Never underestimate the willingness of people to help if asked. Many people are shy about asking for help for fear of rejection or it becoming common knowledge out that you might need help. But the fear is largely unfounded. Off the top of my head I can think of a couple of dozen cases where a friend was helped by a stranger or I helped someone I didn't know, or where a stranger helped me. Thinking hard I can't come up with but one case where someone was asked and they didn't help. And that was for a very good reason.

Giving or getting assistance is also a good way of starting off a friendship and/or forming up a loose mutual aid relationship.

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IMO this is why you see so many fat guys at the range bragging about their latest handgun, when losing 50 lbs would go much farther to improve their personal security and lifespan than any gun.


IMHO a lot of gear gets bought, a lot food gets eaten, a lot of alcohol gets consumed as people seek to compensate for feelings and situations they can't bear to confront directly. Guns in particular have a cache of power, control, potency that is often used as comfort and compensation for the grind and disappointments of modern life. While guns are useful tools, and sometimes a source of community, with people getting together to socialize and for mutual support in a common interest, all too often they end up being isolating and solitary activities.

To me the psychological/sociological aspects of survival/preparation/survivalism are far more interesting than the minutia of gear and supplies.