Preparing and reluctant family members

[Jonesie]

Re: Preparing and reluctant family members

People love conspiricies.
Lately I had given up on most approaches, but one does grab their attention.
'I mention to people that some government web sites tell us to stock up on 2 weeks worth of food. Then other websites tell us that 3 months of food, medicines and other household items are needed.
Then I heard that some of the officials that be are already stocked up on 18 months worth of supplies.
How do you like that?'

They jump right in and start saying how unfair and callous the whole system is. It really gets their goat. Then I tell them that I am starting to buy items on sale, before prices really start to skyrocket.

So maybe they will seriously start thinking about storing supplies, or when they hear more news on the subject, they will remember the 18 months and buy more than a months worth of supplies. People are very inert.

And they don't know why utilities will go down during a flu season, or why there could be a shortage of food. That aspect puzzles them. They just don't believe that that could ever happen.
They just don't understand why we have to buy extra supplies for a flu pandemic. They don't know what quarantine is, or why any churches, funeral homes or businesses would be shut down. Most are totally clueless.

Some of my friends say if the grocery stores run out of food, they will just go to a restaurant and eat. Some say they will just go to Florida to get away from it! Some are going to head out to their cottage. They have no idea how long and drawn out this will be. And if I inform them how bad things might get, they smile like I'm nutz.

And sending out emails gets me nowhere. All my friends can comprehend are one liner jokes. That is their intellectual limit, even the ones with degrees.. Anything over one paragraph long is too much to read. They don't even read the news stories.

Everyone I have recently talked to has said bird flu is no longer a problem, because there has been nothing on the news about the bird flu for a long time.
I think the President will have to alert the people to the problem.

Meijer stores now have 3 different bird flu kits, made by 3M, on sale. And 1 quart bottles of their own brand of sanitizing gel.
The kits consist of disposable thermometers, N95 masks, vinyl gloves, alcohol wipes, & alcohol gel. $8 - $12 per kit.

[hawkeye]

Re: Preparing and reluctant family members

Amish Country-
It's a very tough situation that many of us here have faced. My best advice is to "plant seeds" with each of them, and eventually they will "hear". Even today, those who I know aren't actively prepping do ask me questions from time to time...and occasionally I'll send out an email with a short news article (or links), just to keep it fresh in their mind.
I'm sure that those I've spoken to about it, think I'm "crazy" or "alarmist", and what troubles me about that is I've exposed them to just the beginnings of what is actually going on.
Every individual (including ourselves), goes through the process of acceptance, however, I feel that each person has to do this at their own speed. What we are facing (to quote a friend) is just so "scifi".

Perhaps you could sit down with your husband, and speak to him sincerely about how concerned you are, and that you would like to come to an agreement as a family to use a portion of your funds for prepping, even if its a small amount (6 extra cans of soup everytime you shop). Also, present the prepping as creating a "larger pantry" in case of an emergency. I've found that making the case for a general emergeny stock, is the best. Initially start with 1 week...and then perhaps start to expand from there.

Just remember, you're not alone in this, virutually all of us are facing the very same issue.

[Amish Country]

Hi All

I am posting this in the hope that someone in our community has found a diplomatic way of dealing with this important issue. Do your friends and family member's eyes glaze over when you bring up bird flu preparation? Or do they say things like "that's another thing that didn't happen", or "if it was important it would be in the news" or "there is nothing we can do anyway"? To them is the WHO a rock band and Oprah more trust worthy than the CDC?

Worst and best of all is my spouse. God has seen fit to bless me with a loving and wonderful husband. Unfortunately bird flu prep is not listed anywhere in his priorities. My impression is: as long as he is not inconvenienced he tolerates my eccentricity. He does not "get it" and like so many others, until they have seen and been personally touched by it, it will not be real to them.

The monthly budget is small to prep four people in my immediate family. I cannot prep for the rest but know when it hits my husband will be opening the door to the unprepared family members (many of whom have a lot more money than we do!)

How do we motivate reluctant family members and friends to take responsibility and make the preparations that may save their lives and the lives of their families?