Organizing into groups

[jamesneuen]

So I have heard the pro's and con's of organizing into groups and trying to stay in very small groups on their own. I have read ST's "The Group" and loved it. Cheesy as it sounds I have picked up a few gems from Walking Dead, The Road, Firefly, Jericho, The Colony and Defiance. I believe that while starting out on a small community of like minded individuals there should always be a set precedence in place for allowing people into a group to expand on their skills and resources. Anyone who argues that they could survive indefinitely on their own is a fool in my opinion but to each their own.

So I pose this to the fine group of like minded individuals out there,

1. How would you decide to allow people into your group? (ability to sustain them, needed skills, reproduction/gene pool, or simple companionship if a single person)

2. What would your "initiation" be? (questions, proof of values/skills,)

3. How long would it be before you trusted them or truly relied on them without graft or leverage of some kind?

4. What other concerns would you have?

[Sniper-T]

I'll think about this for a bit... but I think that my views came out pretty clear in my book... and when I have time to finish Part 3; will be concise.

Thanks for reading, James; feedback is more than welcome. especially mistakes! I've cleaned up a few inconsistencies since I posted, and added little bits here and there for clarity, as suggested. The more eyes the better!

btw, great topic!

[jamesneuen]

I've loved reading it. I can't wait for more but I really think people will try to hold onto conventional morals much longer and it will kill them. I think that what you have described in the story though as a little unrealistic as far as how conveniently a few of the groups of people that help each other goes.



But i still love your sorry and I ask these questions because of how people have responded when i broach the subject of prepping. Many regard me as an idiot or extreme. For that reason alone I see finding a large group of like minded people will be difficult. Charity will not be one of my strong points I'm afraid when it comes to allowing people in.

[Sniper-T]

Keep in mind, that this particular group of people were set, by design, to be of less than normal set of values...
about the meetings, please pm me with your thoughts... I want to hear it!

[realist]

Okay so who would be in the group? Well since these people would be in a position to cover my six I would want to make sure I could trust them. I need to be able to trust them with my family if I were a way. So I would have to know this person well. Obviously first off would be family, then close friends. So how do others fit in? Well I have made contact with a bunch of different people over time and most don't fit the bill. There are about six or seven who I am looking at and this had been over the past two years. The big problem is working things into everyones schedules. Not all these people know each other. What would be the initiation - trust would be the final thing. These people who I know have all the skills which we would need in an emergency.

[yokel]

groups are a no-no area for me, how can you trust anyone either now or post SHTF? finding like minded people in my area is a non starter, so my group will be me +1 .

[Sniper-T]

For most of us groups are a necessary evil. As much as I'd like to say that it would be me and the MRS. against the world, that is not a likely survival scenario, as we would both need to sleep, and work to sustain. It is tough enough now maintaining the household, gardens, collecting and gathering, and that is with current conveniences like the quad and trailer. If I had to haul water by hand to service all of my garden plots, it would become an all day affair at least a couple times a week.

It's quick and easy now to throw a nutricious meal on the table, but cooking over a fire, not so quick, then heating water for dishes, washing, etc; will all take exponentially more time than currently. Granted, if SHTF I wouldn't be going to work every day, but little things now that take very little time will be drawn out much longer. ie. I can whip up a garden box in a few minutes with my table saw and cordless drill, but handsaws and screwdrivers or hammer and nails, all take longer.

So what does all this mean? Unless I want to be busting my butt all day to maintain the homestead, while also on guard duty, and then stay up all night on guard duty... I don't have much choice but to have additional people to help share the work.

So, it is easy to say 'friends and family' But my nearest close family(on my side) is 1500 km away; and while I do have some distant cousins and stuff nearer, I have no contact with them. (my choice). Friends? I have a solid few who would come together if the situation dictated it, but a bunch of others who quite honestly would not be welcome. Sure they're fine now for watching the fights, or having a beer, but their skill set ends with their ability to process food into waste.

So, there comes the tough question... walk ups, either acquaintences or strangers... Who to accept, and when to trust...

That's a toughie, I'd like to think I have a pretty good read of people and would rely heavily on that to start, but then their actions and usefulness would determine whether they stand guard duty alone, or with someone trusted, and whether or not they would even be given or allowed to have a gun.

[Domeguy]

I have agree that my thoughts running almost parallel with Mr. S here. Right now, while things are calm, I would like to think it's just me and the Mrs. But I know if things fall apart over night, we wouldn't make it too far alone. I seemed to be born with the ability to fix things mechanically, and to be able to look at something, and see what's wrong, and how to fix it. But that went out the door when they started putting computer chips in everything. But hopefully, although that isn't the best word to use, if things fall apart, computerized things won't work, and it will go back to gears and pulleys again, and then I may have a useable skill again. My wife is a nurse, just about the best skill to have in a SHTF scenario.

[Stormfeather]

1. How would you decide to allow people into your group? (ability to sustain them, needed skills, reproduction/gene pool, or simple companionship if a single person)

We pretty much decicded as a gorup ourselves to form and start working on a plan. As for allowing other folks in, that will probably be on a case by case basis, with a majority vote of all members of our group. Those in the minority must be able to verbalize why they wouldnt want the person in the group, and it would be taken into consideration. As for skills, it would have to be mechanical and medical, we are pretty plus'ed up in all other areas.

2. What would your "initiation" be? (questions, proof of values/skills,)

Must be able to prove they bring something to the table that we cannot provide ourselves, either thru experience or skills set. If its something we can learn ourselves, we probably wont bother talking to you. If they do pass, then pretty much its going to take that person performing extraordinarily for us to trust them. All of us guys (and one of the gals) have deployed together, and have patrolled the mean streets from Baghdad to Kabul and a few points in between. It takes a hell of a lot to get thru to that mindset, so you best be good at what you do.

3. How long would it be before you trusted them or truly relied on them without graft or leverage of some kind?

Never.

4. What other concerns would you have?

Our group of friends are pretty tight, and close knit, if something doesnt pass the smell test, we are going to say something, and the wives are the first ones to speak up usually. They arent catty like typical females, which is really nice, and they actually value the other ladies opinions.

[ladyhk13]

groups are a no-no area for me, how can you trust anyone either now or post SHTF? finding like minded people in my area is a non starter, so my group will be me +1 .

I don't blame you living over there. Maybe you could find some Americans who would have a closer mindset to yours?