(American Thinker)—There is so much latent energy beading up right beneath the surface of Western civilization. Everybody can feel it. Every day people read the news with the expectation that some as yet unknown event will trigger something bigger, which will ignite something horrifically combustible, which will put into motion a rapidly shifting set of complex variables that finally turn the world upside-down. Every public announcement is a potential spark. Every new emergency is a wobbly domino that could crash into another and cascade until everything falls apart. We’ve all been sitting uncomfortably on pins and needles for so long that we practically eject out of our chairs every time a television, computer, or phone screen blares, “Breaking Alert.”
Speaking of phones, the other day, a few hundred thousand mobile subscribers lost connection to their cellular networks, and amateur sleuths jumped into action — scrutinizing which carriers and cities were most affected in hopes of isolating some nefarious intent behind the inconvenience. Was it a Chinese cyber-attack? A series of small electromagnetic pulses set off by some terrorist cell inside the United States? A CIA/NSA test run for the Intelligence Community before it instigates information blackouts in the run-up to the 2024 election? Or could it have simply been the result of a particularly strong solar flare? Nobody knew for sure, but everybody had a theory. For what it’s worth, AT&T blamed the outage on an improperly executed software update, but that clarification didn’t answer every question or quell suspicions that something more serious had occurred. When everyone is anxiously awaiting the end of the world, there is little room left over for mundane explanations.
Nobody believes anybody right now. That makes sense. Distrust of institutions and authority figures has skyrocketed. News reporters have essentially become the public relations arm of the Intelligence Community. They repeat risible lies without even the pretense of journalistic incredulity. For instance, how could Hunter Biden’s laptop — filled with videos documenting his own debaucherous and criminal activities — have been “Russian disinformation”? Only corporate news mouthpieces paid to deliver the I.C.’s talking points know. Because they refuse to ask obvious questions, the public has learned to distrust their point of view.
In the old days, political operatives got paid to construct convenient “narratives,” while reporters got paid to distill hidden truths. As the distinction between “operative” and “reporter” disappeared, ordinary people learned that fictitious “narratives” completely replaced any representation of objective reality. Because a free press has always been instrumental in containing institutional corruption, the implosion of professional journalism should be understood as a late-stage symptom of our present system’s impending death. Reporters who spend more time explaining why boys should dominate girls’ sports than investigating how mail-in ballot fraud subverts democratic elections cannot be taken seriously as factual custodians or arbiters of truth.
While citizens have adjusted to journalism’s irrelevancy, they have held out hope that science — a philosophy dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge — would be more resilient. However, science, too, has abandoned rigorous discipline for the ease of regurgitating unscrutinized “narratives.”
Perhaps the most consequential upside of COVID was its exposure of most medical doctors as unscientific bureaucrats willing to parrot absolute nonsense if it meant they got paid. Why would a physician prescribe an experimental “vaccine” in lieu of available over-the-counter remedies that have been around for fifty or more years? Because pharmaceutical companies can’t make money from generic medicines with expired patents, and medical doctors can’t procure financial benefits from pharmaceutical companies if they don’t first push their newest drugs. Why would any physician coerce patients (even healthy ones) to undergo experimental treatments without their informed consent (including explicit warnings of known side effects and the impossibility of knowing potential long-term harms) in blatant disregard of the Nuremberg Code’s well established principles for preventing crimes against humanity? Because white coats who uninquisitively follow government orders have sold their ethical obligations to the highest bidder.
As with journalism, the scientific pursuit of knowledge has become a hustle. The World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum have made it abundantly clear that global pandemics and man-made “climate change” are existential threats that coincidentally require more intrusive public surveillance and greater government control over the economy. It should be no surprise that the prospect of future apocalypse tends to short-circuit the human mind and convince otherwise rational people to hand over their freedoms to doom-and-gloom charlatans and fear-peddling carnival barkers. It should be a surprise, however, when handsomely paid “scientists” manipulate research and punish academic dissent in order to fraudulently support bureaucrats’ self-serving conclusions. When “scientific consensus” arrives in advance of scientific corroboration, researchers aren’t seeking objective knowledge but rather selling snake oil for professional aggrandizement and monetary gain.
With the deaths of journalism and science laid bare before the public, a salubrious shift in social consciousness has occurred. People are once again asking critical questions in search of basic truths. For too long, professional disciplines have insisted on doing society’s thinking. Whenever significant public policy debates have arisen, common people have been condescendingly told, “Leave that to the experts.” With busy lives filled with other obligations, most people have been okay with this arrangement. Caveat emptor (“let the buyer beware”) and other fundamental notions of personal responsibility have been traded for the modern conveniences of letting the Food and Drug Administration, the White House press corps, and (SMDH) the Central Intelligence Agency decide what is true. If processing information and making wise decisions is part of what it means to be alive, then the effect of transferring these responsibilities to third-party institutions is a bit like lobotomizing a population. You end up with a highly dependent society beholden to the mercies of designated “experts.”
For a while, a lobotomized population might find relative happiness within this arrangement — so long as the “experts” continue to share the population’s general worldview and can be trusted to pursue policy goals that consistently advance the population’s priorities. However, if the “experts” are guided by beliefs divergent from those of society, or worse, if they reveal themselves as a privileged class filled with rapacious liars and frauds, then common people have no other choice but to reclaim their natural authority by exercising their own brains.
That latent energy beading up right now beneath the surface of Western civilization is what happens when a slumbering society begins powering up its long-dormant capacity for self-government. As old brain cells are put back into proper use, the body politic is trying to remember how to do things it once took for granted. In trying to separate lies from truths, it has begun to remember why virtuous character establishes mutual trust. And as it recalibrates its moral compass, society is a little unsteady on its feet. Cellular networks go down, and nobody knows what to believe.
Lack of trust in government, news media, and science has produced something far more extraordinary: a spiritual awakening. Why? Because the illusion that government-run institutions have our best interests at heart has shattered into a million pieces, and it is impossible to glue those pieces back together into some kind of reconstructed “truth.” If government and its vassals in science and journalism can no longer stand in as secular priests, then people desperate for authentic truth are forced to ask tough questions of themselves.
In my experience, the tougher those questions become, the more likely that people find their way to God. And once they find their way to God, they tend to realize that they were meant to govern themselves. As freedom is God’s gift to every soul, spiritual revolutions always precede political ones. That inalienable truth ought to give every true believer some needed peace of mind.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
