The general population pre-polio were much more independent, more self sufficient, and, while not anti .gov, were definitely not covered by so many regulations and obligations that now limit the degree of self sufficiency and independence once known.
Fewer people have family and community ties that encourage self sufficient standing away from the masses. The extended family living in a community having weekly gatherings, with a matriarch in a large home, big enough to take in the extended family for a meal, and having the means to feed them weekly, is no longer the norm.
Families are scattered, people live in smaller homes, have less room or perceived need to store "more" for emergencies, and lifestyles dont encourage 'the family table', the speed of life, job hours, fast food, and financial demands have made people dependent on outside supply to survive. Urbanization at its best.
The "supply chain" for todays society, depends on the "three day" cycle, and a delivery industry that moves goods from port, to warehouse, to distribution centers, to the peoples "store".
Stocking needs are set by previous buying norms, only stock what sells best, fastest, and profitably to keep inventory moving.
Old stock, non selling, costs $ in wasting space preventing the stocking of faster selling more desirable goods.
Modern preservatives and sell by dates, have convinced a generation not to have an emergency supply.
The speed of todays lifestyles convince many they dont need a reserve, the too easy, too fast, it's on the shelf, get tonight's meal on the way home, mentality is too prevalent in too many places. NYC's night lifestyle, of food, drink, and entertainment, encourages people to use the smaller less storage friendly residences more as a hotel than home.
Urbanization encourages this outside of NYC and it has become the business model in most cities.
Lifestyles, inflated values of homes, vehicles, and commodities, versus salary to match, have helped create the situation where few store for emergency. Most just cant afford to.
So, Kid Rock and some people think just because the polio epidemic people didnt have to do this, we wont either, but, what I described above is a bit different than then. It ain't the same.
Yes, there are slower living communities outside the cities more similar to pre-polio, but they are tied into the "three day" supply system. I live in one of those. The city grab has slowed the travel out to us.
We are told to expect a bit less of this or that to be delivered to us, because the distribution centers (also on 3 day), are prioritizing quantitative to higher demand outlets vs our lower demand outlets "out here".
Yes, the older prepared generation has a stash, because they know better, and the 'preppers' of all age ranges are more ready, but, there is a segment of our country woefully unprepared for the supply demand that THIS WEEK, is going to create.
Why this week you ask ?
First week all the teachers and kids are home, businesses closed, and people hit by the realization that, "its here, now, today"..... better go get that stuff I didnt get last week b4 it runs out. I'm stuck off work at least two weeks, ohhh shit....
Real curious to see how Kid Rocks stand runs.
Will he be seen as a profiteer who expects to make a killing while everybody else closes,
Or will he be seen as a voice of reason in a .Gov induced panic,
Or what.....
We will have a good idea in say 30 days, wont we ?
