08/26/2023
Hello 22:3 family,
Lloyd here.
Just looking back, updating, and sending out some old thoughts, hope you enjoy it.
It is a bit to read!
Many of us are open with our preps, probably not a great idea, as it does have distinct negative effects on our operational security however, I also look at it like The Duke in Big Jake when he rode through the town with a trunk of cash out in the open on the donkey “we have it, they know we have it, and we are showing them that they can’t have it” (or something like that) That being said, we should not let folks know “everything we have”. Here is the rub we want to ensure that we have a group of people to allow for security and normal chores as survival is not a spectator sport and requires man (or woman) power, the folks or prospective folks that we talk to will not only be looked at for what they bring to the table but also need to or require to know what the group has to offer them. Unfortunately, during this process, we can introduce a problem with each new interview. What is it you ask that we have mistakenly now brought forward……
The bragger, mole…..or….Ephialtes of Sparta effect
So just like in any job interview, we must find out about the person, now keep in mind, the skills that we are looking for will probably not be easily verifiable so to speak and we will have to take the person’s word for what they bring to the group, which will ultimately be exaggerated, just like a job interview but with more dire consequences for their failure. Take into consideration that along with their skills, they also bring with them their personal habits, beliefs, and morality based upon their life experiences and ultimately their personal desires. Someone’s real life is hard to discern, in lieu of a resume or a criminal background check, all we have to go on is what they say, how they act and, in the end, whether our b.s. alarm starts to blare. Now add to this that we have to consider just how they will interact with all of the existing people in the group. Remember, everything may be great in the beginning, but the negative issues can slowly fester and rot until we run into the issues of not only the “new guy” being asked or even forced to leave with threats of dire consequences, we may have to part ways up to the point of banishment with those who might side with them and/or no longer have the best long term interest of the group in mind. This is very similar to a toxic player in a locker room in sports, it can absolutely disintegrate any sense of teamwork in no time.
The first one I like to call “The bragger” they may just be someone who has been offered a place in the group and decides not to join, then to gain respect or credentials with their other friends, ends up telling others about your retreat, group, basic capabilities, or logistics. (This has happened to me, sometimes just through observation) Of course once we find out this happened it is too late, we can’t rectify the situation without picking up and moving 300 miles away…not likely to happen. This person who could also be a regular group member, probably did not mean to cause a problem, people just like to brag and receive the accolades for being cool, having cool stuff or being part of a “cool” group….heck, I have even done it…just look at the pictures I post of my old Land Rover Maggie. Probably having a preparedness store in the past, doesn’t help much either. Something that I have been chastised for in the past is having fi****ms displays at the old store when we first opened as it showed people what types of fi****ms I have. HOWEVER, it also shows them what they will have to deal with if they decide to try and take what we have, which may change a person’s mind as the risk may outweigh the reward, which could save lives in the end. We have to live with the breach and soldier on. Iterate and reiterate to the folks not to tell others, seeing that everyone not in the group that does know about it, is someone who may have to be dealt with later when they want or demand some of what your group has. I would try and explain that they may even be putting not only the group but their friend’s physical wellbeing or life at risk in that situation. Again, we will have to just adjust and work through it; if we can’t deal with it and find it to be a constant issue we may have to boot the person out of the group, but this is when another problem raises its ugly head.
This is when, what I like to call the Ephialtes effect comes into play. If anyone remembers the movie 300, in the movie Ephialtes, a physically deformed Spartan man who was hidden from the other Spartans as a baby by his parents to stop them from removing him from the society due to his birth defects (killed) He talks to King Leonidas about his loyalty and that he has trained to be a fighter, but due to his physical limitations is only to be allowed to perform tertiary duties (helping in the rear) by King Leonidas because he cannot raise his shield to secure the defensive phalanx making the formation vulnerable. Well, being spurned, he goes to the enemy, the God-King Xerxes and because The God-King “accepts him with his flaws” takes him in and gives him the duty and honor he believes he deserves and a mission. He then gives up the location of the secret paths to allow the 300 to be flanked by the enemy.
Once the person or persons are not allowed to join or are banished from a group, they will want revenge, they will seek out the best source for the revenge and they can and will justify it within their own mind if only to get back at the alleged antagonist that led to their situation (even though their own mouth and/or attitude was probably the actual culprit)
This will get life threateningly dangerous very, very fast. I know some folks will say “Joe would never do anything like that, he is a good Christian man”. Let me make this as clear as possible, when he, she or they get hungry they will do whatever is required to eat or feed their hungry family, if their family leaves with them…which they will probably need to, otherwise you have sowed the seeds for the possibility to end up with……
The mole:
Just like any mole in history, be they a government spy, counter spy, double agent or whatever, they will stay among your group and feed information to the outed former member while keeping up the façade of loyalty. The old saying that blood is thicker than water needs to be considered, the chances are that unless the exiled family member did something so horrendous and unthinkable to the other family member there will always be a certain amount of loyalty to the ousted family member and the motivation to help them in some way. This is when the decisions are the hardest, the non-guilty family member did nothing wrong but could in the future. We must monitor how they are reacting to the allegations, and outcome of the OPSEC violation by the accused. Chances are pretty good that if they are outraged by the idea, that their family member could have done it even in the presence of overwhelming evidence….there is going to be a problem.
A hard decision must be made on the spot; this decision, however, must be made as a group.
You might find that this could be the end of the group, and possibly the end of the road for all concerned. You are damned if you do, and damned if you don’t stick together under the current circumstances. Although I have put some thought into this matter, I have no clear direction as to where I would go, or course of action I would recommend to the group.
Treachery is the hardest thing in the world to deal with. When you put the security and livelihood of your family in the hands of others it is a dangerous thing, and it is all on you but still affects others. Remember “you can delegate authority, but you cannot delegate responsibility”!
In closing I am going back to another movie quote from the cave scene with the old knight in Indiana Jones and Last Crusade about picking the true Holy Grail “choose but choose wisely” …when everything goes wrong…the knight states,” He chose poorly”
I know I don’t post anywhere near as often as I should , but pltease remember to…..Keep Calm & Prep On!
Lloyd
