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Dear Ferfal,
Wonderful info! I dropped everything to spend all day reading your blog and ordered your book..... You mention that you wonder if Americans can handle a SHTF scenario? Can they survive as well as the Argentineans? I can tell you definitely NO! We Americans are the fattest, laziest, greediest, most disgusting people on the face of the earth ever, IMO. I work in an ER and we have people come in as patients with paper cuts, yes, paper cuts, imaginary rashes, sore throats for 15 minutes, time off work, attention, loneliness, entertainment, drugs, drugs, drugs, and more drugs, etc etc etc.
Many of the patients are filthy.... Some of the women haven't washed "down there" in a month.... Some of the men haven't changed socks in 2 months. You can imagine the stench when we have to undress them for various exams...Often we have to close down and air out an exam room before we can reuse it because the patients stink so badly... 80% of the people in an ER don't need to be there--because they don't have an emergency! I have been in this business for 22 years now and the people get more and more trashy every year....My record is 10 people in a row lying to me where I could actually prove it!
We had a 500# guy call up the ER to say that his 450# wife s**t herself and ordered us to send a nurse out to "wipe her butt." We said we couldn't do that.... 20 minutes later, the wife arrives by squad complaining of chest pain. We do our usual heart attack evaluation costing $1500 to the taxpayers, which was negative naturally. And naturally the patient is a Medicaider, so she doesn't pay a cent. Then we cleaned her up, which is why she came in to the ER in the first place... After that, she demanded a taxi voucher saying she had no way to get back home! 50% of the entire US population has degenerated into human trash like this.... Americans will kill for AC; can you imagine what they will do when the Uncle Sam gravy train stops and their food stamps run short and they have food shortages?? They won't hesitate to bash anyone iin the head for a hamburger and fries. When, not if, the US collapses, it will be the mother of all SHTF scenarios!
There may be upwards of a 40-50% dieoff of population during the collapse chaos, IMO. I had thought about leaving this sinking ship years ago.... but the big problem is that when the SHTF really bad here, it will quickly spread to most of the world.... the global dominoes will all go down, so there really isn't any guaranteed safer place to go to...
BTW, I see most of the rest of the world is equally as soft and weak as us Americans... Think of the Europeans in a panic going berserk over being stranded for 5 hours in the Chunnel... Five days, sure, that I could understand... but five hours? That's making a mountain out of a molehill....
We are definitely on an unsustainable course here in the US. I don't know how much longer we have before the SHTF, but it can't be more than 2-3 years at most, IMO. Great info!
Ellen
Wow Ellen, those sure are some stories.
Glad you like my blog, I'm sure you'll enjoy my book as well.
1/10 of those things would get you kicked out of an ER here in Argentina pretty quick. I’ve been to the ER several time like most of us I suppose, most of the time you could tell people had real injuries, kids with high fever and such.
In general terms people are clearly dirty, something understandable given that in the suburbs 40% of the people don’t have running water and the shantytowns have terrible conditions.
What you mention about the overweight problem in the American society has always been very visible. You cannot avoid noticing that as you walk around you clearly see much more people with overweight problems than in any other country I’ve visited.
First world societies in general are spoiled, and sure, hardships make people tougher in general terms.
I was watching on TV just yesterday, Buenos Aires flooded with a yard of water inside the houses in some places. A disaster? Sure, and it occurred in some of the nicest parts of down town Bs As, mostly Palermo. Firemen threw cords along the streets to help people around, boats moved those that couldn’t walk along the lines with the streets turned into rivers. People complained but not that much, there was probably some criminal activity, but mostly people in general kept calm, already used to not things always being ok.
But it all fairness, I think that in general terms you’ll be hard pressed finding a better society than the American one during hard times. In spite of everything, there’s already some sense of preparedness, while in most other countries there’s not even a word for it. You guys also have the 2nd Amendment and a solid gun culture, again, most countries don’t have that either.
I’ve been in Spain of over a month recently, Europeans are certainly far less prepared than Americans.
There’s a general sheeply feeling, all of them expect the government to watch over them like babies, there’s not even a voice that speaks out on the other side like the one you have in America.
Their society in general has turned almost unisex, you see guys on the malls shopping for clothes almost like women. They even dress in an general unisex kind of way. Men are mostly very skinny, strolling delicately, using tight, bright clothes and fabrics.
God forbid should you carry a knife… guns? They’d wet themselves.
Of course there are exceptions, but this is my general impression.
I’ll pick the American society any day. Don’t mean to offend anyone either. My father is Spaniard, my entire family lives there. It’s just a bit sad to see how the society there as changed.
FerFAL
22 comments:
"We Americans are the fattest, laziest, greediest, most disgusting people on the face of the earth ever, IMO."
I imagine Ellen's work in the ER has exposed her to the worst this country (USA) has to offer.
However, her comment that I have copied above is way out of line. The USA I live in is the hardest working, friendliest, most giving country on the face of the earth, EVER!
Sure, about 20% of the population is scum, but that is the same everywhere.
Thank you, FerFAL, for diplomatically defending the USA.
You're right about the European mentality and the European metrosexual men.
Did you know that lots of guys actually shave their body hair, (including eyebrows) and moisturize their chest, armpits and legs to be smooth like a baby skin?
You're also right about preparedness, when I talk with people about shopping, nearly everyone I speak needs to go to the grocery store every week (or worse, every day!) to get their basic foodstuffs. Otherwise, they would have empty shelves at home.
Ed from Europe
Sadly I have to agree with Ellen's assesment of U.S. society. ER workers here regularly see astonishing sights. Homosexual men and the anal games they play that require medical treatment would shame a cannibal but not these people. Sick people indeed.
I think one is going to need a 'spider hole' type bunker to wait out the initial few weeks of a collapse. It will be nasty but over quickly I predict. Those under 30 years old have no skills for self-sufficiency at all. I doubt that even two out of a hundred young people would have any idea how to make anything to eat from a sack of flour.
Nope, it ain't going to be a pretty end to the Republic. A big die-off is likely the only cure for our disease though.
ashamed Yankee
As an American I'm hopeful a year or two of struggle will re-condition our society to be more independent, stronger & cooperative.
Much of what ails us, & other 1st World nations, is people separated from daily struggles by subsidies. They don't need to try hard, or work for their money, so they don't. This causes them to revert to child-like dependency, complaining & inventing excuses for attention/money.
Take any cub from the meanest lion in Africa, feed it steaks every day in a zoo for 2 years, then let it loose in a field of slow & weak antelope. That lion will die of hunger in a month due to lack of skills & motivation. The same applies with people.
The US is off track, but can recover to the core of yankee ingenuity, world class businesses, self-reliant pioneers and cooperative neighborhoods. The adjustment period should be a wild ride though.
FerFal
You are dead wrong about America has a sense of preparedness. I've been a prepper for almost 20 years. Believe me, at best, maybe 5% of the population believes in preparedness, and actually practices it. We are quickly becoming (or have become) similar to the sheepish Europeans that you describe. I don't even mention preparedness to any of my friends or relatives any longer, because everyone here labels that as being paranoid. We are pathetic fat sheep getting ready for slaughter.
That is true about Europe. The last time I was there someone pointed out a brand new soccer field that had been occupied by Gypsies. They were totally destroying it, and trying to extort money from the owners to get them to leave. Instead of doing anything about it everyone sat around saying what a shame it was. When I suggested that they get together and run them out everyone treated me like I was a pyschopath. The police, of course, declined to get involved.
I work in a hospital in the US as well, but I have a higher opinion of people here. There is a lot of chaff to be sure, but I agree with Ferfal, there is not so much chaff here as in Europe.
"50% of the entire US population has degenerated into human trash like this."
This is a common viewpoint among doctors in the USA.
It's an unfortunate, and extreme mismatch: the doctors and nurses who are supposed to care for our health actually hate us.
I say this as a person who is in excellent health.
"50% of the entire US population has degenerated into human trash like this."
-- American Healthcare Industry
On a survival note, part (not all, but part) of the reason I'm in excellent health is because I don't trust doctors. I avoid them. Thus, I have to read medical studies myself (directly, not through news sites) to learn about nutrition and what the body likes/dislikes. The point is to analyze before making yourself vulnerable to someone, in this case, doctors. Trust is earned, not default.
I think the original poster is being a bit unfair.
First, the American medical system is atrocious. There are millions of uninsured Americans who are simply unable to access medical care. The only way they can receive treatment is to go to the emergency room because the emergency room can't turn them away. I've been in this unfortunate situation myself at times in my life, and have used the emergency room for non-emergencies simply because I had nowhere else to go. I wasn't proud of it, but what was I supposed to do at the time? Ignore the problem until it turns into a real, dangerous, and costly emergency? I'm glad I got stuck with nurses who had more empathy for my situation than the OP.
Of course, I've never gone to the ER to ask someone to wipe my butt. However, I suspect that the large woman in the OP's story probably has some sort of mental illness, which is why she was receiving government aid in the first place. As disgusting as that story is, I have a hard time calling someone with an obvious mental disorder "trashy".
Second, every country has their share of crazies. I'm sure the OP would see his/her share of liars, drug abusers, and weirdos if they spent some time working in a foreign ER. We by no means have a monopoly on these problems.
Hey FERFAL, I've been a cat scan/xray tech for 20 years in the USA and can totally validate what Ellen says about er patients. It's simply amazing the stupid and useless things people come in for. I think this mirrors 50% of the American population in general. Just a bunch of lazy no good trash.
If TSHTF and the welfare stops these are the people who will be rioting and begging the government to save them. Take care
There are places in the USA that will do just fine. Then there are the huge, welfare leech infested cities. Many of them are in deserts where the nearest non-piped water source is a few hundred miles away. The city dwellers are very fat and ornery. If somebody reading this lives in Los Angeles and is trying to keep civilization alive, God bless you, but get out while you still can. The rest of the welfare cases can rot. And they will. I figure that death will come quickly for most of the most severely affected ones. At least in the US the only serious metrosexuals (feminine males) outside of LA are confused teens.
I think Eastern Europe and Russia still have their "Los Huevos".
And they have gone through collapse.
I'm confident we Americans will regain our "Huevos", we had 'em before the 1960's we can grow 'em again.
On the flip side, Americans are also the most puritan, hardworking, and creative group of people in the world. Before the great recession, the average American worked 47 hours a week. It's not uncommon to find many working 80 hours a week. Aspiring doctors often work for days straight. Speaking of docs, they tend to be the most cynical and are second only to dentists when it comes to suicide. The story about that fat lady wanting to get wiped down is hilarious, like something out of the Simpsons. Take a load off! See the positive side of things!
Hats off to the people in the ER, esp. the nurses. They deal with the public, day-in, day-out... the nurses for low pay... and often they do a LOT of the work the surgeons don't feel like doing.
I once had a near-sliced off finger. The doctor literally looked a couple of times and the nurse did everything, nearly perfectly. I can't believe what a great job she did.
Another time, another accident, butchered my thumb. An ER doc took care of it and I have a huge scar. Hats off to the nurses.
Man... take it easy. People who deal with dope-fiends, druggies, and spoiled brat kids day after day eventually come under great stress. People drop out of these positions because the stress of dealing with spoiled people gets to be too much. I know a guy who taught for years, got fed up, and has been a sanitation worker for the past 8-10 years. Misses teaching, but not the BS of dealing with spoiled American kids. Now on his garbage route, someone pisses him off he just keeps on driving. And they ALWAYS apologize.
I think it's funny. Think twice.
America isn't really that special or homogenous in any way. People need to always remember it is made up of 400 million people and it has the money and media influence to film/write about every stupid shit that happens there. Other countries don't have the same luxury.
Saying that, I do think South American nations (Argentina probably being the least south american) tolerate poverty and violence much better than pampered and sensitive first world nations. Poverty (even just looking at poverty) in general keeps you closer to the realities and most important things in life keeping ones hand and head out of trouble. Ironically with government now offering a wad of cash for every person who reaches for it, it generally encourages their worst tendencies. (cowardice, laziness, wantoness)
Raise the kids in Somalia then take them to Denmark, that's my parenting advice.
There is an official report on EMP effects on the U.S., found at http://www.empcommission.org/
Though I can't find the quote, I'd read before that the commission's estimate of casualties was in the 80-90% range after an EMP attack.
Probably less for a total economic collapse, but probably much higher than 40-50%. Perhaps 70-80% in the first two years. Higher on the coasts/urban areas, less in middle America.
Simple math - too many people, not enough food.
The problem with obesity in America is really a drug problem. Research Dr Baylock on this, processed foods tend to have MSG which attack brain receptors which control hunger, when people eat these foods, they are perpetually hungry. Experiments with rats fed MSG laced foods show them eating themselves virtually to death. So these fat people you see in grocery checkout lines, sitting in their scooters, look at the food they are buying. Most of it will be processed foods, crackers, chips, high starch high MSG laced stuff like macaroni and cheese, and on and on.
1) Off topic, Ferfal, but the British newspapers report that your "Botox Evita" (heh heh) is about to start another Falklands War as a way of handling her domestic problems.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/7280424/The-Botox-Evita-seeks-a-new-lift.html
2) Unless you guys have a couple of nukes I don't know about, I think its a bad idea to fight the Brits on the high seas. They've been playing that game for 400 years or so and are still pretty good at it.
Strategypage.com rates Argentina's naval power at a 2, Great Britain's at 46.
http://www.strategypage.com/fyeo/howtomakewar/databases/navy/navalforcesoftheworld.asp
I can understand Ellen's frustration but it appears she is seeing only a particular fraction of the general population. People who actually work for a living and are holding down mortgages and car payments while trying to get a decent education for their kids do not behave the way she describes. As a dentist I occasionally saw the kinds of people she described when working in offices with a large welfare patient base.
Speaking of dentists, the myth that dentists have the highest suicide rate comes from a single rather small study published years ago. The suicide rate for all professionals is similar and higher than the general population; doctors, lawyers, etc..
I've been watching and reading on how folks have handled "snowmeggodon" and was quite surprised how many worked together to get things done. They have seen how poorly the US government respond to emergencies and are taking care of each other. I'm sorry these folks had to go through this but I think all in all it has been good for people to see what a joke FEMA is and you can't get the National Guard out because they are all deployed.
American society is soft but that's a good thing in general. It means our civilization and economy has been relatively stable for a long time. However, it's not looking very positive over the next decade or two. All the individual can do is to prepare in many different layers.
I completely agree weith FERfal - this will be a slow motion train wreck, not an overnight revolution. Who knows when it will start or end. But insanity cannot continue forever, any more than a 500 lb person can continue to live a long and healthy life. Some conclusions are pitifully obvious.
Having lived in the US and Argentina I can say that yes, the US is culturally retarded at the popular level, but there's definitely a resilient groundswell of country folk and educated yet tough individuals who will do just fine, provided they get out of high density areas (or in the case of heat-packing Goldman employees, if they take it to the limit in high pop. density areas).
One of the reasons I chose Argentina is because I figured people would be mentally more prepared for chaos, mejor onda, como dicen. I was right about that but it turns out Argentines are proportionally bad at business (with some exceptions) and the best way to make a landing here is to work for an international business or bring your own capital and export something (information or commodity-derived products). Any business plan that involves dealing with Argentines isn't much of a plan.
Thing is, we're all a bunch of chimps, in the US we're chimps who tend to overeat and expect the TV to tell us how to wipe our asses, in Argentina we're chimps who tend to shout easily and don't think past next week. But at least here you know what you're getting, and there's less chimps.
My girlfriend and I joke about the French, I'm living with a few of them at the moment and she works for a French-run corporation. I still don't understand guys who willingly wax or shave their chest hair yet profess to like women. But hey, just different flavors of chimpanzee.
Thanks FerFAL, for defending the US to yet another American hating American.
I look around at the people in my town, and I see hard workers who would give the shirt off their back to each other if needed. Yes, there is some human garbage that needs to be taken out, but I've traveled overseas quite a bit and have yet to come across a country that didn't have it's share of criminals and worthless bums.
If you have a profession that deals with people at their worst (police, lawyers, doctors) then you're going to see the worst. However, it's hardly indicative of the population as a whole.
As for that mass die off the doomsdayers predict, I doubt it. The govt will just take from the prepared to give to the whiners. It knows who keeps it in the big house.
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