I think you are in a right mind. majority of people simply want to love and be loved. based on past experiences they either react out of love or fear. Psych 101. With that said, most people will respond with "love" over "fear" if they are offered "love" over "fear". Ones who would not react this way can usually be easily profiles - inner turmoil usually works its way to the outside.

In other words, I think having a basic trust in humanity is not only a good plan, but humane.

History repeats itself. Take Katrina - Tons of people worked together to make it through life or death situations. The young gathering together to take whatever boat they can to the old peoples home... etc. People are good unless forced/taught otherwise. Profiling is key. In today's society we are given heat for profiling, but it is a basic instinct, and one that has helped us get this far.

Police, soldiers, detectives, the govn't - profiling is key to being preemptive. As mentioned before, someone not trustworthy is usually due to inner turmoil - this usually works it way to the outside. Not 100%, but just one aspect of profiling.

I think common sense is the main thing. Your neighbors are not the problem... ESPECIALLY if you are helping to feed their children. They will go to war for you, haha. The problem is bugging out. Katrina once again - highway signs were manipulated to divert walking survivors to a "trap" if you will. They would then rob the person or group of all usable items at gunpoint. Many violent crimes happened this way. Most of the times the people doing this were involved with crime prior to the downfall of their environment. Once again, something you could probably profile in person - common sense and wits, however, is what you need to not fall into tricks outside of profiling.

A particularly entertaining book I came across in the teen fiction section at Chapters is a book called The Rule of Three. It pretty much encompasses everything in this discussion. Power goes out and nobody knows why (how could we know if all electronics kicked off?) and luckily there is an experienced older fella with a mysterious history working for the government back in the day and he is a prepper it appears. With his knowledge and experience he leads his neighbourhood in step by step adjustments to bring them together, rally, share, fortify and so forth. In my opinion its a realistic and excellent lesson on how to get through any kind of trying times and do so as a whole instead of alone. It is a series so I'm looking forward to the next to come.

Check it out if you care. I think it would make a fantastic addition to any beginner preppers.

A particularly entertaining book I came across in the teen fiction section at Chapters is a book called The Rule of Three. It pretty much encompasses everything in this discussion. Power goes out and nobody knows why (how could we know if all electronics kicked off?) and luckily there is an experienced older fella with a mysterious history working for the government back in the day and he is a prepper it appears. With his knowledge and experience he leads his neighbourhood in step by step adjustments to bring them together, rally, share, fortify and so forth. In my opinion its a realistic and excellent lesson on how to get through any kind of trying times and do so as a whole instead of alone. It is a series so I'm looking forward to the next to come.

Check it out if you care. I think it would make a fantastic addition to any beginner preppers.

I am indeed enjoying the read so far. Thanks Scotty for the tip!

The nice thing I like about this book is that it doesn't focus on feeding you drama to keep you reading. Instead the author has a great way of presenting means to avoid battle in some tricky situations by presenting logical options instead. He has a good understanding of human nature and his evasion techniques are even quite believable. This is indeed a good book to read and contemplate over concerning how mankind could persevere without turning upon each other as so many proclaim is inevitable.

Sometimes violence is met with violence, but "rationality is still a good tool to have in the shed and one which should often be reached for first."

I found this book in epub format here http://katproxy.com/eric-walters-the-rule-of-three-rule-of-three-1-epub-plex-t10272269.html and PDF format here http://katproxy.com/the-rule-of-three-by-eric-walters-t8054706.html

Indeed a great book.
I'm not a big reader for pleasure...instead I read mostly for learning, but this is one I couldn't put down.
Finished it in 2 days!

Glad you are enjoying/enjoyed it. Found number 2 in the series the other day but its on the shelf screaming at me to read it. I'm distracted with book 5 of The Remaining series at the moment. 😉 Another good series but more along the line of The Crazies and with heavy military overtones. Not much to be gained here for preppers but just brainless post poc entertainment is to be had.

I will grab that book when I'm out tomorrow. I sure appreciate hearing everyone's thoughts and ideas. I have a firepit but was thinking it would be good to make an outdoor area (mostly with stone and mortar )that would include wood cooking and prep areas so that I could "entertain" outside and in stressful times be able to offer tea or whatever without anyone going in my house. I think keeping people unaware of your wealth of supplies is going to be important. Make sure you aren't the only one not losing weight lol.
I think helping to organize and take your turn on neighbor patrols already in place in many areas is important. And if things go bad helping organize trading so everyone can get what they need and working with others to make sure elderly and such are taken care of doesn't make you stand out as badly as someone with supplies. I might have rice to offer, but sure as poop the other ladies will have canning.
I know a lot of people don't have a community to go into and that makes bugging out tough. I have a city friend who thinks if the SHTF I should race for the hills like many others, but I have built a cabin from logs (we got 4 ft up and used lumber for the rest)and I know how few people that head for the hills with only what they can carry will never make it through their first winter. I'm willing to stay put and protect myself and my family the best I can with making preparations for safety ahead and working on being food self sufficient-with lots of staples on hand so that even if my garden gets raided we will still manage (maybe grow some hidden patches in sunny spots in the trees) I'm not ready to share with many that I prep but only that it's a good thing to think about and see where they stand. And try to be there for my neighbors now so that they'll be on my side in troubled times. Like the family up the road from me whose mobile home burned to the ground two weeks after the insurance co cancelled their insurance for having a wood stove (it was an electrical fire) they were in another (larger) mobile within a month thanks to everyone chipping in.
So hopefully we can get through other stuff together.

And for my sniper tower-it'll look like a kids tree fort. I'm looking into the strength of puck-board vs bullets. Might make good windows.

Remember the scene in the movie Maverick where Mav is chatting with his Native friend Joseph and Joseph says something like, "Next time I'm going to set up in the stinkiest swamp I can find so you people leave me alone." ??
I used to think that was a good idea, then I saw all the big fancy houses around Buffalo Lake ("Biggest slew in Alberta") and realised someone always wants what you have.

Plan 'A' A good Bug Out Location
Plan 'B' A bugout from the good Bug Out Location
Plan 'C' A way back to the good Bug Out Location

There is no perfect answer...