In a seminar Lydia and I attended last month, I was again reminded of “the elephant in the room” idiom. Just so that we’re all on the same page here, we’ll use the definition provided at WritingTips.org:
A difficult problem or issue that everyone is aware of but no one wants to discuss or acknowledge. The problem or issue in question might be ignored because bringing it up would be uncomfortable, inconvenient, embarrassing, controversial, inflammatory, or even dangerous.[i]
Unfortunately, we don’t just have one elephant in our room; we’ve got a bunch. When the first elephant panics, it’ll start a stampede, crushing a great many people in our society, quickly or slowly, but smashed dead nonetheless.
The obvious solution to the problem that we clearly recognize, is to get out of that room. If only. There are those setting up house in foreign locations. I wish them the best, but I just don’t see it working out very well. History shows us that when the going gets tough, the locals favor picking on the outsiders, especially the wealthy ones.
The other solution is to prepare to hunker down at home. The first order of business is to identify the threats. So how many elephants are in the room and what are they? The elephants include the following, and probably many more:
The health of the American people is fragile not just due to poor diet but also fact that our immune systems have been so sheltered (due to good health care in the past) that we are susceptible to so many diseases—illnesses we, as laypeople, have no idea how to treat.
Furthermore, all of our medications and medical supplies come from Asia, mostly China. It boggles my mind that more people are not aware of this. What percentage of this country could be wiped out? I’d guess close to 50%.
The number of deaths from the covid jab continues to escalate. I’ve never heard of so many new cases of cancer and sudden death in young, apparently healthy people, especially athletes.
We’re being invaded. Thousands of military age males, young and fit, have entered and continue to enter our country unchallenged. When these guys get together and go to work, we’re going to be in real trouble.
Our fiat currency is about to become worthless. There will be no money for buying food, health services, or medications, if they were even available. There will be no gas. Corporate America operates on credit. Without that credit, they can’t get supplies to manufacture and they can’t pay employees.
And finally, there is the fact that our soil is dead. By that I mean that the soil on commercial farms in general will not be able to raise a crop without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. When our currency becomes worthless and when farmers can’t get credit to buy their synthetic fertilizers and herbicides, they will not be able to raise any food. They will not be able to feed this country.
Having identified the threats, it’s time to take action. As we head into fall and winter, now’s the time to take inventory and make sure you’ve got the food, medications and other medical supplies, fuel, shelter, etc., and everything else on those lists while they are still available. With the garden and harvest season winding down, winter is a good time to learn new skills and build better relationships with family and friends.
Climate Change is occurring whether or not we want acknowledge it. Droughts, floods, higher temperatures, fires, water levels rising, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt's what happens when the majority of the people are wicked.
DeleteYou said it well, it's easy to get paralysis by analysis and be the frog in the road awaiting the splat.
ReplyDeleteAnalysis paralysis (or paralysis by analysis) describes an individual or group process where overanalyzing or overthinking a situation can cause forward motion or decision-making to become "paralyzed", meaning that no solution or course of action is decided upon within a natural time frame.
Look at the rule of threes making sure you have them covered. Look to Grahams Killhouse rules for guidelines for action.
Why? Having a full ICU is nice but if your water supply fails you have about 3 days until you and yours is dead or wishing it was so.
Why? Having many fine weapons and ammo will not feed your family after all the nearby game is gone. Great depression stories prove that the Trapper eating pest critters had plenty of meat. Hunters not so much. Instead of the 3rd or 4th fine weapon maybe that monetary amount of canned foods and rice might be better?
Although I've decades of experience in medical care in the rough (military and missionary) I have to deal with the idea I cannot save everybody and must triage my supplies and ability to those that can be saved. Lacking critical heart meds? Give them love and support as they progress to meeting our Lord.
Rule of threes needs to include a Relationship with your Creator first. We will all meet Him, best to be on good terms.
Michael, I sometimes think you should be writing this blog. Thank yo so much for your thoughts. "Frog awaiting the splat." It does feel like that, doesn't it?
DeleteJennifer you're doing awesome work and lots of hard research.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful for your efforts.
I'm the fly on the wall :-)
watched the 4 o'clock "headline" news yesterday - report on the chain of buses & buses & buses coming up north from TX into Chicago - NYC has managed to get the faucet closed and re-direct >>> 1,000s & 1,000s illegals and the new black mayor was already dazed & confused what to do with the trickle flow - actually believes & has poured $$$$ into tents for Upper Midwest winter clime ....
ReplyDeleteChicago is trying like hell to spread the non-functioning "sanctuary city" into the surrounding metro area - a No-Go for the DNC Cook County much less the GOP surrounding counties & communities >>> waiting on the DNC Gov Pritzker to use his authority to force the issue by just seizing property and re-locating illegals without any local support & resources - A DUMP OF HUMANITY
Sounds like a lot of people will die up there this winter. I hope the morgues are ready.
DeleteThat is an excellent article, Jennifer. I will pass it on to the large "like-minded" group I correspond with.
ReplyDeleteOne "elephant" I will address is situation with Russia and China. I wish I had a dollar for every time a "talking head" on cable news said that we are in the "most dangerous time since the Cuban Missile Crisis." Few people seem to be concerned about the possibility of war with the Russians in Ukraine or with China over Taiwan. The reality is that if war with either occurs, it will definitely be "The End Of The World As We Know It" even if it isn't "The End Of The World."
If war with China breaks out, in particular, the interruption of life-prolonging, much less life-saving, pharmaceuticals coming in from China will result in a massive increase in deaths. And then there is the large percentage of the population that is dependent on mood altering drugs. These people will be left barking at the moon and creating social and familial chaos if the balloon goes up.
I urge people to contact their doctors and ask for additional prescriptions for the medications they are taking. Unless that medication is one that can be exploited, e.g., certain pain relievers, their doctors are unlikely to refuse. At least that was my experience.
Even with their insurance company refusing to pay for additional quantities, they can take that prescription and purchase medication through GoodRx, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, Single Care, and their competitors, and do so often at less than their insurance co-pay amount. (My pharmacy wanted to charge me $65.00 as my co-pay for a medication. Through GoodRx, the cost to me was $12.00.)
Many medications are protected by patent and are very expensive. If a person refuses to pay that amount, they have set the value on their own life. "I'm not worth that much."
Of course, I understand that many people simply won't have the means to pay for those meds.
I hadn't seen you in a while. Glad to know you are ok. Yes, war with China will most certainly mean death for millions here in the US who won't be able to obtain the pharmaceuticals that keep them alive. I agree 100% with your last two paragraphs.
DeleteAnother option for obtaining prescription medications is overseas pharmacies like All Day Chemist.