Michael Hyatt: "Keep a Low Profile"

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

Good advice...

Keep a low profile

------------------------------------------------------------------------

) 1999 Michael S. Hyatt

As much as I hate to admit it, it is time to face the facts: we have lost the battle for Y2K awareness. Over the last several months we have faced an avalanche of spin control and outright disinformation from government bureaucrats and corporate executives. Unlike the little Dutch boy who stuck his finger in the dike and prevented a flood, all of us who understand the threat of Y2K have simply been deluged by Y2K optimism. As a result, the public is happily swimming in a sea of complacency.

At this point, I think it is a waste of time to try and warn people about the dangers ahead. At best, you get laughed at or ridiculed. At worst, people won't prepare, but they will remember that you did. Since so few have, in fact, prepared, this could prove to be a monumental security risk to you and your family. Therefore, I would suggest that you do your best to keep a low profile. Specifically:

1.Stop trying to convince people that Y2K is a serious threat. The issue is not that there aren't enough facts; there are plenty. In survey after recent survey, it is clear that a large percentage of even the biggest and best companies will miss the deadline. No, it's not about facts or evidence. It is about a stubborn addiction to prosperity. People do not want to face the prospect of disruptions and they have simply stuck their collective heads in the sands.

2.Encourage the people who "get it." Frankly, this is the sole reason I am continuing to do radio and TV interviews. I am sick and tired of talking about Y2K. (I've done over 600 interviews.) I would be thrilled if I never had to utter the phrase again. But I know there are people out there who are beat down and discouraged. They know they need to prepare, but the naysayers have made them second-guess their decision. I want to "speak a word in season to those who are weary." You can do the same thing with your friends who are preparing. This is where we need each other the most.

3.Focus on getting your preparations done. There are now less than 80 days until the century rollover. Where has the time gone? Jan. 1 will be here before we know it. This is the time to stay focused and work hard. Each of us needs to be like the ant. "Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest" (Proverbs 6:6-8).

4.Don't talk about your preparations. At this point in the "end game," being perceived as one who is prepared could be dangerous. You don't want to be a target. How many of us have heard our disbelieving friends and associates say, "I'm not going to prepare, but if something bad happens, I know where to go." They always say this with a laugh, but you and I both know they mean it. That's why I now want to be as invisible as I can be. I would encourage you to follow suit.

5.Do your best to stock up for others. It should be obvious that you are in the minority if you are preparing. If Y2K ends up causing significant problems, most people will be unprepared. I want to be in a position to help, if I can. (But I want to do it on my terms, if possible; hence, the admonition above to prepare quietly.) Not only do I sense the moral imperative to be my brother's keeper, but being in a position to help might also be the easiest form of self-defense.

Though we lost the "Y2K awareness war," we don't need to be discouraged. We did the best we could. But the time has come to change strategies. We need to focus on getting our own families ready, so we can get through what ever may come.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), October 13, 1999

Answers

Listen up. If someone knows you've prepped, then YOU know they haven't. Don't wait for them to come acallin, if you get my drift. By admitting their lack of preparation, THEY are the ones making themselves targets for YOU. Think about it.

-- anon (foo@bar.com), October 13, 1999.

Thank you for this post. I have seriously been feeling these things the past week especially. I am having a hard time switching gears (from what to what, I don't know) but definately something has changed in my awareness. I feel like it is time for me to take on a new strategy. I was so verbal in the beginning(trying to raise awareness) that everyone in my town knows that I am prepared. I have kept my mouth much more closed for the past 6 months but I still feel very vulnerable. The depths of this thing never stop dawning on me. I am trying to keep a good perspective but I must admit it aint easy. I am not encouraged when someone says, "Well at least you've done more than most." or "Gold is shooting up" or "We have some fuel stored" or many other things. I cannot find the phrase that makes me feel encouraged. Maybe it has to be something more spiritual than ever before.

-- a mom (what@next.com), October 13, 1999.

"As much as I hate to admit it, it is time to face the facts: we have lost the battle for Y2K awareness."

Sad, true and expected.

-- no talking please (breadlines@soupkitchen.gov), October 13, 1999.


I am so tired of Y2k that no matter what it produces I will welcome its arrival. I am not a doomer but have prepared enough in enough of the various facets (food, heat, energy, shelter,etc..) so that even a moderate slap from Y2k will not affect me for months.

I stopped telling people to prepare a long time ago. I bring it up nonchalantly in conversation but make no effort to enlighten or convert, just to see peoples reaction or feel them out if they GI or don't.

I dont stock up on anything anymore and will wait for something to trigger me to do the final push of preparing and then thats it. Just going to let the rollover roll over me and see what happens.

This is going to be a long 80 or so days..........

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), October 13, 1999.


Mom,

People might know you prepared, but they probably don't know to what extent (unless you told them, of course). I am in a similar situation.

If folks come knocking on my door the second week of January, I plan to say that I wish I hadn't listened to the Red Cross and FEMA and ONLY prepared for 1-2 weeks. "I honestly thought that would be enough...what are we going to DO???"

Good luck.

r.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), October 13, 1999.



I was such a fool about Y2K. I took all my preps back to the store last weekend. I've only got enough for three days. Maybe four. Okay, dammit two years, but that's only if we gorge ourselves.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), October 13, 1999.

As a resident in hurricane country, and with this week being another one full of fun (thanks Irene), everyone ASSUMES that our neighbors are ready. HA! That is the wildest assumption I have ever heard down here. Proof? I'll go to the local grocery stores tommorrow, when the first watches will probably be posted, and it will look like a riot has ensued. The lemming principle is alive and well, even in areas that could be wiped off the map if a major storm ever hits. Why? Human nature people. They listen to the talking heads on TV, the morons on the radio and what do they hear? Oh, you better get some water and batteries asap. Duh. Why not get that before the storm season? Duh.

What does this have to do with Y2k? Duh. The watches are up, and no one cares. The lemmings all say "not here" in perfect pollyianese. And when TSHTF, as it will in 1Q of 2000, they will look to TAKE whatever they can to get by. Duh. Riots where I live? Unlikely as I live in BFE. But if I were in a major city, I would get nervous, very, very, very nervous.

"So why aren't there hurricane tracking charts for that storm called Y2K?"

A little old lady asked that on the radio the other day locally. God help her and all of us.
John Galt

-- John Galt (jgaltfla@hotmail.com), October 13, 1999.

Its all downhill from here.

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), October 13, 1999.

I quit telling people about Y2K over a year ago. Some people that my husband works with are prepared and they share some information with each other. My siblings and their families are 2-1/2 hours away (thank God!). My children know what's going on and they plan to high-tail here. In case they can't they are storing some food and water. I'm glad I laid low, and when people ask me about Y2K, I just smile and say that nothing is going to happen because no one knows for sure. I have one neighbor who says they have food for a month but no water, they decided a while back that nothing was going to happen.

As far as providing for other people, that is not on my "to do" list. As far as I am concerned, everyone is on their own, the information and warnings have been out for a long time. My script for them will be "I remember you telling me that Y2K was nothing but hype, it was a get rich scheme thought up by all the retailers. I believed you when you said that and did not prepare either, I think we're up sh*t's creek."

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), October 13, 1999.


a mom,

You might want to get Wayne Dyer's latest book. It's in essay form and can be read one a day (3pages each tops). I can't remember the title, even though it's on my desk at work...sorry ("Reflections on....something...) It helps put things in perspective. Barnes & Nobel/Amazon should have it.

Here's one of the quotes he does an essay on:

Before Enlightenment / Chopping wood / Carrying water

After Enlightenment / Chopping wood / Carrying water

-- mar (derigueur2@aol.com), October 13, 1999.



If people know you've prepped, and this has you worried, then split up your stuff and hide some of it. If you're in the country, bury it. If you're in town, rent a couple of storage lockers at separate locations and store some of it. If you think your neighbors are the type to come to you after their 3-day supply is gone and demand that you provide something for "the children", and you can't bring yourself to shoot them, you may be glad you had something extra stashed elsewhere. Of course, if you have so little faith in your neighbors (which may be perfectly justified), now's a good time to consider relocating, though that is probably not an option for most people at this point.

All of my neighbors knew about my preps last year, as I was trying to raise local awareness, then I moved to a new city in a new state this summer and told no one about my preps. I purposely kept them out of sight so that I would have the option to help my neighbors quietly without being forced to by a hungry, crazed mob. Hope my strategy works!

-- rob minor (rbminor@hotmail.com), October 13, 1999.


So many times I read that we need to bury or divide and put elsewhere our preps if others know about them. Some of us in apartments without support systems cannot do that. Then there is the suggestion to put it in storage lockers, but these could be the worst place possible, IMHO, because they could become inaccessible if the computers are down or the grid goes down or all hell breaks loose and there are riots in the streets. And HOW would one get supplies PAST these looters then?

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), October 13, 1999.

Thanks Michael Hyatt for writing that, and Roland for posting it.

We are getting ready to write that difficult letter to loved ones, and will include a copy of above.

I agree with Elaine on storage lockers. I would think they might be checked out early on, and not easily safely accessible.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), October 13, 1999.


Ever been to a storage locker sale? Those are lien sales where people failed to pay the rent on the locker and the owner sells the contents. I've been to a few and I advise not storing food in one, unless it is tightly sealed (buckets). I have seen mice and rats build nests in sofas and chairs. It's unbelievable what people store in those lockers, and even though yours might be neat as a pin, you store at your own risk, mice travel in packs!

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), October 13, 1999.

I think the people who will have trouble are those with a pyschological need to make a show of themselves. I was in Costco with another Y2K'er today, and we watched a woman do everything she could think of to make sure everyone knew She Was Preparing! A comically high piled cart, a clip board, paper and pen, MUCH stopping others and asking the location of an item. It was nothing but a show produced, directed and starring herself. We had no doubt she went home pulling up very dramatically in front, many glances to make sure all her neighbors noticed her, and then gave them a show of She Was Preparing! MUCH carrying, organizing, looking at her clip board, and with a serious facial expression.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), October 13, 1999.


bardou et alia:

I read Hyatt's article on another site and was bummed out today, partly because his words sadly confirmed my own experiences and partly because I see the stock market ready to crash. This will be the "collective dope slap" heard around the world.

It's too late for me. I've warned people for months because I cared about them. Yet they ignored me, mocked me or SMIRKED.

And they know I've prepared. But no one knows how much. I mention having rice, beans and bottled water but mumble off into a change of topic when I discern they are dense ostriches. I am astounded at the naturally abundant STUPIDITY of the general populace I encounter.

However, people have lively imaginations, and one bag of rice can magically become one ton of rice. That's Rumour, foe of fact.

So I've relocated lots of stuff to different places miles away. I had to do this because I know I'll get visitors. I am not yet totally bereft of common sense.

I can't let little children starve. Jesus loves the little children. They will eat.

However, there are some extremely obese adults who need a good Y2K weight reduction plan!

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), October 13, 1999.


Paula is a troll, she doesn't make any sense whatsoever. "Make a show of themselves because they have a cart full of stuff at Costco?" Hell, I've seen people with two flat carts full of stuff and who cares, that's why you go to Costco. And, "you had not doubt that she went home to show off her goods." Were you there when she drove into her driveway? Pretty speculative of you to assume such things. Your full of sh*t Paula.

-- I Hate Trolls (Ihatetrolls@Ihatetrollsss.xcom), October 14, 1999.

Paula, is that you Paul Davis?

-- hey, hey, Paul (hey, hey Paul@gotyouuu.xcom), October 14, 1999.

This subject reminds me of something I am deeply terrified of. I read a story as a kid (by Edgar Allen Poe?) about a "mean" monk who was approached by another monk because he'd fallen in love with a woman, and couldn't deny his love any longer for the church. The mean monk lured them to a basement, and walled them up. He thought that what they did, as they died of thirst, together, would show the reality (lack of) of their love. Of course, my retelling does the story no justice. It was pretty horrible imagery for me.

I am more afraid of becoming a conscienceless person, who denies my committments (such as to those I love, whether they deserve it or not), or commits any other atrocity, than I am of dying. But I don't know what my limits are, after which I would become what I detest. I have prayed that I would die before exceeding those limits of self-control, and I trust God to answer my prayer affirmatively.

Strangely, I find comfort in stories of how humane some people could be to each other even in concentration camps, powerless though they were. That shows me that it is possible to do what is right to the point of death, even when the death is drawn out.

-- S. Kohl (kohl@hcpd.com), October 15, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ