Reaching a stalemate with the people you meet?

In my quest to reach the "man on the street" (ie. I believe the more locals are prepared, the less of a burden they will be on me), here is an actual transcript (more or less) of a Y2K dialog I've found that actually seems to get people to think.

Don't give up - try it.

Anybody found any other approaches?

GI: So, what do you think of Y2K?

DGI: Naah, it ain't gonna happen.

GI: So, you're not preparing yet?

DGI: Naah, I just don't think anything is going to happen.

GI: You must be some kind of a KOOK! The Red Cross says, "Get ready, the hurricane is coming" and it's always the kooks who wait 'till the last minute and get caught with their pants down.

DGI: So, what are you doing? Getting all your money out of the bank?

GI: That's what the Red Cross says to do, "well in advance" of January 1st. They also say to store up food, water, medicine, etc., you know, like a bunch of the programmers are doing.

DGI: I saw this thing on TV that said it was no big deal. Anyway, my bank says not to worry.

GI: I'm not sure if we'll ever get the straight scoop from those guys. Magazines, newspapers, TV networks are generally corporations who would fear losing stockholders. Your bank obviously does not want to lose depositors. That's not to say that they're lying, but how can you be sure? That's why I like the Red Cross - they're not selling anything.

DGI: Actually, I did hear that water might be a problem.

GI: Right. I, for one, am not going to wait till December when the price of bottled water skyrockets. Call the Red Cross. What do I know? And, don't just ask for their advice, which might be watered down. I asked the guy on the phone, "What are you personally doing to prepare?"

DGI: What did he say?

GI: Call 'em up. They're the ones that have done their homework on this thing, not to mention FEMA, the Defense Dept...

DGI: So, what are you going to do if 2000 comes and nothing happens?

GI: I'll say, "How could I have been such an IDIOT? I listened to the Red Cross and prepared for a hurricane that didn't even hit us!" Actually, I'll just be prepared for any other disasters which may strike...

-- Zach Anderson (z@figure.8m.com), July 06, 1999

Answers

"DGI: So, what are you doing? Getting all your money out of the bank?

GI: That's what the Red Cross says to do, "well in advance" of January 1st."

Oh really, now? Is THAT what the Red Cross is saying?

-- (dot@dot.dot), July 06, 1999.

"DGI: So, what are you doing? Getting all your money out of the bank?

GI: That's what the Red Cross says to do, "well in advance" of January 1st.

Hee, hee. Doomer doofus here wants us to believe that the Red Cross said to take all of your money out of the bank. Who said comedy was dead?

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 06, 1999.

Zach

The Red Cross is advising that you get all of your money out of the bank?

" DGI: So, what are you doing? Getting all your money out of the bank?

GI: That's what the Red Cross says to do, "well in advance" of January 1st. They also say to store up food, water, medicine, etc., you know, like a bunch of the programmers are doing. "

I don't think so. You must be mistaken. For information like this you really need to be careful. We don't want to start bank runs or feed panic. Reality is bad enough. I think what you meant to say was "The Red Cross has advised getting 14 days worth of cash out of the bank." Or three days, or what ever the magic number is now.

When reading websites it's important to keep your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.net), July 06, 1999.

"We don't want to start bank runs or feed panic.

Well, some of you do...

"So, of course I want to see y2k bring down the system, all over the world. I have hoped for this all of my adult life." -- Gary North

"Do I wish to see the present Federal governmnet completely disemboweled? Yes, absolutely"

-- Paul Milne (fedinfo@halifax.com), July 05, 1999.

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 06, 1999.

Y2K Pro

I wish I had a pound of beans for every time you posted the same damn post again.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), July 06, 1999.

Sorry Dog,...from all the gassy hot air surrounding redundant posts, it seems that Pro made a run on those beans.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), July 07, 1999.

...I think it's good for all newbies to see how many of the Doomer leaders atually HOPE to see TEOTWAWKI. Don't like that fact becoming more well known? Not surprising...

-- y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 07, 1999.

Mea culpa. I meant to say:

DGI: So, what are you doing? Getting all your money out of the bank?

GI: That's exactly what I'm doing, and so is one of the Red Cross volunteers I spoke to. What they acually say in their brochure, Y2K: What You Should Know, is "withdraw money from your bank in small amounts well in advance of 12/31/99." Again, it'll be the kooks who'll wait 'till the last minute. They also say to store up food, water, medicine, etc., "in ample amounts" you know, like a bunch of the programmers are doing.

Actually, I didn't realize I had the word "all" in the DGI line, but I decided to rewrite the passage this way. My sincere apologies go to the Red Cross for the misrepresentation.

By the way, I'm sure Gary North, et. al., enjoy the little light that comes on when making midnight refrigerator raids as much as anybody else. Whatever hyperbole they may use, I seriously doubt that any doomers (other than the clinically insane) actually desire to see TEOTWAWKI.

I personally am playing things on the safe side by withdrawing all of my money. (Traveller's Checks are mentioned in the Red Cross brochure, for those concerned about theft.) I don't like rush hour traffic.

But, the truth is that even if I procrastinate and find myself in the same jam as over 90% of the populace, my precious metals dealer will still probably be able to clear checks. Perhaps a lot more than the fractional reserve is at risk. A lot of people will probably come up with the same idea (clearing their accounts electronically if they can't get cash). IMHO, many will buy precious metals or numismatic coins.

Speculative? Yes. But, aren't we all? Good luck to everyone in the financial arena, pollies and doomers alike.

-- Zach Anderson (z@figure.8m.com), July 07, 1999.