DUAL MINDEDNESS

A thought, a concept, has been plagueing me for the last few days. I find people retaining contradictory thoughts in their mind. They know something, or they can see something, but a different understanding is shown in their actions. It's like things don't match up. It's like they have self brainwashed their own minds. I think the psychiatrists call this Cognitive Dissonance. They define CD as feeling stress from entertaining two opposite thoughts or opinions. I call it like the Bible calls it and that it dual mindedness.

And it exists. It's obvious that it exists. I read a study from the middle of last year that found that 40% of Fox News fans still believe that Saddam Hussein backed the 9-11 attacks and had Weapons of Mass Destruction. And I don't believe a word of it. I believe that the Neo-cons tried everything in their power to find WMD and could not. I mean, they would have LOVED to find the damn things. They would have been ecstatic! It would have validated their claims against Saddam Hussein. It would have warranted their whole effort in the Mid-East. But it just was not so. However, 40% of the Fox News viewers still believe in it. And this is what I call dual mindedness. On the one hand you have the might of the US war machine searching and finding nothing. You have months of UN inspectors searching and finding nothing. You still have troops over there by the boatload and they ain't even finding the stuff by accident. But the believers in this charade are still afloat and sailing merrily along. Go figure.

The basis for present day survivalism is the possibility of a nuclear war, an invasion, a pandemic, or an economic collapse. Or maybe a mixture of a couple or three. And the evidence of this possibility is unavoidable of anyone who keeps track of what is going on in the world. We are getting close to a collapse of the money right now. With the dollar in the shape it is in, we are getting priced out of the market. Driving has become something of a necessity and not a pleasure. Who can find pleasure in $4 a gallon gasoline when the price is expected to rise to $6 or $7 by the end of the Summer. The statistics say that the US drivers have really cut back and the gasoline usage has dropped measurably. But the price does not reflect this. Someone is buying that oil whether we do or not.

With this in mind I say to prepare for the worst. I'm not chicken little running around crying the sky is falling. Gasoline HAS doubled in price and is expected to go higher by those that are supposed to know. The prices that Handmaiden pays at the store have gone up a BUNCH in the last year. She still gets a deal from the Amish on a few things but that is the extent of her bargains. Our meat bill has gone down because I happen to love rice and beans and we just don't have to use as much meat these days. I get my sausage and eggs in the morning and very little meat after that. But that is because of the rice and beans. And we have to rotate the Brown Rice. One of my friends says that is a crock of shit but most say it is not. In this case I will listen to a multitude of counselors for my good.

I think to grind some more corn flour today. I love that cornmeal mush in the morning. Reminds me of good times as a kid. A big plate of mush laying there in hot slabs with butter running off of it onto the plate and getting salted by me to the proper taste. MAN! I'm starting to get hungry just talking about it. But that comes from my hillbilly genetics. Hillbillies are really the chosen people, you understand. At least they were chosen to create some of the best cheap meals on the planet. Simple, nutitious food. Just remember to eat your greens. Remembering this good food and good times and all that does NOT, however, take away from the fact that I would like to continue to eat on a regular basis in the time that God has left for me to run my course. "A body that hath prepared me to do thay will" comes to mind right here. I used to think about that when I was going to breed another child and I was gazing at the vessel of possible creation evironment. And that ain't all malarky. Does it not say "Go forth and multiply and replenish the earth"? I was just following orders. Yep. Hatched out a few kids too. And I like them. Can't help it. "No man as yet hateth his own flesh."

Besides my immediate family I have many friends and they have many children. Ain't no celibacy practiced around these parts that I know of! And I like these people and I want to see that they are all okay and I am growing food to feed them in case of a bad time in the near future. I will probably continue to plan on feeding them if things DO change. Getting back to my single mindedness, I do not trust the system any longer. I honestly feel that way and I base my actions upon that premise. It's kinda like Jeff Cooper and his "Combat Mindset." He had his mind made up and that was that. You attack him and he was going to shoot you without even thinking first. He was that convinced of his own mind. And I reckon I am that way about survivalism. I am sure that its the way to go and I will stick with it. I love people. That don't mean I love everything they do but I love the human family.

It has been said that the human family is just natually schizophrenic. We have to overcome this. We have to get it straight in our minds that we are going to do the best we can with what we have to work with. It's not saying we can't have some fun and enjoyment along the way, for a merry heart doeth good like medicine, but we must stay the course and be ready for when the hard times come. And charity begins ar home. He that careth not for his own household is worse than an infidel. That is a heavy statement. I don't want any of the brothers who have gone on before me looking down and thinking I am an infidel. I might get questioned about that.

So don't be dual minded. Keep your eyes on the prize and your families alive. Be ready for the hard times that anyone of any common sense would recognize. We are not playing a game. We are not making merry. We are a serious bunch of folks who recognize what is going on in the world and and intend to live through the anguish. Stay alive.

Michael

mboone@rtccom.net