but isn't that against them. My father and I go shooting every couple of months, but they don't own their own any guns and my father didn't start until I started shooting (around the time I joined this site) so he's slow to learn (but a decent shot for an old dog). Guns in the house isn't much of an issue with them but they live in a comfy little town with a very, very low crime rate. Also, its NJ which prevents me from stashing much there in terms of fire power.
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mantis tobogen
Matchking Man said:
In all seriousness. You need to prep wisely, because they may be coming "your way" not how you envision it currently when SHTF.
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Do you mean, as in THEY would be bugging out to ME? I wouldn't be against it, other than the fact that I live in a very large city (bad place to be if there is a major disaster) and still only have very limited preps that would run out three times faster.
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Matchking Man
mantis tobogen said:
Do you mean, as in THEY would be bugging out to ME? I wouldn't be against it, other than the fact that I live in a very large city (bad place to be if there is a major disaster) and still only have very limited preps that would run out three times faster.
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That exactly my point. Stranger things have happened.
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TAKEZO
Why do you feel the need to proselytize?
Is survival ism a religion to spread?!

Answer: no.

Take care of yourself first.
Act in your own rational self interest.

If they (your parents) are planning to retire--then they are say that they already have one foot in the grave... so why bother?!
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TheFittest
Sounds like you have a good start, don't ruin it with making them think you're crazy. They've lived through a fair amount more than you have, and the world is still spinning. They're your parents, of course they think your young and naive.

That being said, like others have mentioned, keep it subtle, and keep it practical. Depending on their age, they might like the idea of green living as opposed to homesteading. Try to look at it from their angle, and eventually you will find common ground.

That being said, If they are looking to move, and you are looking move as well... Find a place together, some land you can share of something. You're the young one, offer up the labor :) They want small because small is easy. Sure, the fact that it costs less is a bonus. Planning for retirement living usually means cutting costs where possible.

You don't have to do it for them. You can do it with them...
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Jojo
If you are a religious person - what of the command to honor your parents? I suppose the definition of honor is up to you. Although, you don't need to be religious to understand your parents took care of you when you were too stupid to take care of yourself. Just consider it payback and plan accordingly.
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sydneymum
I haven't been able to get my older family members to prepare either. They tell me that they will die as soon as their medications run out. They have a point. :(
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