A Rant

[Skean Dhude]

Posted on the Main Site on 28-Aug-2013 under the title Human Nature.

I'm not 100% sure what it is in our nature that makes us the way we are. I used to think it was culture and upbringing but it is clearly much more complicated than that. I think it is a mixture of your life experiences which covers your parents, family, schooling, mentors and everything that happens to you as you grow up. Each adds to your personality DNA and makes you the person you are.

Some people who come from the poorer parts of society have a lot of compassion for a wide range of people yet people living right next door have no compassion or morals whatsoever, not even for family members. It is the same from the higher echelons of society. Already among the highest 1% on the planet they will lie and kill, even their own family members, to improve their position in society or increase the figures on their bank statement. Education, from parents, mentors, etc. are such that many accept certain things with a philosophical shrug whilst other plot revenge for being punished for things they do or for someone looking at them in the wrong way. Nothing they do is ever their fault. It is difficult to identify people by their background you have to have experience of thier actions and many people are put into the wrong categories because of the way they look and their backgrounds. We all do it. Just looking at someone triggers first impressions and many of them are beyond what you can pick up visually but as these impressions are usually right we stick to these habits.

Of course it isn't just at the extremes that people are different. The differences between a cold hard killer and a modern man. It is usually the little things, the trivial things, where you notice the main differences. Most people aren't killers but they do like to belittle others and criticise them.

This shows up on sites like this where you can see the extremes. One group builds up good relationships with several other members and some friends are made. They have built up good relationship with like minded people despite their differences and built on the single constant that they have which is each and every one is looking to survive beyond an event, any event.

Others, people that are not preppers simply sit on the forums and criticise and ridicule everything that is said. Derail threads and belittle people. It is like a hobby and it keeps them entertained for a while. Others, who actually are preppers do exactly the same thing despite them actually coming to the site for information. If that information doesn't fit into their viewpoint they will not consider anything else.

The beauty about sites like this is that everyone has a view point and that different perspective makes you think and you learn. The downside of sites like this is that everyone has a view point and that different perspective makes you think that you are wasting your time. There is not a lot you can do about these people on the web. So, like everything else we need to adapt to handle them. Pick up what you want and ignore the rest. Ignore their constant criticism and they will move on when they don't get feedback showing they are getting at you. Do not feed the animals is good advice for more than zoo goers.

Just to finish off, and bring it all together, our little community here at Survival UK has grown quite a bit since it started and doubled in size over the last year. We have experts from most of the areas we deal in but as well as preppers we have acquired the usual trolls that screw up other web sites. To counteract this I now have to make some hard decisions and some of our prepper members will get caught up in this. It is unfortunate but such is life. We have lost a few members in the last few months and they left because of the bickering and attacks by other members.

So, I'm going to start banning people if they break these key rules;

Don't play the man. No argumentum ad hominem
Even if you think what was said was stupid then just respond with a I don't agree and state your reasons. I don't agree won't cut it.

If you have nothing to add then don't comment.
I'm fed up with seeing non relevant comments about things. There are no prizes for number of comments.
Someone asks 'What is the best tool for sealing bottles' followed by a comment like 'I don't do that'

If you are asking a different question then start a new thread.
That is what forums are for. To start and discuss specific topics. So don't hijack someone elses so that they do not get their question answered.

My other rules are less critical but I am fed up of losing good people to petty issues and threads not related to prepping.

These sites are about prepping. The main site publishes articles with advice or instructions for you to read, understand and keep. The forum is suppossed to be about discussing prepper related items and issues.

I don't want topical items about anything, except meets, as they are dated and can lead to confusion. I'm not interested in who our sabre rattling government is going to attack next nor what pretext is being used. I'm not interested in the price of gold or oil as it will change next week and anyone interested in those should have access to that information via other means.

I am interested in realistic scenarios, what people think of prepping or prepper related items. Arranging meets and questions about prepping. The questions are the reason behind the forum.

Want to chat with someone, that is fine but take it offline, most of us are not interested and we have to read it to find out. This wastes our time. The site is not for that.

Use it properly and it will be a benefit to all. Screw it up and we all lose out.