I have a confession to make. I’ve allowed certain false perceptions about Shane and me to propagate. Okay, not just “allowed” but occasionally encouraged and even delighted in them. I get a giggle out it. God knows I love a good laugh.
I’ve been trying to convince Shane to write an article for this page for ages. He just cracks me up. Not much for writing though. But anyone who’s had the pleasure of speaking with him knows what I’m talking about. He gets so worked up. F*cking government, f*cking multinational corporations, f*cking banks, f*cking, f*cking, f*cking. And he’s a big man so it can be a little intimidating to see him go off. Not to me. I just find it funny, and part of his charm, but to the uninitiated…
He’ll talk to anyone who’ll listen about politics, the tanking and fraudulent economy, how we need to organize, what we need to do in order to be able to provide for ourselves in the not-so-distant future when it all goes to hell. His latest facebook status is a quote from Diderot, “Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest”. (I should really compile a list of his updates sometime- they’re funny as hell.) I, on the other hand, tend to just smile and listen. He faces the questions (“are you mad?”, “a house out of mud?”, “is that legal?”) and funny looks, I stand back and get the sympathetic nods.
But here’s the thing- I agree with everything he’s talking about. In fact, when we’re alone together I’m just as bad, though I credit myself with having a much better pantomime to accompany my tirades. I don’t feel badly about the misperception. If anyone thinks that I’m just out here building a house and gardens 7 days a week for the helluva it, or at the suggestion of my “radical” husband, you deserve whatever you believe. So it’s bullshit, it’s no worse than the rest you’re ready to swallow.
You see, the truth of it is that Shane’s the optimist. He keeps talking because he thinks there’s some point to it. If he can help someone to “see the light”, get prepared while there’s still time, he’s done what he set out to do. He’ll take the flack and the sometimes nasty comments, the belittling of his ideas and work- all for the sake of perchance enlightening someone. I can’t be bothered. If common sense doesn’t compute, who am I to argue? You can teach a monkey sign language after a loooong period of time with loads of patience, but really- what’s the point? Don’t get me wrong- I’m more than happy to help those who want my help, I just don’t think the majority are ready (or bright enough) to recognize the fact that they need any help.
Okay, so now you’re thinking that I’m an ass- and to some extent you may be right- but self-preservation is important to me. You can’t fault me for that. As far as I’m concerned I need my energy for other (read: “more important”) things. Arguing or defending my perspective isn’t high on my list of priorities. For example- among the many things that I need to do, I need to maintain a sense of humour. The world’s a pretty messed up place right now, and getting messier by the day, and I need some levity to keep me on track. I’d rather practice my running man than try to convince you that you can’t shop your way out of this. I’m about 20 years too late but I’m getting pretty good at it. Step, step, step, hold, step, step, step, hold… You can scoff but my dance moves do more for my state of mind than your consumerism does for your future.
Poor Shane. For all of his efforts to ‘enlighten’ people, he usually just ends up depressed that so many people refuse to see what’s right in front of them. As if the state of the economy, our food supply, peak oil, peak soil, warfare, the move to global government, the rise of fascism, and so on weren’t enough, he really does care that so many people have their heads in the sand. Not me. It’s unfortunate, sure, but predictable. Depends on how much stock you put in people’s ability to reason I suppose.
So that’s it in a nutshell. Just to set the record straight. Shane’s the optimist and I’m, well not the pessimist because I strongly believe in our own ability to survive, but let’s just say the ‘pragmatic’ one. I’m not standing there smiling for the same reason that you are. My husband is not off his rocker. I’m standing there smiling because I’m okay with you being an idiot.
I like your “pragmatism”. And I think me and Shane would get along great! He’d love my rants…
Shane is right in telling people about what’s going on in hopes of enlightening them. Its what more people should be doing but can’t because of the collective mind set that we can throw money at the problem to make ot go away. You and Shane are people who should be looked at as individuals trying to fix the problem not nuts who have been reading to many conspiracy theories. If only more people could realize what is going on and prepare for it.
Well said! But many idiots come to the picnic late but still eat. Don’t smile too much because when TSHTF many good preppers will die at the hands of unprepared but devious idiots.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much you and Shane sound like Jeff and myself! Reading this post really made me smile knowing that there are a few more ‘nuts’ out there trying to ‘convince’ people of the impending ‘future’. That’s what we spent most of our summer doing, talking and meeting people to see where they’re at…..guess what, know ones seems to know or really care when it gets talked about. Jeff’s goal is to at least get people thinking on their own, just get the thought in their head and let them figure it out themselves, that way the ‘convincing’ isn’t so hard. Makes a person pretty cynical, which maybe isn’t a bad thing.
“I’m standing there smiling because I’m okay with you being an idiot.”
LOL!