The title of this piece is a motto used during WWII by which the population was being warned to be circumspect about what they discussed and with whom they discussed it.
It seems to me that it may be timely for the motto to be recycled for use by the Preparation Community.
I’ve read over and over in this excellent blog and in other articles “find someone or a group of people you can trust”.
I think that instruction is much more difficult and more time consuming than stocking up on beans, Band-Aids and bullets.
Although I live in Australia and the political and geographical issues we face are somewhat different from those faced by Americans, so it can be said that issues themselves are different in every country in the world both on a macro and micro level.
But the problem of “trust” remains no matter where you live.
My Oxford Illustrated Dictionary has a long list of definitions that start out with “Confidence in, reliance on, some quality of person or thing, or truth of statement …..”
So who do you know that fits that definition?
Let’s start at the macro level with Governments.
I don’t want to start or become involved in political debates but I doubt very much whether there are many people left who totally trust their government no matter what country they live in. But we (in the majority of cases) elected them and we have the ability to make our displeasure known by voting them out next time there is an election. The trouble with that of course is “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know” and they have the ability and power to make less-than-sensible decisions while they are in office. But at least it is an option.
This lack of trust or confidence in them probably adds weight to the reasons why we are preppers.
As individuals, there’s not a great deal we can do at national levels apart from continually writing to our elected representatives – and that can be time consuming and very emotionally draining (and often quite useless).
In the meanwhile I think it is needful to keep a close and watchful eye on the legislation and policies that get passed so that you can evaluate how those measures will impinge on you and yours. Try to make it a habit to watch the news and read papers or web sites that keep you up to date. Depending on what the government – whether federal, state or local – does, it may be necessary to change the way you prepare for disasters whether those be financial, natural or manmade.
The operative word here is Change.
The bottom line is Survive.
Micro levels
Trust at a micro level is even harder.
Who can you trust? What is the factor that makes you trust or distrust an individual? Can you isolate that factor?
There are some extremely charming people out there, they are good company, witty and friendly … and while I may enjoy their company, I wouldn’t trust them an inch – especially with my prepping plans or the safety of my family.
Pre-TEOTWAWKI: there’s still time.
Everyone has many acquaintances – workmates, people in the neighbourhood, relatives – the list is endless. (And just because a person is a relative, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you have to trust him/her.) While I dislike the idea of putting people into categories, it is something we all do almost unconsciously. Some people we like more than others for many reasons.
There is still time to try to look more deeply into a person’s character whether or not he/she is an avowed prepper to decide whether that individual can go on your Trustworthy List.
“Liking” a person is different from “trusting” a person. I like a lot of people but I trust very few.
Conversely there many people you may not like particularly but who are utterly trustworthy. You can work with a person and not like him/her but who is always there when it counts.
And when the crunch comes you need to be able to pull out your Trustworthy List.
Over the course of many years I have been fortunate enough to acquire four really close friends that I could trust with my life, rely on in crises and for whom I would put my life on hold if they needed me.
They are my Inner Circle.
In the Middle Circle there are the people from my Trustworthy List.
In the Outer Circle are People Useful to Know
Then there is Everyone Else
The boundaries of these lists are not engraved in stone because I am bound to meet more people and individuals change with experience and maturity.
I don’t, won’t and can’t give you a set of absolute criteria that will allow you to determine Trust because trust is often related to a gut feeling and that is something that is indefinable and subjective.
But I would urge you to disregard the appearance of a person – the clothing, the mannerisms, the age and the language and try to look more deeply into that person’s character. A friend of mine says “Just because they speak English, doesn’t mean that they think the same way you do” and it is the Thinking part of the individual is the important part.
If this article has encouraged you to think more closely about the issue of Trust without slipping over the edge into paranoia, I’m sure your prepping plans will proceed more smoothly.