Preface: Though I realize the fat lady hasn't finished singing or it is only the first inning, or whatever, to me the entire premise of being a GI was the clear, non-negotiable idea of y2k as:

a true common-mode failure, triggered at a single time, with multiple instantaneous/simultaneous failures, impossible to 'fix on failure' because the infrastructure required to fix them would be unavailable.

Once the picture starts to morph from this basic understanding, it is no longer a 'common mode' failure in the engineering sense, and it blends with the rest of the tremendous noise and horrendous dangers that we face every day that we live.

Thus it is true that:

As soon as there is life there is danger.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

However, I gained a lot from being a GI, though I was definitely 'wrong' to be one (in the sense of my personal understanding, above).

What I gained that I wouldn't have done if not a GI these past 2 years:

1. great garden setup and supplies
2. lots more advanced firearm & tactics training than I'd have done
3. lots more first aid training than I'd have done
4. supplies (well, OVER-supplies!) for my earthquake-prone region
5. got to know some cool 'oddball' (but odd like me!) neighbors better than I would have
6. read lots of cool books that I would not have ('into the forest', 'long voyage back', 'the postman', 'triple ought', etc.)
7. really THOUGHT for the 1st time, about what it means to be 'dependent', or how to contemplate being 'self-sufficient'.

Even before this fizzle (in my own personal understanding of y2k, see above) I had concluded that 'self sufficiency' in the true survialist sense just isn't realistic for most of the 6 billion on the planet. Thus, if there ever is a true common-mode disaster, most will simply die, and I will probably be among those. Even before this fizzle (in my own personal understanding of y2k, see above) I had concluded that 'self sufficiency' in the true survialist sense just isn't realistic for most of the 6 billion on the planet. Thus, if there ever is a true common-mode disaster, most will simply die, and I will probably be among those. But I went through many phases in reaching my current understanding of these matters. And I was greatly helped by the fantastic people on this board, whether doomer or Polly, including Andy, Andy Ray, Zog, Wild Weasel, Ed Yourdon, Leska+Ashton, Diane, Flint, Decker, Big Dog, Old Git, PNG, Leo, Greybear, Arnie Rimmer, Chuck a Night Driver, Donna, Faith Weaver, (oh there are just too many to name, too many cool people in this game !) and all the others who have taught me so much, that was one of the coolest things about being a "GI" !!

Meanwhile, I'll make the point again, that having dodged the y2k bullet (in the sense of my personal understanding, see above), we are now on the road to being drugged up by, surveiled under, and ultimately assimilated into, our own creations, actually a new form of life that will succeed us - the computer. Our downfall will be smooth, sweet, and comfortable however, and we'll have hot showers every day! So I'll make my last prediction, with Emerson again:

The end of the human race will be
that it will eventually die of civilization.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

-- Count Vronsky (vronsky@anna.lit), January 01, 2000

Answers

AMEN!

-- FOX (ardrinc@aol.com), January 01, 2000.

Right on Vronsky

-- Peter (y2ksurvivor@webtv.net), January 01, 2000.

Dear Count:

I hear you. Though the immediate Y2k fallout didn't develop, I sense a sea-change in myself. Never again will I view the world the same way, nor will I approach it the same. I intend to keep and develop my preps, stay self-reliant, and more importantly, try to absorb and make sense of all the new perceptions I have about people in general, my friends and relatives in particular, and most illuminating: myself. As a friend told me last night, "we keep thinking we can escape history", and I have a clear sense that something is after us... I'm not sure what, but it is a drum beating that someimes I feel only I can hear. The possible failures, Y2k or otherwise, are too numerous to mention. But remember this, my other favorite quote:

"Seek not after thy fate, said the Caliph Ali, for thy fate is seeking relentlessly after thee."

Best Wishes to all, and remember, we have a little more time now.

Boomlet

-- Boomlet (Boomlet@couldn't agree more.org), January 01, 2000.

#1 BEST ASPECT:

The privilege of witnessing the excellent courage of the IT folks who spoke up and shared expertise with the rest of us -- the courage of putting themselves out-there and on-the-line at great ongoing personal and professional costs in a desire to keep people safe. Wow.

I have been a beneficiary of this. I have reduced my vulnerability in the world, regardless of the unexpected event.

-- (resolved@this.point), January 01, 2000.

This is fine, except that the term "GI" appears to be a misnomer.

-- (duh@duh.duh), January 01, 2000.

"Duh" -- Another perspective:

That was my first reaction to Count's post, but upon second read, I figured that he's just assimilating the real GI dynamic into his daily life. We made it past the first catastropic possibility, and we're now facing the next series of y2k potential problems and challenges.

But this level of tension, focus and concern is difficult to live with day to day, don't you think? If this preparedness approach is incorporated into one's quotidian life, what difference does it really make? Count V sounds well-prepared to take care of him and his through any y2k events.

May be a question of focus and circumstance for many people.

-- (resolved@this.point), January 01, 2000.

Count

In all due respect my friend, your header should have read "WHY IT IS GREAT TO BE A GI !!!

The y2k problem is, as I have regarded it just that,not the second after 2000 problem.

The things you have learned/done will serve you well,forever.

The economic ramifications are significant and far reaching.Even without taking Cowles theory into play(that the grid could/might degrade over a period of time) or if the oil situation isn't just hunkey-dorey, there are still major bridges to be crossed, we aren't out of the woods just yet!

Something thing I would like to quickly point out, is that our grandparents and the people before them,always had large reserves and means of sustinence(sp?) as a rule of life,why is it so weird to practice this ancient custom now? Just seems like good common sense to me.

And lastly, the reason we are all GI's is that our thinking will allow us to think from the extreme to the moderate and not from the moderate to the status quo.This type of thinking is what makes you a survivor and not a victim,if you do perish it will not be because you were not prepared,it will be because of other forces beyond your control,but the majority will perish because they were NOT prepared or somewhat alert. This distinguishes you from a true polly,Hell, even Mr.Decker isn't a True Polly,IMO.he would probably survive just as well as you or I,and it's all because he's not a stupid %^$#@* nor are we ^^&(*(%$@'s,it all goes back to common sense.

Let's hope the power holds,oil flows and the market remains (?) stable.

-- capnfun (yo7@bellsouth.net), January 01, 2000.