A Preppers Philosophical question

[The Bear]

What has changed in the world where back in the great depression days, everyone was jobless, penniless, and hungry, but they could go to a strangers door and possibly be sent away with a meal.

Today. If a stranger came to your door during shtf it would be justified to come to the door with a gun.

Why?

[amym505]

That is a very good question. In the days of the Great Depression, people still had a moral core. They had pride in themselves in being honest,trustworthy, and independent. The nation had not become dependent on government handouts. There was no welfare system. Now there are so many people in this country that are so dependent on someone to take care of them. Morality has drastically declined.
I may not come to the door with a gun, but I would certainly proceed with caution. That makes me sad, because I am a person that will help anyone I can.

[DiscountMylarBags]

What has changed in the world where back in the great depression days, everyone was jobless, penniless, and hungry, but they could go to a strangers door and possibly be sent away with a meal.

Today. If a stranger came to your door during shtf it would be justified to come to the door with a gun.

Why?

I think one of the main reasons is because that is what the 'professional' survivalists tell us we should do. The notion of an ultra-violent SHTF is part and parcel of Rawlsian survivalism and is demonstrated in books like Patriots, One Second After and many others. As I think an event, if one ever occurs, is unlikely to play out where total anarchy reigns, I'm prepared to help where I can. I carry now, so answering the door with a gun occurs whether the world has ended or not. It's just a choice each person makes whether to bunker down or help out. Our group has already made plans to assist our town wherever and however we can, should something occur.

[Leon]

better a friend than a foe, but better alive than dead as the samurai used to say. They also had a saying "Never promise more rice than you have to spare"

[AnvilIron]

WARNING: This one is going to spin me up… I apologize in advance.

I strongly agree with amym505. I think the thing that has changed the most and therefore most affected the way we view and interact with our fellow man, is the increasing lack of a moral code. When I was a kid in the 50’s, no one locked the doors of their house or their car. The fear of strangers was almost non-existent. Yah, yah… old geezer stories…

The level of violence, anger, sociopathic behavior and depravity was nothing then in comparison to what it is today. Call it an increase in evil. Call it a breakdown of society… whatever. The world was a safer and saner place sixty years ago. We’re not building a better world.

Young people are used to the way things are. It’s what they know. Many believe a better world lies ahead. In many ways a better world lies behind. The 60’s rightly shook things up, but a poison entered in to a naive society struggling to improve itself. They were led to believe that morality was a cage rather than a fortress and they willingly abandoned the only true defense society had. The lie is still propagated in every school in this country.

OK. I’ll stop here and finish my glass of wine. Forget I said anything. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for. I’m going to check my guns, check my door locks, turn on the yard lights, activate the security system, make sure my cell phone is set on 911 speed dial and go to bed. What the h~ll do I know anyway?.. old fart.

[fedorthedog]

During the great depression if you went to a farm house for a meal you called up to the house, you did not just walk up and knock. The Mrs had a shotgun and several dogs. Often you were given a meal for work done not just a hand out. The fog of time removed the harshness from history. Many did starve and were run off at gun point. Towns men met refuges at the city limits and turned them away. Dont be romantic about what never was. Find the few remaining old people and talk to them, they remember.

[amym505]

During the great depression if you went to a farm house for a meal you called up to the house, you did not just walk up and knock. The Mrs had a shotgun and several dogs. Often you were given a meal for work done not just a hand out. The fog of time removed the harshness from history. Many did starve and were run off at gun point. Towns men met refuges at the city limits and turned them away. Dont be romantic about what never was. Find the few remaining old people and talk to them, they remember.

I beg to differ with you. My parents and grandparents lived through the depression. My grandmother never held a gun in her 83 years on this earth. They may have asked for help and given someone a task to do, but they never denied someone a meal. I am sure it was different in larger cities, but in rural America people helped others and all were grateful. The person providing the meal was grateful for being able to help someone, and for any help they needed. The person receiving the meal was grateful for the meal and for the opportunity to earn it. They were not looking for free handouts.
Is humanitarianism such a distant memory that it is confused with romanticism?

[fedorthedog]

The homeless put a mark on the mail box or a stack of rocks around the front of the house to let the other homeless know that the person there provided meals. My people were rural farmers one side in Utah and one in the Alamaden what is now San Jose. There were always a few good people there always will be, but most of humanity leans toward the not so nice and is worst without rules. I dont do romantic I am in the reality business, what is is.

[C5GUY]

Easy answer for me. For the last 5 or more generations in the USA we have trained people to be rewarded for doing nothing. We provide food, shelter and money to people that have never worked for it and now have raised their families to expect others to care for their needs. They actually now think they are owed these benefits and resent those that have more even if they worked their tails off to have what they have. When the SHTF these people will be among the first to demand that others give them what they need or they will feel free to try and take what they want. These people will be expendable to those that are prepared.
C5GUY

[survival]

I think that it differs depending on where you lived and who you interacted with. My grandfather that lived in NY said what fedorthedog is saying, whist my grandmother on the other side lived in Kentucky and said what amym505 is saying.

The same is true today, has anything really changed? Go back 15 to 20 years ago. You heard all the violence in NY while Kentucky had smaller numbers. 20 years ago, I would had been so gullible to open the door to anyone. I left my doors unlocked, stopped to help a stranger (I still stop), and I would have gave the shirt off my back. Although 20 years ago, I did a research paper at that time in college for crime in rural vs urban environments and the crime rate was higher in rural from difference sources (Mainly due to wide open spaces, less police force, unlocked doors, items left outside, etc)

Is mass media and population overgrowth made one more "aware" of surroundings? Is everyones' own self knowledge making them more aware of situations along with curiousity, responsibilities, moral codes, standards of living becoming more advanced as one gets wiser and older?

Take for instance the string of "Liberty Mutual" commercials. If I didn't have great insurance right now, I would switch in a heartbeat to them JUST BECAUSE of the commercial depicting how one person takes the time out to help a stranger and another sees it and does the same.

[youtube:1nejqore]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD0Sz91Fd7U[/youtube:1nejqore]