DO PEOPLE REACTION STRANGELY TO YOU ABOUT Y2K NOW?

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I wore my Y2K t-shirt to my daughter's ballet class last night. Usually most folks don't even read it. Last night, someone did. Her reaction amazed me. I was smiling broadly as she read it, expecting a variety of reactions from:

"Cute shirt, you don't really believe it though, do you?" eyes rolling etc.

But what I got shocked me. She looked angry and upset after reading it aloud. No comment, just a really angry look. Now what's THAT all about?

Anybody else getting really weird reactions from folks?

-- Ynott (Ynott@incorruptible.com), October 29, 1999

Answers

what does the shirt say?

-- silver ion (ag3@interlog.com), October 29, 1999.

Ynott:

Funny how the Tolerance Cult wackos don't like to see opinions that differ from their own. Perhaps your shirt reminded her of unpleasant things that she didn't even want to consider. Denial rejects get that way sometimes. By their reaction, you can tell that they don't want to consider the possibilities. Otherwise, it's none of her (or anyone else's) damn business about what's on your shirt.

For the record, my brain-dead relatives who wouldn't know a computer from used toilet paper have given us similar reactions. Personally, I hope they're right. But just knowing the deep degree of their ignorance/stupidity makes me feel less comfortable. If things were to get bad, they'd be the first ones on our doorstep looking for a handout.

-- haha (haha@haha.com), October 29, 1999.


To be profound: nope! It's too late in the game. You're taking a chance wearing a y2k shirt. Someone even in church or any public or work place may recognize you and come house calling on Jan 1 or 2. I have a few special friends, one wife, and two parents who know about my preps God knows too. That's enough.

-- churchorganist (swedemusic@webtv.net), October 29, 1999.

Ynott,

I did notice something tonight. Our town had trick or treat this evening. I saw a young dad with a sm child (5 or 6) and an older boy (11 or so). Not unusual....except that the boy was dressed in tattered clothes, not really an outfit....until he went passed you and you got to see the note attached to his back. He was wearing a neat little sign that said something about the clothes of 2000. Now he got quite a few strange looks from people that he walked away from. All I could do was look at hubby and grin. Maybe some around here do get it even more than I thought. I hope so, anyway....

Me

-- me (me@me.com), October 29, 1999.


Yes, some people are definitely having serious denial problems with Y2K and their fear is being expressed as anger. As we get closer and there is more media coverage and they are starting to wonder. I never even bring it up anymore but some people are ask me what I think about it, and when I tell them they try to laugh it off but with a bit of resentment directed toward me, even though I never even suggest to them what they should do or think about it. Very strange.

-- @ (@@@.@), October 29, 1999.


My t-shirt says: "Camp Why-Too-Ka....on the shores of beautiful lake teotwawki". I think it's cute. Most folks as I say, don't even notice it.

I got a strange note from my brother-in-law....said my pc would be fine and is y2k compliant ... along with a list of software that is . I think that my Mom and Dad in law told him I was warning them about Y2K....talk about clueless. I wrote back that Y2K was MORE than my pc and that if it went off, who cares? He is a big time DGI. They all live in Hawaii and I worry about them all alot.

Most folks have either smiled politely til now or just ignored me. A few listened and occasionally ask me if I have enough water...they are storing too.

As I said before , my situation is a bit different. I am part of a military community spread throughout the Italian countryside. If things get bad, we will have to get together anyway. so no use in hiding from them anyway.

I am concerned about the anger that I am seeing now though. Don't know what is causing it...or why. We're pretty isolated out here and wondered if this was being magnified back home is all.

-- Ynott (Ynott@incorruptible.com), October 29, 1999.


Ynott,

"I am concerned about the anger that I am seeing now though. Don't know what is causing it...or why."

Imagine that you have planned a beautiful week-long vacation to a tropical island paradise, and paid for everything in advance. A couple days before you leave, the TV weatherman says that there is a hurricane that will hit that island on the day you get there, and that it will probably screw up the weather for most of the week.

Most people would typically go into a denial type reaction by venting anger at the weatherman...

"that stupid jerk doesn't know what the hell he is talking about, there's no way it could be that bad"!

... sound familiar?

-- @ (@@@.@), October 29, 1999.


I find that if I am at a party or with most friends, Y2k is a taboo subject. It is so weird. You would think this would be the main thing on everyone's mind and we would all be banning together to combat it but NO, it is a subject that one is not supposed to mention. I find it very confusing. Of course now that no one is paying attention, I sure am not the one to talk about it and risk my preparations. Then that makes me feel guilty and selfish. Gee I hate y2k

-- a mom (taboo@talk.com), October 29, 1999.

I would be veeerrryyy choosey about just whom I shared my feelings about preparing for Y2k. Not to mention any pertinent details. I initially encountered the usual scoffers and even outright sneering condemnation at my place of employment("what are you wasting your time for with this?!" "Oh, come now, you don't REALLY believe anything will happen, do you?" and a few "Uh...Y2k? Teotwawki? Isn't that the S. Pacific atoll where they test missles? Hyuk, hyuk) but now I am getting a different sort of interaction. The formerly smug and/or contemptous are suddenly becoming very interested in what I am/may be doing. "Where are you going to spend the N. Year weekend? Uh...where exactly? How many people are going to be there? Bought any new guns lately? Maybe we can go shooting sometime...how are your preparations going?" I should just pass it off as idle lunchtime talk or wangling for invites, but somehow I don't think it is. I am blessed with a long and very accurate memory (useful when you're a Bean Counter)and I wonder at the change in these people.

-- chairborne commando (what-me-worry@armageddon.com), October 29, 1999.

One of my neighbors, a "scoffer," has broached the subject recently, after noticing our solar panels. I replied that we've been planning o for years to go at least partially solar but never got around to it--which is perfectly true. And she asked me for details on how to go about deciding how many panels you need and where to get more information. A few more people are beginning to get a little concerned, I think, but far too many are not.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), October 29, 1999.


I guess that lemmings don't discuss the cliff specifications and the water temperature before the Great March either.

I was setting up for a garage sale last weekend (not at MY house) with some friends and strangers. My long time friend/neighbor/psyco- therapist and his wife were setting up too. When he saw me he yelled "Hi, we're not preparing because we know you are!!! Yuk,yuk,yuk." I didn't sleep for two nights. And then he called me to appologize. He thought he had maybe embarrassed me. I said,"No, you have put my life in jepardy and I feel you have betrayed my confidence" and then I said that he didn't strike me as the predator type so I figured he was just oblivious. His response let me know that I was right, he is so deep in denial that even though I have given him stacks to read and have spoken to him as a client in confidence of my fear(last winter when I first wigged out) he is totally oblivious to the point that they are going to Dallas to celibrate New Year's (we live in the country outside a small town).

The thing is these are neighbors that I would take in in a heart beat because they have been there for me in other ways but even so I believe if you're gonna eat some you should bring some especially if you knew about the party months ahead of time.

-- mostlylurking (mostlylurking@podunk.texas), October 29, 1999.


Mostlylurkring,

My pastor said a similar thing, in front of the entire church:"If things get bad, we'll all go over to HIS house!"

After I admonished him, he asked me if I would be willing to let his family starve. I told him that's not the correct question. I asked him if HE was willing to let his family starve.

He is now preparing full tilt!

MFU

-- Man From Uncle 1999 (mfu1999@hotmail.com), October 29, 1999.


And don't even think of taking about Y2K in a bar as part of general conversation!

Made that mistake last week.

Based on peoples reactions, you'd have thought I just urinated on the bartowel!

-- Tuan (Strider@aol.com), October 29, 1999.


It's the same all around. "Nothings gonna happen." My reply is that perhaps they should at least have some emergency supplies in their house. I tell them about about the time 2-3 years ago we got stuck in our cabin because of snow and we simply used our propane stove lanterns and stored food for three days. No big deal, just common sense to have some stores.

-- Mark Hillyard (foster@inreach.com), October 29, 1999.

Man from Uncle, Bravo! Why don't you urge your pastor to give an anecdotal sermon to the parishoners so they can get it too (letting you off the hook and taking responsibility for his actions at the same time)

Just a thought.

-- OR (orwelliator@biosys.net), October 29, 1999.



I was in Wal Mart last weekend and had a buggie with 150lbs of dog food. The guy behind me asked if it was for Y2K, I said no, it was for my dog.......

-- BH (silentvoice@pobox.com), October 29, 1999.

As we get closer people are starting to ask more questions and they are starting to wonder. I've be the front man for Y2k at an IT site for about 8 years. Thats correct I began talking about y2k in 91 and found most IT people were understanding and very hopeful about the outcome at that time. We investigated 8364 assets for possible y2k problems 1421 have been investigated and corrected, we have 35 remaining (small items), 1.5 years ago I was told to shutup and another person would become the company rep on the subject. I left the seen. Four months ago I was asked to take over the remaining tasks, which I have. The reason I did was because some of the early work I did was to convince some senior people about the need to address y2k and because of that we have become an evacuation center for 10,000 people if need be. Also all our people in 26 countries will be home for Crashmas 99. Now people say you can't make a difference they are wrong. But back to the original question yes people are starting to ask many questions and they take me seriously when I speak, they do not laugh they do not sniker. But I always promoted y2k not as a computer problem but a problem of readiness for whatever happens, and thus people responded to that. I knew right from the start that telling people about y2k would not cut the mustard, but telling them about being ready for emergencies would get them going, it worked. thank God!

best of luck and God speed to all of you. y2kmaybeOk@y2k.com

-- y2k maybeok (y2kmaybeOk@y2k.com), October 29, 1999.


You're all missing the most fundamental point of the entire Y2K debate: Like religion and politics (the OTHER "taboo" subjects of polite conversation), Y2K stands to affect EVERYONE PERSONALLY. Because of that, EVERYONE takes it quite personally when you threaten THEIR view of the issue. It's as if you said "Catholics worship the devil" in a room full of them. You aren't going to like the results much.

The bottom line is this: people are afraid that we might be right, and they SHOULD HAVE done something to take personal responsibility for their own lives, and the lives of their loved ones. The fact that these people have done NOTHING haunts them way deep down, and the unease generated by that makes them angry.

As always, these are MOO.

63 days.

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), October 29, 1999.


I don't mention it at all now. Once in a while a family member (huband's family) may ask a question. I answer them but do not elaborate like I used to. I only have one aunt close by and one girlfriend. I tried to explain to them last year, but neither listened. Now I say nothing. I will take my aunt in (she's in her eighties) if it comes to that, but I don't know if I can support my gfriend, her husband and baby too. My husband says he will not help his family if it comes to that (not close to them anyway). I actually hope nothing happens so I (we) don't have to make this choice. It is really a pretty grim outlook. Only two other people I know are preparing.

-- Darla (dnice@hgo.net), October 29, 1999.

And the answer is - pollies fall into two catagories: lazy or stupid. Its unfortunate, but that's the way it is. So if you get a negative reaction to Y2K, its either because that person is lazy, or stupid. Or both. Nuff said.

Regal

-- Regal (--@--.com), October 29, 1999.


I tried to talk about Y2k to my brother back in the Spring, he wasnt interested. I tried again the week of July 4th, again not interested. I tried two weeks ago, found out he and his girl friend booked a week long vacation in the Bahamas during Y2k.

Not only doesnt he care, he is going to travel just before and just after the rollover, doing it all on credit cards too.

-- hamster (hamster@mycage.com), October 29, 1999.


THE HORROR! Taking vacations and using credit cards... what HAS this world come to...

-- (_@_._), October 29, 1999.

First post-anywhere, ever. Am taking care of several severely handicapped kids.. the mom says to me yasterday "the last week of December I'm gonna order all the kids supplies, and get some extra dog food." I didn't know what to say. She then said "We have a generator and some gasoline, and the electric company sent us a letter asking us exactly where our meter is, how many special needs people we have in our family & stuff like that. So I figure if they're wanting to know that I need to be prepared." I wanted to tell her she should do it sooner, but just felt frozen. I did mention that she could look around her house & buy everything that they can't do w/o for 3 months, she interrupted me & said, "Oh, I don't think we'll have any trouble getting any supplies after they get the electricity back on. Anyway, I'm keepnig all my copies of everything." Tomorrow I'll tell her to do it NOW.-- Cynthia

-- Cynthia (cynchip@aol.com), October 29, 1999.

And the answer is - pollies fall into two catagories: lazy or stupid. Its unfortunate, but that's the way it is.

After TSHTF, they will fall into only one category. Dead.

-- (its@coming.soon), October 29, 1999.


I was reading some of the postings the other day on campus, and spoke w/another grad student, asking him what he thought of Y2K (he's supposedly smart, w/several Master's degrees). His comment was that he thought nothing was going to happen. When I asked him what he based his comment on, and how much research he had done into the subject, he said (paraphrasing) "Oh, about as much as anyone else." When I commented that I spend about an hour a day surfing the net, reading from various sources, including the US Senate, his reply was "That's paranoid." Needless to say, my estimation of his supposed intelligence dropped considerably.

-- James (jpeet@u.washington.edu), October 29, 1999.

Ynott,

I thought you lived in Italy, and that would explain it...I read that only 2% of the Italians have read about or even heard about Y2K. At least that person had heard about it...must be in the 2%.
-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ It's ALL going away in January.com), October 29, 1999.


K. Stevens, I'm sorry , but I didn't understand your post. I am an American living overseas. Therefore, I know what is going on. Most Americans surf the net and correspond with folks back home. Italians have an entirely different mind set.

The last posting I read about Y2K was months ago here. The guy in charge said they hadn't even built their building and when they did, he had no power to enforce anything related to compliance. Amazing how his tune has changed, hmmmmmmm? Oh--the guy who said this was the Italian Y2K Czar...their Koskinen....a supposedly knowledgeable person. He also used the less than 2 percent figure I quoted.

The new stuff is just PR spin control...not for the Italians, but for the rest of the world. They rely on touristo bucks and they don't want anybody not coming due to their bac Y2k compliance reports.

Capische?

-- Ynott (Ynott@incorruptible.com), October 29, 1999.


NO TALKIE,MO better you should quiet talk! Bumbye mo peoples get it.best thing have sticky rice and toilet papers.Can see many peoples pissed.No like hear pilau(crazy)talk!Mo better you stay home new year.If you no prepare maybe you be maki (dead)!Aloha dudes and dudettes,surfs big today!

-- old Kahuna (gardening@grass shack.com), October 29, 1999.

************PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST************

I don't get any y2k reactions from anybody anymore. I quit trying except when asked by very close people, who have technical questions about preparing.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:

This is a possible explanation of:

WHY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WANT TO ENCOURAGE MEANINGFUL Y2K PREPARATIONS and possibly much more.

***

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, many people built shelters in basements or wherever they could. They stocked up on canned goods and water. The government published plans for shelters and for stocking food and other essentials.

The public was well aware that there was a serious threat of Nuclear War...AND THERE WAS A SERIOUS THREAT.

Now that documents from that time period have been published, it is very clear that we nearly went to war. There were many more nuclear weapons staged in or about Cuba than what the public was told.

Some years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, a friend of mine, who was the County Civil Defense Director, told me that he was distraught about a major change to the Civil Defense Plan for the county.

I went to his office and he showed me the directive requiring him to destroy the following: 1) All copies of the Press Releases announcing the implementation of county-wide Evacuation Plans in the event of an expected threat, 2) All copies of the county-wide Evacuation Maps that were to be published by local media, 3) and other relevant documents.

He was told not to encourage building of private fallout shelters and the supply of planning documents appeared to be drying up. He was very unhappy with this change in government policy.

It was, I believe 1976 or thereabouts. This was the beginning of the Public Policy of MAD or Mutually Assured Destruction.

In retrospect, IT WAS A BAD IDEA, as it has helped to encourage the Soviets and now the Russians to continue with an aggressive civil defense program. Their robust civil defense program is viewed as always having an eye out for enhancing their own first strike capability. And they have said that they still consider a nuclear war with the U.S. to be inevitable and winable. They intended and still intend to eventually win against us in an all-out war.

Our government then and I believe NOW, still uses this low-key approach when dealing with its citizens. The purposes of this policy are not at all clear to rational people; however, from an analytical point of view, they probably believe it is in our best interest.

I totally disagree with the idea of keeping the public in the dark. But, they are in charge and from their perspective it is easier TO MANAGE AND MANIPULATE THE PUBLIC.

***

In other words, it serves their purposes. And it does so in a dark and dangerous environment. If they are wrong, many will suffer.

***

***

-- snooze button (alarmclock_2000@yahoo.com), October 29, 1999.


My husband and I fully understood the possible ramifications of the year 2000 problem in January of 1998. We started preparing almost right away and started trying to convince my extended family to do the same. The amount of complete indifference and even hostility to the subject AMAZED me. Certainly a wonderful study in sociology and psychology, but it baffled me. After a while, I sensed they didn't even want to discuss it, so I stopped bringing it up.

Now I do not mention it or discuss it with anyone but my husband. My dad ALMOST got it several months back, but then he got a happy-face letter from his city government assuring him that EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE and now he just jokes about stocking up on some cases of Dr. Pepper.

I have even heard people laughing about it, and I laugh right along. I have never heard another human being besides my husband say out loud that they think anything bad might happen.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), October 29, 1999.


I live in Europe. I've seldom been in the physical presence of anybody who gives a toss about Y2K. Those who do are universally of the opinion that if TSHTF big time, it will be the fault of people who, in their opinion, are panicking (i.e. strong pre-event preppers like many on this forum) and are wittingly or unwittingly 'exploiting' the uncertainties around Y2K to paint a picture of an inevitable catastrophe.

That's the signal I'm picking up, faint though it is.

-- Baffled (who_knows@who_cares.com), October 29, 1999.


I have had a few real head scratchers lately. Over the past year I have talked to a few neighbors about Y2K. Just general discussions with usual, 'nothing is gonna happen' response. Then within the last 2 weeks they are asking my opinion on generators (I don't have one?) and water filters. I got together some info for them upon request. They still have done nothing, but you can see in their faces the internal struggle that is going on! The wife of one of the neighbors says 'we got letters from utilities and banks saying it's OK', we are not spending the money, etc.

The thing that has me scratching my head is the highly visible (facial and body language and tone of voice) internal struggle over the risk of ridicule by spouses, friends or should they go ahead and get a 'few' things. Why is there even a question, I don't know. It was never a question for me, it's big, it's ugly and it's coming this way.

Surprises are coming up every day.

-- Sammie (sammiex0@hotmail.com), October 29, 1999.


Us humans are very social critters. By and large, we need to feel that what we're doing is not too far out of the ordinary, not too "out there". Fear of ridicule is very strong. Hence the tendency to take little or no action in the face of a predicted threat (hurricane, floods, Y2K, etc.), in fear of being thought "odd" or "panicky" or "paranoid."

Consider: there's really very little reason for anyone to take serious action based on the words of a stranger, or even a friend. It takes time and patience to help people understand the risks and the simple steps needed to mitigate them. I stopped initiating discussions months ago (last March, in fact.) Time has run out for that.

Only those (many colleagues and a few neighbors and close friends) who showed any inclination to listen "early" (late 1998) have been kept "in the loop". Everyone else gets a friendly smile and a laugh when the topic turns to Y2K. They'll just have to deal with whatever happens, as best they can. We'll stock some extra, as best we can.

"The readiness is all."

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), October 29, 1999.


Ynott:

Yes, I still get weird reactions from folks. I've warned them about Y2K and the coming stock market crash, but they don't care!

THEY DO NOT CARE!

But when TSHTF, they will panic, and I will have empirical evidence that they are stupid.

However, I shall help them to the best of my disabilities...

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), October 29, 1999.


It seems like I'm being made the one to look stupid in some circles. I see a serious onslaught of denial. I think about the childrens story about the emperor's new clothes. There are those who are pretending they "see" the garment of "it's going to be okay" wrapped around King y2k, but they really know the naked truth. This really fits our government.

-- Itol D. Youso (mrosscorecomm@hotmail.com), October 30, 1999.

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