Seems like we should be planning for an imminent major disruption. At first I thought this article was scaremongering, but one sentence stood out to me....
“We were close enough in 2008 (if the bank bailout hadn't worked),” he said. “and what's coming is on 20 times that scale”.
Here is the whole article...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/stock-up-on-canned-food-for-stock-market-crash-warns-former-gordon-brown-advisor-10469509.html
Your thoughts?
Jeepers he really is scaremongering isn't he!? We all know the banks are broke, they have borrowed so much and they have now stopped the lending cycle with their heavy criteria,
Jeepers he really is scaremongering isn't he!? We all know the banks are broke, they have borrowed so much and they have now stopped the lending cycle with their heavy criteria,
I am not so sure this is scaremongering. He is not a lone voice. The article is also backed by analysts in the field. This recent crash is the largest since 2011 and has had a global financial impact. I find it worrying.
We need change. And a major crash would create change.
What is it that actually worries you? (I'm not saying that nothing should worry you, just - what in particular are your worries?)
We need change. And a major crash would create change.
What is it that actually worries you? (I'm not saying that nothing should worry you, just - what in particular are your worries?)
Er...a little thing called survival! If we have to fend for ourselves, e.g. stockpiling water, food etc I am not exactly ahead of the game there. Are you?
Pretty much. I've been expecting the fall of civilization most of my life and have been working towards it.
A stream that's pretty clean and a good water filter.
Vegetables in the garden and foraging in the wood.
Compost toilet.
Wood burner.
Survival isn't the only reason, of course. Environmentalism is a motivating force. But yes, I guess I'm what the Americans call a 'prepper'.
It's going to happen, even if this crisis turns out not to be The One. And when it does, it's going to be bad.
Pretty much. I've been expecting the fall of civilization most of my life and have been working towards it.
A stream that's pretty clean and a good water filter.
Vegetables in the garden and foraging in the wood.
Compost toilet.
Wood burner.Survival isn't the only reason, of course. Environmentalism is a motivating force. But yes, I guess I'm what the Americans call a 'prepper'.
It's going to happen, even if this crisis turns out not to be The One. And when it does, it's going to be bad.
Well done! 
Enviable! I would have liked to have done that. My guess is that you need to be reasonably fit for that kind of physically demanding life, and I am not. (Also am a bit elderly now).
If I were less focused on the now i.e. looked to the future more, I might have been better equipped. Thereagain, life doesn't always enable straight forward decisions being pursued - for instance, I became my mum's full time carer (living with her) for 2 years. My brother and sister being younger and in careers. I am more of a drifter though than a planner.
I've had the impression that you're a couple of years older than me. But yes, I am fit. I've been planning for such an event all my life in terms of learning and planning - my feeling being that I needed to prepare before I could 'sit back' and focus on 'now'.
But until we moved here I couldn't really put much of it into practice. My mother lived with us for the last couple of years of her life, while my brother had Dad living with him and his family. Both Mum and Dad had dementia. Then my partner, Christine, became ill and, as you know, had an operation and is now disabled.
I've always wanted somewhere to live simply and be as self-sufficient as possible. But it's only the last couple of years I've been able to put it into practice.
Do either of you not consider that if everyone went out and did as this person suggested...it could trigger exactly the problem he is predicting? Also I am struggling to connect a banking crash and a failure of our water/ sewerage system.... I avoid bottled water . Why should a banking crash mean I won't get acceptable water out of a tap?
Do either of you not consider that if everyone went out and did as this person suggested...it could trigger exactly the problem he is predicting? Also I am struggling to connect a banking crash and a failure of our water/ sewerage system.... I avoid bottled water . Why should a banking crash mean I won't get acceptable water out of a tap?
Yes of course that is a well worn argument re. people dashing to get supplies and depleting them prematurely. One day though this may well happen and NOT prematurely! Also those who are already focused on surviving ('preppers') have already got stocked up.
Re. access to clean water - or water at all. If the wheels of society grind to a halt then the ramifications would profoundly affect life as we know it, i.e what we take for granted would then be in question.
Yes of course that is a well worn argument re. people dashing to get supplies and depleting them prematurely. One day though this may well happen and NOT prematurely! Also those who are already focused on surviving ('preppers') have already got stocked up.
Re. access to clean water - or water at all. If the wheels of society grind to a halt then the ramifications would profoundly affect life as we know it, i.e what we take for granted would then be in question.
Agreed....if society ground to a halt and it could happen....I just don't see a bank crash causing it... Although there is a comet around that I believe poses a small threat....but then maybe I have read Lucifers Hammer one time too many 🙂
I don't think a bank crash will do it, either. But something will - and probably in my life-time. We already know that climate change is affecting many lives. Within half a centaury it will affect everybody.
War has done it over much of the globe. Environmental exploitation helps. When I was a child no one talked about famine in Africa. Ethiopia was one of the most fertile countries in the world. Things change - quickly.
So, no. No need to panic. But plenty of need to prepare. I'm not saying have a 'bug-out bag' (although for some people it would be a good idea), but have some idea of what you'll do when TSHTF.
Wish I could take a few leafs out of Crowan's book - stream water and woodland foraging sound great! (Although not too practical in London..)
I hear they're talking about QE3. Oh, yeah, Christmas bonuses coming up.
Wish I could take a few leafs out of Crowan's book - stream water and woodland foraging sound great! (Although not too practical in London..)
The streams, no. But I bet it's possible to forage in the parks - for a bit of greenery at least.