Could You Turn Friends/Family/People Away When the SHTF?

My family is not close by and I don't have children so I'm sure I would do what I could. Especially anyone with children. It would be too hard not to at least offer some food and water if I had it. If we indeed had to re-start society, then it's sad to think it's everyone for themselves. Almost the same as before.

reply to post by Expat888

will do as always have..
help out those who need it.

but stay in a group or allow a group to stay with me.. no thanks never been keen on crowds and I enjoy my solitude far from the insanity of the world...

You touched a chord........ I have always helped people and choose to think I always will. I also can see giving needy people enough to carry them on their journey to elsewhere, and then turning them away. As I said earlier, hard decisions. We will not win the day personally if we sacrifice our humanity in the process.

However, I will defend with vigor those that seek to take our stores by force. In a sense, people like that do some of us a service -- they define themselves and make it easier for some of us to react in a measured and appropriate manner.

I don't begruge those that have chosen to not prepare; perhaps they didn't have or acknowledge the information, or perhaps they were disatvantaged. People that are willing to work for their entrance, they can possibly be admitted. These kind of situations created undercurrents of resentment -- not unlike the rallys against TPTB that exist today, except on a more localized scale. Who will be the 'new elite'? Hopefully, people will choose to embrace another system -- one more like where I grew up in northern Idaho -- a cooperative, where people worked their tails off and bartered their goods for things they wanted. We all specialized -- some raised cattle, others farmed, some grew alfalfa and other feed, some raised horses, some hunted, and of course, there were those (seems like about half of the population) that embraced the American dream and worked hard in offices and other blue/white collar jobs and purchased their goods.

People with skills that benefit the group will also be able to "pay" their way.

This all makes my heart ache a bit, thinking about it. I've pondered this scenario much of my life. I'm not certain my ancestral skills of flint-knapping is really applicable any longer. I actually prefer cherts and chalcedony -- they are more difficult to shape, but harder and more resilient to use. No, in these modern post-apocolyptic times, we will scavenge for things that used to be fabricated. A road sign becomes a bunch of broadheads.

I hope I will remember my humanity when the times comes and think of people kindly. That doesn't mean I'll be a soft touch for the con.

I'm a lone wanderer (). I have no immediate family that lives by me and there is no way I would trust my neighbors. Sorry, if I go in I go alone.

My family is good to go...
However the girlfriends isn't...if I was stuck at the house...and not able to bug out...then they would be really pissed, because I wouldn't do much for them.
I would say I am out of everything. They have no skills that I need.
It isn't being mean, it just that they only wanna talk to stop by when they want something or need something...but if or when you need a hand, they are ALWAYS busy....

I have a feeling a lot of people will face this problem, but I refuse to help those who aren't willing to help themselves...because they could easily have stored things to if they wanted to.

I would never turn ANYONE away.


Shoot them, and bury them in the mass grave out behind my place. If you turn them away they will just return with friends to kill you and take all your stuff by force.

I could never turn my back on them because they will have no way of finding me.

I honestly have had many thoughts about this and I came to realize that, I do try to do good and the right things for others, but depending on if the end was in sight or if it was looking to be a long road ahead, would really be a big factor. I wouldn't stave my loved ones to feed straingers, I wouldn't just give anything away..they have to do an honestdays work for an honest days wage(which might be paid in food..by feeding them with the rest of us).
At no time would they know what all I have or where it is all stored at...
They wouldn't ever be left alone on the location...
If you don't add something to the group...then I have no need for you...thats just the cold hard facts...

I know some here will say that its wrong...so be it...I prepped..they didn't...I refuse to cause someone in my family to suffer or starve because of some unprepared person wanting what I have....thats just how I am.

I think you'd eventually become stronger by sharing and pooling resources with other people. Although it might become a drain initially, it would mean more people to scavenge, work and defend. People without resources can still have skills, intelligence and personalities that are crucial to long term survival. Even then, people don't have to 'useful' to be shared with, if they're non-hostile people they qualify. If I can only survive by starving my neighbor's child, what's the point? Even passing travelers can bring news and crucial information with a little sharing. I'd rather eat shoe leather and dirt stew together and have a chance at building something and creating a future. If you stay solitary and hoard, eventually a stronger group will come and decimate you by force. The people you alienate may even become your aggressors. Still, I don't think I'd share out of fear or weakness, but out of hope for a better future. If the shtf in a major way, we could go feral and destroy each other or rebuild something new. I don't welcome the shtf, but if it does happen, it'll be what we make it for good or for ill.