Cooperation among your neighbors?

Joel_BC

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Although I respect survivalists for many reasons, I have not really been one in a dedicated way. My wife and I do live on rural land, know how to raise food, have probably a year or so of food stocked here (much of it just the accumulation from raising food & smart bulk shopping), etc. We're handy with the outdoors & with tools. Plus we're pretty flexible and adaptive.

We're in Canada, so my circumstances and perspective may be different from that of many people in the US. I've long realized that there could be a massive breakdown (or "change-up") in society, because - mainly, in my view - too many people have become un-skilled, un-self-reliant, and thoroughly dependent on "big systems" - plus have perhaps badly priorized the values in their lives. But I won't go into all that now! LOL

Okay, now here's my question: How cooperative do you believe the people in your neighborhood would be in a crisis that might extend to affecting your own region (e.g., shortages or interruptions of goods and/or services people have come to expect)? If you feel cooperation would occur, what forms do you believe it might take?

Here, where I am, we do know our neighbors. I'd say the majority of people living in my general area also know theirs. We have circles of friends here who are truly mutually supportive - plus, there are many links amongst these circles. As well, very many skills are represented among the people in these circles - with food provision, construction, mechanics & hand skills, first-aid, home-making, etc being some of the ones that come easily to mind.

I'm interested in knowing how you perceive or feel about the situation where you live.
 

Beekissed

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Our closest neighbor would definitely be cooperative...but we have many new people in the area who we do not know. I couldn't say for sure, but the general state of the world today and in this area would tell me that it would come down to "what is mine is mine and what is yours is also mine."

Me? I'd be cooperative as all get out...it really is the only way to be in hard times.
 

yourbadd

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There are several families in our 4-H group that I know we'd be able to turn to for assistance and they know they could turn to us as well. More for an exchange of knowledge and service than for an exchange of goods. Our only neighbor is an older man who is very wary about lending help. He's overly worried about lawsuits. Doubtful he'd be one to cooperate with the exception of allowing us to scavenge firewood on his 10 wooded acres. He won't even let his own family hunt on the property due to potential lawsuits.
 

FarmerChick

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This is easy for me. I farm now. My friends are farmers. One owns a dairy. 90% of our friends hunt. Most are just like us in a way.
Some more than SS than others, but we all have skills. Every guy is a REAL guy. (one you can depend on to handle any situation). All gals are REAL gals. We can go from girly to farming in a split second and have skills.

So no worries for me actually. My country environment means I am surrounded by like. so far.....more neighborhoods on 1 acre lots are moving in slowly :)
 

Wannabefree

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We have a huge network of folks who can and will help. We have 4 construction workers, 2 pastors, a mechanic, multiple gardeners, multiple forms of livestock for manual labor such as tilling/logging/packing/riding needs, we have some for meat, we have milk, fish, etc. covered just in our little neighborhood of folks who will share and/or barter goods if things went downhill. We also have a green beret trained sniper amongst us just in case it got aggressive and other trained to use firearms as well. I'm not worried about not being able to make it from where I am at all. Then I have family all over this area. We've got two counties covered up right here. My neighbors ARE my family, even the ones who aren't biologically linked, and they know it. Several have keys to our home and the ones the dog will let in are welcome anytime. There are a few the dog will NOT let in, even though she knows them well, but just a handful. Strangers would be lucky to make it past her in our absence. So I'm pretty secure in knowing we're covered come what may. If your a good neighbor, with good neighbors, you don't HAVE to be a survivalist IMO ;)
 

Joel_BC

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Well, it's interesting. These responses here on SS have been positive, so far. I was on another homesteading forum system, one that has a very active and knowledgeable bunch of posters on its preparedness forum. I was almost shocked, at the doubts the group there, overall, felt about being able to depend on cooperation among their neighbors.

I had to wonder whether some survivalist/preparedness people had somehow isolated themselves from their neighbors, for whatever reasons... possibly the survivalists themselves had distrustful personalities. And hence, in return, they felt isolated - though they might not realize just why.
 

StupidBird

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I have been making a conscience effort to know my neighbors. I actually got the renter next door to holler back good morning over the fence, before she ducked back inside. Guess it's hard to continue to ignore the crazy chicken woman who keeps on smiling, waving and saying hello.

It's amazing how many people actually live here...they were all home during the last ice storm that shut down Atlanta.
 

snapshot

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Joel_BC said:
Well, it's interesting. These responses here on SS have been positive, so far. I was on another homesteading forum system, one that has a very active and knowledgeable bunch of posters on its preparedness forum. I was almost shocked, at the doubts the group there, overall, felt about being able to depend on cooperation among their neighbors.

I had to wonder whether some survivalist/preparedness people had somehow isolated themselves from their neighbors, for whatever reasons... possibly the survivalists themselves had distrustful personalities. And hence, in return, they felt isolated - though they might not realize just why.
Perhaps there is a difference between those operating from every day self sufficiency and those operating from a fear of the future. Just saying it is in the perspective.
 

Beekissed

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I agree. The general feeling I get from the typical and hard core prepper is that they are preparing to fend off the "zombie" hoard...instead of planning any kind of co-op with their neighbors.

Also? Nowadays, unless you live in a community of like-minded folks, a lot of people view SS people as "weird". My one little acre was the source of much talk all over a very large county and people I didn't even know would come up and ask me where my cow went or why haven't they seen my chickens for awhile.

When gardens, chickens, and livestock on one acre get that much attention, you know you are living where no one else is doing it. :rolleyes: I would venture to guess that it all depends on just where you live and who you live by whether you can expect much cooperation and barter/trade of goods and services.
 

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