Individual situations may vary. I stock some food. But I live in an apartment, so there is only so much space. Also, I like tasty stuff. I end up throwing out a lot of canned goods that cannot compete with their fresh counterpart.

Contrary to all the sites and posters that tell you to buy MREs or whatever, I learned here to stock stuff that I can stomach even in an emergency, because you don't want to be eating stuff you are not used to and you don't like when you are feeling miserable already. Another example of why ETS is a good site!

If you truly want to be "free" ... perhaps the solution is to become a goat herder in the Caucasus Mountains, or a hillbilly in Arkansas. The only problem - then you ARE a goat herder or a hillbilly :-)



Pete, having lived in Arkansas all my life (actually a 5th generation resident) I can confidently say there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a hillbilly in Arkansas. I invite you to research Crystal Bridges of American Art -- which is about six blocks from my house.

I had a cousin who WAS a hillbilly by any definition. He lived off the land, grew his own tobacco and sorghum for sugar. He grew a huge garden and preserved what he grew, cured his own meat, made his own leather. And grew his own corn to distill into his private stock. Those are skills we all wish we had. I wish I had been born a decade earlier so I could have spent a lot of time with him, learning everything I could.

Pete, come visit sometime! Life here is very good, but NOTHING like the stereotype.

I agree completely. Stockpile appealing, tasty stuff. Who decrees you must eat bland chow in a disaster?

I think there aren't any choices or decision we make in life that others will not judge, comment upon , or feel free to stereotype. Even before any decisions or choices there are folks who will judge you on your looks, gender, background , or whatever.

So, look inside you, be guided by good values and love of mankind, and shed those awkward worries about what others think of you.

If you are not harming anyone else, you are OK