The Illusion of Food

The Illusion of Food



Most Americans have probably never considered the possibility of a widespread food famine hitting this country. For most people, the very mention of a famine seems ridiculous, something that could never happen here in America.Everyday millions of Americans walk through their local supermarkets filling their baskets with enough food to make it through the week. Sadly, most of these people have never considered grabbing a couple extra cans of food. They stroll through the store blissfully unaware how the whole system is built on a house of cards that’s just waiting to collapse.I think most of these people believe the back of their local grocery store is filled with pallets upon pallets of food. In fact, I often hear people asking the stocker, if they can “go take a look in the back” to see if they have more of a product that’s not out on the shelf. While your parent’s grocery stores may have worked like that, today’s superstores bear very little resemblance to their past counterparts.

The Illusion of Food

Modern day grocery stores operate on what’s known as just-in-time food delivery systems. Very little product is actually stocked at the physical store. In fact, the backs of these stores are often only big enough to process what’s coming in on the trucks. That means what you see on the shelves, is what’s available.

To stay profitable, today’s grocery stores have about a 3-day supply of food on hand at all times. They use complex delivery systems monitor, track, and reorder products on an as needed basis. While these systems have allowed big box stores like Walmart to thrive and take over the entire industry, they have left the average American incredibly vulnerable to even the slightest disruption in the food distribution system.
Every time a natural disaster hits, we witness firsthand how vulnerable our system really is. In what sometimes can be a matter of minutes, entire grocery stores can be stripped bare by a population that’s completely unprepared to deal with even short-term disasters. If you’ve lived through an earthquake, hurricane or even a decent size winter storm, I’m sure you’re probably pretty familiar with the sight of an entire store filled with empty shelves.
While these small-scale disasters usually only last a couple of days or weeks, they provide a very real and very disturbing glimpse into our future. Should our country ever be hit by a major drought, shipping disruption, fuel shortage, or war, the delivery systems we depend on will be brought to its knees in very short order.
It’s already happening…
If you’re still not convinced, head on over to your local sporting goods store and ask to buy some ammo.
 
For the last couple of years now, it’s become almost impossible to find certain types of ammunition in this country. While you can find some off calibers, the popular ones are gone and their not coming back anytime soon.
People are literally waiting for hours in lines, hoping to be at the store when the delivery truck comes in. What’s most freighting about this situation is the fact that the people buying the ammo are still a very small minority of the country. Most Americans are not gun owners, and even among gun owners very few realize there’s even a problem until they go to buy some new ammo.
Everyone needs food; let me repeat that, everyone needs food! If the ammo supplies can be wiped out, by what amounts to only a handful of people when compared to those who buy food, what do you think the grocery stores will look like during a major food shortage or crisis?

There will be Riots on the Streets!

 
During a major food crisis situation, areas that have a high population density will be the hardest hit. These areas rely on a constant flow of goods that must be shipped in on a regular basis. Once the supply lines stop, these areas cannot fulfill people’s basic food and water requirements.
There will be riots in the streets; and that’s probably majorly understating what will happen! Most Americans are not prepared to survive a food shortage or crisis; they simply don’t have the skills, the supplies, or the mental strength to survive for more than a couple of days without food and water.

You must be Prepared to Feed Yourself

Don’t listen to the government’s bullshit advice about having 72 hours’ worth of supplies; that number doesn’t even come close to what you really need. In my opinion, two weeks is the absolute minimum amount of supplies that you should have on hand at all times, and even that’s a very conservative number.
I advise immediately going out and buying two weeks’ worth of food and water.  Once you hit that goal, you should then set a goal for 3, 6, and then 12 months’ worth of food.

You Need to Be Prepared to Defend Yourself

While the world might be filled with millions of good and decent people, during a crisis situation these people can and will quickly become unpredictable. Your once jolly neighbor might become a raving madman when he’s faced with the prospect of not being able to feed himself and his family. You must be prepared, and know how to defend yourself from those that failed to take preparedness seriously.

You Have to Learn to Be Self-sufficient

Being prepared for a food crisis means so much more than just stockpiling food.  To be truly prepared, you must learn how to be self-sufficient. This means learning how to grow your own foods, studying the wild edibles in your area, and learning how to hunt, fish and trap your own food.

Final Thought – Expat Out & Forget All This Crazy Stuff

Folks, look around and see what is happening. Have you taken your pulse recently? Are you big time stressed out? Why not just leave all this stuff behind and why even worry about it?

It is amazing that folks dont believe its possible. they seem to forget the dirty 30's. a good example is that 50-60-percent ????? of our food supplys come off the east coast. If the new madrid fault like wakes up wich the experts say it will, it would cut off the rest of the country, cripple the transportation grid on so forth.To mamy are in a comfort zone. I find myself just thinking  " what if".
        I figured I would answer your post Lobo, dont want ya to fell lonly. LOL

i am not much on gloom and doom stories or scenarios, but i know firsthand what you're getting at. it is a clear and present danger (to quote a famous movie title) that we face. problem is that most people don't think on those terms.in today's society, unfortunately, most people are either too blind to see the big picture, or are too busy to think about it. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out either, i have seen the writing on the wall for many years and know what it will be like when this happens. not if it happens, but when it happens, because it will happen, of course with any luck at all it wont happen in our lifetime. my father taught all of his children how to live off the fat of the land, so i have the knowledge and the tools to do so in the event.

Hi Fonz and Randy, both replies are appreciated - not trying for the doom and gloom, (or I could ask for a doom and gloom topic) just sharing information that I am finding interesting and useful in my quest for understanding and making personal decisions as to whether we stay or become Expats.