It's like my martial arts skills; I hope I don't ever have to use them to defend myself or someone I care about. That doesn't stop me from going to practice. But I feel more secure knowing that I have some control if I were ever attacked physically. I believe it is that sense of control, that helps put humans at a little more ease.
Of course there is always going to be that person that is a more skilled martial artist (or has a nasty weapon) or there is going to be an emergency situation that we aren't quite prepared for, but if we feel that we have some control, the psychological effect can be overwhelmingly positive.
As the song says, "In the end, it doesn't even matter". We prepare ourselves in the ways that best suit our needs, in order to gain that sense of control, but in the end, none of us have very much control over anything at all. But that doesn't mean we don't feel better preparing as best we can.
May I add to this sage advice-
It's not practical or possible to prepare for every possible danger, or even assure a good outcome. I say don’t even try. Do what you can do, do it logically, and take comfort that you are much better prepared than the hopeless masses. There is life beyond the PSK after all. (Note: potential blasphemy).
Sometimes just tipping the odds in our favor can reap great rewards. Take a lesson from the gambling casinos in Las Vegas. That little green spot on the roulette wheel guarantees fortunes will be made by the house. They don’t need 10 of these squares, one works nicely, thanks. Much of the rest of that industry works on the same principal. Get a slight edge in the odds and run with it. “C’mon, baby needs new shoes”.
Just put together a basic, nothing fancy, EDC, PSK, BOB, and 7-10 day kit (the artist formerly known as the 72hr kit). Take a bit of martial arts or other defense training. I can see the headlines now… (Pay per view), “Prepared Man” (or woman, lest I offend anyone) vs. “Lazy Neighbor Guy” (or Gal), going toe to toe in the earthquake event of the century!. Watch “Prepared Man” as he smoothly reaches into his PSK to deal with crisis after crisis. A veritable whirling dervish of multi-tools and duct tape. See “Lazy Neighbor Guy” cower and panic as the comfortable world that he knows crumbles about him. See him crawl under the coffee table and assume the fetal position with his thumb in his mouth!
A bit silly, but I would really like to know what kind of odds a professional odds maker would give comparing you with a modest kit and some modest training, to a totally unprepared, PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. like, next door neighbor in the same crisis.
My money is on the folks in this group.
TR
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