Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Forgotten

CetmeModeloC sends me this email asking a very important question. Do any of you Three Percenters have answers?

There comes a time when a person, no matter how self-sufficient, finds that they need the assistance of another. Sometimes it is for lack of a tool or a book that can only be obtained, (legitimately), through someone "in the know" or with certain connections or affiliations. Sometimes it is just the need to partner with someone to bounce ideas, plans or suggestions off of. Or maybe someone to trust and train with.

The solution usually given to this quandary is for the person to establish a "network" of friends that can help and serve as a resource.

That is well and good for the gregarious types, (who can make friends with most anyone), but where does it leave the more insular, meditative, (if not paranoid), types that need a lot of reassurance before trusting someone?

You know the ones. The ones who seem to be very reserved or shy but when they open up are a wealth of obscure, arcane or even highly technical knowledge. The ones that seem to have plenty of "acquaintances", (which many may mistake as "friends" of that person but really aren't. Remember what a true friend will do for you in comparison to a mere acquaintance), but no true friends, (or very few). The ones that try to make do alone before finally, (recognizing the futility of a team of one), have to reach out to someone for assistance but hold back since they are not sure who to trust.

To gain trust one must give trust but to give trust one must be sure of who one is trusting. Catch 22?

Where are these "forgotten ones" to turn when they need assistance? How about a more important question? Are these resources being wasted because they are not effectively being found, identified and their skills utilized?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Word of caution here: It is not paranoia to be reluctant about trusting anything.

In Russia during Stalin's rule, your "best friend" might just be a KGB informant waiting for the chance to snare some poor unsuspecting "undesirable" and claim his honorary medal.

Background information is VERY important before you call someone your "friend."

jon said...

there is unity in liberty, and in community. ye shall know them by their actions. be direct, brave and clear when making accusations, never allowing misinterpretation to lead you to folly.

ye shall also be quick on the draw.

as for money, there is austrian school economics: the "network" is a phenomenon which comes after the fact, not an institution which comes pre-planned. descriptive, not prescriptive. such a resource arises naturally if and when it is advantageous to the parties involved.

so, do not allow yourself to become jealous of others' networks -- your advantageous situation is itself bubbling under the surface, perhaps. at times your anonymity is more valuable. the lord provides.

Anonymous said...

unfortunately,I am one of those "ones".

Jay21 said...

In the same boat. Depending what kind of information you are looking for, you have found a great source. This blog and the many that link to it are a wealth of information. Your local gun show, depending where you live, is another place. I try to be "friendly" with everyone i meet, but am reserved with most all. I do have 2 friends that i consider worthy of calling if ANYTHING huge happens to me and mine, and I demand they call me. The question has been posed about the differance between being willing to die for vs. willing to kill for. There are only a small group that fall into the latter for me. Walk softly and listen, even complete aholes can have some good info, you don't always have to ask the question to get an answer,

Anonymous said...

The quiet ones will be there when they're needed. Don't worry.

Anonymous said...

The more robust the mechanisms of anonymity, the more shy dissidents will be willing to speak up. Is there an equivalent of Sipsey Street for North Korea or Cuba yet? Do you think there might be if people had the technical means to complain about politics without being able to be tracked down and prosecuted for it?

Johnny said...

I can't recommend strongly enough that people go watch the documentary series, "The Nazis, A Warning from History." Ignore the lame commentary telling you what to think about it and just listen to the interviews.

http://tinyurl.com/dx7tcr

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it seems that it takes a lot of feeling people out before you can speak openly with them. This is a good resource, but I wonder how many of us are already red-flagged just for posting here.

What is definately needed is someone who can give some decent classes on PGP so those who are trusted with each other can pass information freely. Sam Adams had his "Committees of Correspondance"--we need ours.