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Letter Re: My Wife Ignores My Preparedness Goals

I can not seem to get my wife focused on what needs to be done [for preparedness] and accomplished. I think that she, at some level, believes that change is in the wind but for some reason she doesn’t see the need for a timely accomplishment of tasks. - "Indiana Jones"

The Memsahib Replies: Your wife no doubt has seem the signs of decay: the ever increasing bureaucracy taking away our freedoms, the moral debasement of the culture, and no doubt you have been pointing out to her the signs of economic chaos. Yes, she can intellectually agree with you that America is changing for the worse. But, does she want to believe that it is actually collapsing? NO! Which is why she doesn't see the need for a timely accomplishment of preparedness goals.
But, why won't she face reality, you wonder? She may say that it is only YOUR reality! She has lots of reasons for not internalizing YOUR reality.
First, your view goes against what her parents and community have taught her since she was a child: That America is the greatest nation on earth and that everyone can achieve the American dream of wealth, peace, and security. She was looking forward to a house with the white picket fence and a rose garden. You want her to trade it in for a bunker with steel shutters! To accept your reality is to give up on a cherished dream of a life of ease and contentment.
Secondly, her family probably thinks you are a little nutty or maybe even a real whacko depending on how much you've shared with them. Her family has no doubt questioned some of your choices. They may have even counseled her that she can't depend on you to make rational decisions. To go along with your world view is to forsake the approval of her parents. (My own father once said to me, "You don't really believe that do you? You're just going along with it to humor Jim, right?")
Third, maybe she is secretly afraid that if she encourages you, then you won't know where to stop, and you will move the family to a Unabomber shack with no phone, electricity or running water. Have you gone overboard in the past with preparedness purchases when she has offered the slightest encouragement? It might help if you had a finite list of supplies you plan to buy so that your wife could see that your survival purchases are not endless. Some husbands freak their wives out when they buy supplies as if they are stocking the whole neighborhood, and not just the family. When a friend of ours mentioned to his wife that he was planning to buy some ammo, his wife pictured three or four boxes, instead he purchased twelve battle packs (1,920 rounds!) Your wife might be afraid if she gives an inch you'll take a mile!
Be mindful of all that you are expecting of your wife when you ask her to accept your view that this is the end of the world as we know it. She is giving up on her dreams and giving up the approval of her family. And finally let her know that she can trust you not to go overboard or surprise her with your preparations.

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