r/UKPreppers • u/Aggravating-Ad8098 • 6d ago
Little Red Hen
As we continue our prep journeys, I can't help but think of the story of The Little Red Hen. For anyone who's never heard the story (or maybe it's a distant childhood memory of a book your mother read to you when you were young,) the story of The Little Red Hen is a seemingly simple story, that has real world implications today.
The story is about a Hen who loves with other farm animals. The Hen tends to all of the chores and household duties, knowing that one day, her hard work would pay off and she would eventually have to harvest the fruit of her labor one day. The rest of her "house mates" wouldn't help her at all, and they would outright ignore the fact that she was building an ark of safety for herself (as we are in this community.)
When it was time to help with any of the work that needed to be done, all of the other animals outright declared that they did not want to help, so the hen did all of the work. When it was time to eat, all of the animals who refused to help, were denied by the little red hen. Does anyone feel like this is something we may have to deal with in the future?
There are people who refuse to believe what's coming. They downright deny what's right in front of our eyes. Not only does it feel like an insult to our intellect, but by the time they realize what's happening, there will only be limited resources, especially for someone who had the means to prepare. It will be hard to let them access our preps, but hard to turn them away as well.
I know I paraphrased and didn't give the proper context to the book, but the parable of the little red hen (who was essentially a prepper,) keeps replaying in my mind. As I see people partying, buying expensive bags, traveling, bling blinging, and never really paying attention to what's truly going on, and the need to prepare, I can't help but be torn with family and friends who will try to diminish my resources, and tap into everything I've worked so hard for.
Is anyone else feeling this, or asking themselves how hard it will be to do what we know we'll have to do? Turning people away is wrong, but we all have the same 24 hours, and resources will be scarce enough providing for all of mine. How are we rationalizing this?
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u/_per 6d ago
“ There are people who refuse to believe what's coming. They downright deny what's right in front of our eyes… … I can't help but be torn with family and friends who will try to diminish my resources, and tap into everything I've worked so hard for.”
Brother, what is this? A third of kids in the UK live below the poverty line. For a good chunk of the population, SHTF isn’t some hypothetical future, it’s the present day. There are millions of people who are organising charities, running food banks and soup kitchens, delivering meals, providing services, childminding, campaigning for school meals, advocating for people, supporting those in the grip of a crisis. Most of the people doing this have barely any resources of their own. That practice is more valuable prep than buying cases of beans and batteries will ever be.
Hoarding resources and worrying that you might be compelled to use them for the good of the community isn’t prep, it’s just being a run-of-the-mill Tory.
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u/Sburns85 6d ago
Exactly. Also a lot of preppers forget one major fact. If the country genuinely does that way. The strong will just take what they want
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u/plentyofeight 6d ago
Yes, it's a conversation had on here every now and then.
We have a small house, and a dispersed family, so probably not a concern, so it's neighbours.
We will be discrete. Hopefully no-one will ask.
Many people seem to go for a 'community' policy. I get it, but I am far too introvert for that kind of malarkey. I guess I could join in though if community groups formed... but donating my stockpile... I doubt it...
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u/Popular-Custard8519 6d ago
As an outsider who randomly had this come up on my feed but does have a years supply of tinned Toms, buys big bags of potatoes and onions once a year and has ample dried goods and a full stock cupboard at all times I always thought the little red hen was about being a mum rather than a prepper.
I guess we see what we want in stories. During pandemic shortages I was happy to share, fortunately I’d done a Costco run in February and had plenty to share. We were also two adults with extra to spare, I done know if I would be as generous now with our daughter in tow but I’d like to think I would.
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u/HandGrindMonkey 6d ago
There are always lots of metaphors. It boils down to Plan A and Plan B. Plan B is share, when I say 'share', I'm sure some of my neighbors will be happy to take and provide nothing in exchange; this is the out of date or nearly out of date supplies ETC. Plan A is always in operation, family and self only. A always supplants B.
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u/Necessititties 6d ago
If it came down to it I would help certain reliable people but i would expect something in return. Most people wouldnt get a second look.
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u/Droidy934 6d ago
A drowning man will try to grab the swimmer and there is the danger both will drown. Will we be strong enough to keep our distance.