What will the zombies do when they come to get your stuff?
Are Black Friday Riots A Preview Of The Civil Unrest That Is Coming When Society Breaks Down?
If Americans will trample one another just to save a few dollars on a television, what will they do when society breaks down and the survival of their families is at stake? Once in a while an event comes along that gives us a peek into what life could be like when the thin veneer of civilization that we all take for granted is stripped away. For example, when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey there was rampant looting and within days people were digging around in supermarket dumpsters looking for food. Sadly, “Black Friday” also gives us a look at how crazed the American people can be when given the opportunity. This year was no exception. Once again we saw large crowds of frenzied shoppers push, shove, scratch, claw, bite and trample one another just to save a few bucks on cheap foreign-made goods. And of course most retailers seem to be encouraging this type of behavior. Most of them actually want people frothing at the mouth and willing to fight one another to buy their goods. But is this kind of “me first” mentality really something that we want to foster as a society? If people are willing to riot to save money on a cell phone, what would they be willing to do to feed their families? Are the Black Friday riots a very small preview of the civil unrest that is coming when society eventually breaks down?
Once upon a time, Thanksgiving was not really a commercial holiday. It was a time to get together with family and friends, eat turkey and express thanks for the blessings that we have been given.
But in recent years Black Friday has started to become even a bigger event than Thanksgiving itself.
Millions of Americans have become convinced that it is fun to wait in long lines outside retail stores in freezing cold weather in the middle of the night to spend money that they do not have on things that they do not need.
And of course very, very few “Black Friday deals” are actually made in America. So these frenzied shoppers are actually killing American jobs and destroying the U.S. economy as well.
The absurdity of Black Friday was summed up very well recently in a statement that has already been retweeted on Twitter more than 1,000 times…
“Black Friday: because only in America people trample each other for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have.”
It has gotten to the point where it is now expected that there will be mini-riots all over the country early on Black Friday morning each year. The following are a few examples of the craziness that we saw this year…
-”Fights break out when stores open on Black Friday”
-”Black Friday madness at Georgia Wal-Mart”
-”Black Friday Frenzy: 2 Run Down in Washington, Man Pulls Gun in Texas”
-”Black Friday 2012: Rush at Victoria’s Secret Pink at Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kan.”
-”Black Friday shoppers smash door at Urban Outfitters”
-”Black Friday Shopping Hysteria From Around The Country [PHOTOS]”
-”Disturbance leads to scare at Westroads Mall”
-”Teens In Custody After Woodland Mall Fight”
-”Boy Robbed During Black Friday Shopping At Arundel Mills”
-”Shoppers Were So Obsessed With Black Friday Deals They Left Their Infants Unattended”
Fortunately, many Americans are starting to get fed up with Black Friday. In fact, one activist named Mark Dice actually went out and heckled Black Friday shoppers this year. I found the following You Tube video to be very funny, and I think most of you will too…
In the end, it is not that big of a deal that people want to fight with one another to save 50 dollars on a cell phone.
But this kind of extreme selfishness and desperation could become a massive problem someday if society breaks down and suddenly millions of extremely selfish and desperate people are scrambling for survival.
With each passing day our economy is getting even weaker, and the next wave of the economic collapse is rapidly approaching. What are people going to do when the next spike in unemployment hits us and nobody can find work?
To get an idea of where things are headed, just look at Europe. In both Greece and Spain the unemployment rate is over 25 percent and civil unrest has become almost a constant problem in both of those countries.
So what kind of riots will we see in the United States when the economy gets much worse than it is now?
Already there are signs of social decay all around us, and most Americans are completely unprepared for what will happen if a major disaster or emergency does strike.
Sadly, the reality is that most Americans live on a month to month basis. Most families do not have any emergency savings to speak of, and one recent poll found that 55 percent of all Americans only have enough food in their homes to survive for three days or less.
To me, that is an absolutely insane number.
We just came through a summer of extreme drought and global food supplies have dropped to a 40 year low. Our world is becoming increasingly unstable, and the global financial system could fall apart at any time. Most of us just assume that there will always be huge amounts of very cheap food available to us, but unfortunately that simply is not a safe assumption. The following is from a recent article in the Guardian…
Evan Fraser, author of Empires of Food and a geography lecturer at Guelph University in Ontario, Canada, says: “For six of the last 11 years the world has consumed more food than it has grown. We do not have any buffer and are running down reserves. Our stocks are very low and if we have a dry winter and a poor rice harvest we could see a major food crisis across the board.”
“Even if things do not boil over this year, by next summer we’ll have used up this buffer and consumers in the poorer parts of the world will once again be exposed to the effects of anything that hurts production.”
When I watch my fellow Americans trample one another to get a deal on a television or a video game, it makes me wonder what they would be willing to do if they went to the store someday and all the food was gone.
Desperate people do desperate things, and someday if there was a major economic breakdown in the United States I think the level of desperation in this country would be extremely frightening.
So what do you think? Please feel free to post a comment with your thoughts below…
Stigmation says:
If you are not ready for this yet, you will never be. Take condolence in the fact the when the end comes and you come near me. You will die quickly…..
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
5 
0
24th November 2012 at 8:23 pm
Roysyl says:
The farceical “Rule of Law” will be overiden by The Laws of Nature, 1. survival 2. propagation. Three minuites without air, three days without water and three weeks without food and you are dead, plan accordingly.
Rember the 1973 oil embargo, everyone topped off their tanks which used up all the storage capacity resulting in shortages. The grocery stores will be striped in less than a day with only three day supply in the “just in time” supply chain.
The government wage recipents will be foraging for substence competing with the FSA. They are armed and dangerous.
SS and Medicare will become solvent with the dramatic lowering of life expectency.
There will be a glut of after market organs for transplant. If brain transplants become a reality politicans brains will be in great demand since most are like new, having hardly been used.
Woman and minorities will most affected.
Sauve qui peut My spell check inop Roy
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
11 
0
24th November 2012 at 9:03 pm
sangell says:
There was a 1962? movie “Panic in the Year Zero” that was a surprisingly good glimpse of what social collapse would be like today. Ray Milland is taking his family on a vacation in their camping trailer when they see a nuclear bomb explode over Los Angeles. To get to their camping hideaway Milland needs to cross a highway full of cars racing away from the city. Taking a can of gasoline from the trailer he pours it onto the roadway as his horrified way asks what he is doing. “I’m making a Stop sign” he shouts back at her and tells her to floor it once traffic stops as cars screech and crash into one another to avoid the flames on the road. Lots of similiar scenes including trading some ammo with a doctor for some antibiotics after they run into a gang of black leather clad hoodlums claiming to be the ‘new highway patrol’!
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
0
24th November 2012 at 9:42 pm
AKAnon says:
Amusing. Confession time-I sort of participated in Black Friday myself, for the first time ever. I had to work Friday anyway, and Home Depot had a killer sale on generators-I was in the market for a spare or two. Bastards opened at 5:00, I rolled in at 6:15 on the way to work, and the fuckers were sold out. No crowds, no fuss, but no uber cheap gensets either.
Then today, the little Honda I was bragging up a few weeks ago shit the bed. Sumbitch still runs and pulls as much load as ever, but it is burning more oil than gas. Ran it for 10 minutes, and the blue smokescreen lasted for an hour. Who knows, maybe it’ll be OK when it’s warmer, but at -20F, she’s smokin’ bad. So now I’m in the market for a couple generators.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
5 
0
24th November 2012 at 9:54 pm
Reverse Engineer says:
You are at MINUS 20 in Fairbanks? We haven/t had a Sub-Zero day yet in the Mat Valley. It’s practically summer here, mostly 20 above.
RE
Like or Dislike:
4 
0
24th November 2012 at 10:00 pm
Hope@ZeroKelvin says:
I do not have nearly enough ammo.
Hot debate. What do you think?
5 
3
24th November 2012 at 10:01 pm
Reverse Engineer says:
“I do not have nearly enough ammo.”-HZK
Practice with a Sling. You’ll never run out of rocks.
RE
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
11 
0
24th November 2012 at 10:07 pm
AKAnon says:
High today (where I was, in a valley bottom) was maybe -15F. We have had many lows into the -20s, haven’t hit -30 yet, but forecast for next week. It has been pretty cold since late October, but warm up till then. I was still riding my Harley in mid-October. That was in the teens and 20s (above), fine riding weather with the right gear, until it snows. When the snow sticks, I park the MC.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
24th November 2012 at 10:20 pm
sangell says:
Unless you are planning on spending years in some wilderness hunting ( and if its gotten to that point discharging a firearm could make you the game) how much ammo do you think is really necessary?
I have 200 rounds for AR-15 and a bit more for my AR-7 but I would probably be killed before I could use it all up. I mean if I have to fire more than 1 30 round clip to drive off bandits and I have to fight off bandits on a regular basis I’m going to be caught with my pants down or a bandit round is going to get me before I use up 200 rounds.
BTW the police and military will still be around and if past urban riots are any guide the underclass doesn’t really roam outside their communities. Organization is not their strong suit so while a car load or two might make an appearance some place the idea that thousands would come pouring into your neighborhood seems unlikely. Its also useful to remember famines are not new and for whatever reason people tend to starve quietly without rising up.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
0
24th November 2012 at 10:35 pm
crazyivan says:
” I mean if I have to fire more than 1 30 round clip to drive off bandits and I have to fight off bandits on a regular basis I’m going to be caught with my pants down or a bandit round is going to get me before I use up 200 rounds.”- sangell
Ammo is like airspeed, a certain amount is required. The lower you get, the less options you have.
Excess airspeed can be exchanged for more altitude and/or more time, however any shortcoming in airspeed has to be bought and paid for on the spot with more thrust, less altitude or less time
Ammo can be traded for anything, from a bottle of vodka to a blowjob, (I assume), if the need arises.
Also I believe that it is better to be out of vodka than ammo.
The trick is to develop a balance between ammo, vodka and blowjobs. A daunting task.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
10 
0
24th November 2012 at 12:08 am
AKAnon says:
CrazyIvan summarizes the conundrum perfectly. But remember, looking forward, anything you can stock up on in advance (like airspeed) is an asset to redeem later. Think I’ll buy some more whiskey. Maybe some vodka too. I’ll be needing those blowjobs later.
Like or Dislike:
3 
0
24th November 2012 at 12:26 am
ecliptix543 says:
Shit.. 200 rounds is an afternoon at the range. When you’re sitting in the house looking at them, 200 looks like plenty. When you’re trying to engage multiple moving targets, 200 is gone before you even know what happened. Not trying to be a dick or anything, but 5.56/.223 is still easy to find and cheap to acquire. Please do so. Think about stopping when you have at least 1,000 per rifle, and the magazines to have at least 300 at the ready. Also, give preference to foreign manufactured surplus rounds, particularly European production from the ’90s and up. My experience is that either British or German surplus 5.56 and the occasionally available 7.62×51 are truly top shelf product at solid bargain prices (in bulk, of course).
Seriously though, 200 isn’t enough unless you’re planning on being dead within a few months. It just goes way too fast when you have to shoot first and count later. One last tip – and this goes for all guns that are set aside for defensive purposes: Figure out what bullet weight and manufacturer works best and ONLY stock that round. Having three or four different bullet types means you also have three or four sight zeros, as well as three or four trajectories to compensate for if you have to stretch a shot beyond the zero on your sights or scope. Even small variances can have serious effects in as little as 50m. The shorter the barrel, the more pronounced the variations, due to lower velocity.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
1
24th November 2012 at 6:18 am
Bullock says:
200 rounds? Hell I could probably scrape up 100 rounds of the floor of my pickup.
Ecliptix543 understands guns and ammo real well. Read his post more than once so you understand it. I have been through many rounds to find out what each of my guns like. One of my AR’S likes a totally different round than the other one and they both come from the same manufacturer.
Guns are fun and soon guns will be your only hope to seeing a new day.
Like or Dislike:
5 
1
24th November 2012 at 10:46 am
sangell says:
While the zombie apocalypse makes interesting discussion and fuels the sale of survivalist gear I think Dr. Burry’s UCLA speech is the far more likely scenario. A gradual degradation in the quality and quantity of our lives. Barring a super volcano, all out war or similiar event that turns civilization off on a huge scale abruptly things will go south slowly almost imperceptibly. In fact, we’re seeing it now.
Despite the twisted and massaged data from ‘official sources’ we see out society is growing shabby.
Things are deteriorating.
The FSA will not be cut off from their SNAP EBT cards due to a Congressional repeal of the program, the montly stipend will just not increase even as food prices do. Hospitals will not deny people care the care will just deteriorate. Law and order will not break down people will just learn to be more cautious, restrict the times and areas they are willing to venture into or shop at. Stores will become more ‘hardened’ and or pull out of high crime areas. Police will go hi-tech and adopt the same methods our military has developed to track terrorists. Drones and other surveillance techniques will make like tough for criminals. OTOH as criminal gangs come to control the communities they operate in the ability to arrest and prosecute them will deteriorate ( it already has as no one will talk to police much less testify in court in underclass communities). We will see more riots as police will have to resort to SWAT tactics to even venture into our lawless zones.
Still, for those fortunate enough to be working and making enough money to live outside the underclass zones life won’t change dramatically. A 20% decline in GDP doesn’t mean a return to the dark ages.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
6 
0
24th November 2012 at 12:04 pm
Thunderbird says:
The pendulum has already started to swing the other way. College grads can’t get jobs, food stamps at their highest level of distribution, corporations contracting, the quality of products deteriorating, section 8 housing increasing, and food prices ready to explode…. I say the signs are all over that we are in trouble. More government taxes and control is only going to make matters worse.
I have to just say this… When I hear that a college graduate cannot find work or create their own work I have to scratch my head and wonder what kind of an education they got or if they got anything out of their education at all? What gives? My education gave me the tools to either get work or create my own work. So what we appear to have today is educated Zombies. Am I wrong?
We are a totally controlled society. This was not the case when I was young. We had a growing and prosperous society then. People let the government at all levels take their power and tell them what to do. We can’t even build a small shed on our property for our lawn mower without government permission. Our children can’t even run a lemonade stand in our own yard without a permit. We can’t even have a yard sale without government permission and permit that costs money.
This really shows how brain dead people have become. Zombie is a good name for us.
So yes, those that can see what is coming are rightfully concerned.
Get prepared if you haven’t already because it is my feeling that after the first of the year the pendulum is going to swing faster and the problems we face are going to show themselves in full force.
Good Luck…
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
5 
0
24th November 2012 at 12:24 pm
youcanthavemyglock says:
may I add that you should buy some sort of a tactical vest, backpack and mag pouches so you can…you know actually carry the loaded mags on you? Most engagements will not be long range but I’d def own at least 20 AR-15 30 round magazines and have some of them loaded.
Like or Dislike:
0 
1
24th November 2012 at 1:26 pm
sangell says:
Well you younger guys can fight the good fight on land but if it looks like the shits hitting the fan and heading in my direction I’m getting on my little tugboat and heading a mile or so offshore in Sarasota Bay until the battle is over. I’ve got 10 gallons of water and 18 gallons of diesel, a stove and small refer so I can, in a pinch, live on it for a week. Just hope it doesn’t happen in the summer as it gets hot out there and I don’t have A/C. This time of year its quite cozy on board.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
24th November 2012 at 1:48 pm
IndenturedServant says:
@AKAnon
Sounds like that little honda could be perfect during mosquito season! I’ve heard tall tales about AK mosquitos.
Since that little generator is still running, put a couple ounces of marvel mystery oil in the spark plug hole, turn over once and let sit for a few days. It sounds like you have stuck piston rings. If that does not work try pouring a thin stream of auto tranny fluid down the carb while running it at a constant, higher RPM. It will smoke like a bitch for awhile but it should will clear up. Just the fact that it is running indicates the problem is probably not fatal.
I_S
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
24th November 2012 at 3:09 pm
IndenturedServant says:
sangell said:
“The FSA will not be cut off from their SNAP EBT cards due to a Congressional repeal of the program, the montly stipend will just not increase even as food prices do.”
Once the purchasing power of their entitlement (SNAP, EBT) drops to the point they can no longer stuff their piehole with McShits, it will have the same effect as if Congress repealed it. The only difference might be who gets blamed for the loss of value. Somehow, I doubt that the Dems or the FED will get blamed.
I_S
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
24th November 2012 at 3:15 pm