Vigilance

Keith Thomas  00:02

Welcome to typical prepping the podcast for those who would like to start their own disaster preparedness plan, or those who have gotten started, but are not quite sure where or how to take the next steps. Each week, I'll present a disaster preparedness topic with actionable tips and strategies that you can implement to start or grow your personal disaster preparations. Thanks for stopping by to listen today.

Keith Thomas  00:58

I'm Keith and welcome to typical prepping. This episode we'll be talking about vigilance as it relates to preparing and your situational awareness. Webster's Dictionary defines vigilance as alertly watchful, especially to avoid danger. Webster's Dictionary also breaks this down further to an essential meaning of vigilance, which is carefully noticing problems or signs of danger. So it's pretty easy to see With this definition, how vigilance directly affects situational awareness and our ability to be prepared for disasters. 

Being Vigilant

Keith Thomas  01:45

Usually, when people hear the term situational awareness, the term conjures up visions in the mind of some super-spy or agent, the likes of Jason Bourne. However, being vigilant can be as simple as keeping a watchful eye on the weather or world and local events. There's always room to improve situational awareness of your individual surroundings. However, today, I'd like for us to look at the big picture as it pertains to vigilance. Vigilance isn't just about local observation but also includes researching and verifying that the information you receive is truthful. Without good research and verification, you could find yourself merely spreading rhetoric or rumors.

Rumors & Research

Keith Thomas  02:41

 In today's world, it has become increasingly important not only to be vigilant but equally as important to research any information that you may receive. One of my biggest pet peeves in today's world, is the fact that most people will take any information they receive as the truth without doing any research whatsoever. Not only is this dangerous, but it's foolish as well. Just over the past two years, we've seen a plethora of misinformation hit social media, and even the mainstream media causing total chaos in society, including the Division of Social and ethnic groups. Never in history has mankind been better equipped to discern information which they receive to determine whether this information is useful or merely rhetoric. Most everyone worldwide has the power to research any information they receive, literally at their fingertips. In most cases, an objective internet search can provide enough research to develop a conscientious discernment of the information you receive. This can be done in most cases by using your cell phone, provided you have an internet service. There should be no excuse for anyone believing misinformation. 

Doing Your Research

Keith Thomas  04:08

Whenever you're researching information, be sure to be objective. Being objective in your research means that your research should not be influenced by your feelings, your opinions, or your religious and political beliefs. If you're being truly objective in your research, this should lead you to becoming truly objective in the discernment of this information that you're researching. This might mean that your research shows that you were totally wrong in your opinions or feelings about the information you received. Sometimes, you'll find that there's a more sinister reason behind the information you've received. And it's much more misleading than you first thought. This is why Ah, it's very important to be objective in your research. When researching information using the internet, you should use multiple search engines in an effort to provide search results from multiple sources, increasing your chances and finding reliable and truthful information. Keep in mind that there may also come times when you may have to seek help from others in your research, especially when dealing with information pertaining to the law, the medical profession, or medicines or finance. These areas may require someone who understands the terminology used in these professions. Having the understanding of such terminology will help you to better discern the information you've been given and to determine its validity.

Keith Thomas  05:59

When using videos, be sure to search for and watch all videos pertaining to the subject matter for what you're researching. As an example, if you're researching something that the President may have said, in a particular speech, be sure to watch all the videos of that speech. To be truly objective, you must also watch each video in its entirety. By doing so you're able to put what was said into context. Always remember that people and media outlets will take things out of context to produce a desired reaction or result. And that is what is known as rhetoric. Another tool to use in your research depending on the subject matter is books. In many cases, doing research on a particular subject may be as simple as checking out a library book on the subject, to validate the information that you've received. A quick internet search for best books on XYZ subject can provide you with an easy method of knowing which book or books you need to look for when you go to the library or bookstore. While we're on the subject of books. Don't forget that most public libraries will have copies of medical journals or trade publications, which may provide further information on the subject you're researching. 

What Does All This Have To Do With Vigilance?

Keith Thomas  07:36

So what does all this have to do with vigilance unless you've been under a rock for the past two years, doing your research and discerning the facts for yourself can and will help you to make better decisions concerning the safety of you and your family. If you stay abreast of what's being said on the news or within the newspaper, this can also give you some insight as to how and what you may need to prepare for in the future. As an example, obviously, if you're watching the weather report, and there's a strong thunderstorm headed towards your area with potential tornadoes, this should give you some insight to be prepared for a potential tornado in your area. The same is true with other news information, whether it be a shutdown of supply lines across the country, a potential pandemic, or as an example, inclement weather. With the exception of the weather example, other news reports or even rumors, you've heard, may require a bit of research to determine if the claims being made are valid. We must break the habit of believing everything we hear from the news or politicians as being true because of their profession or position in society. Just remember the old saying, not all the glitters is gold, or in this case, not every word spoken is the truth! Here's some tips for doing your research. Don't discount a news source because they don't align with your political beliefs. Instead, listen to what Fox News has to say. Then listen to what the other news sources have to say. If they're in agreement, then you have to make a choice whether to believe what they say or not. If they're not in agreement or give totally opposite views, then it's time to do some research. When doing your research online I suggest using search engines other than Microsoft or Google don't be afraid to look at what some of the foreign news sources have to say about the same subject matter. I'm telling you to do this to keep your research as objective as possible. This may also mean checking out medical journals, engineering journals, and even military journals to decipher the truth. You can also use video platforms such as YouTube to find interviews with some of the official characters who play a part in their narrative. As an example, there are several interviews available with Dr. Fauci talking about the so-called mRNA vaccine, in which he admits mRNA is not a vaccine, but rather a gene-altering drug, as well as Dr. Fauci, states that the initial dosage of the so-called vaccine. that they underestimated the human immunity system, and that it would probably take two to three booster jabs in order to produce the desired results. You'll also find that in these interviews, they never stated what the desired results are. Don't be afraid to look up statistics. One example here concerning the COVID-19 epidemic is the CDC admitting that 75% of actual COVID-related deaths had two or more comorbidities.

Conclusion

Keith Thomas  11:30

 In conclusion, I hope the information I've given you will help you to discern fact from rhetoric. The examples that I've given you for doing your own research are by no means the only way to research subjects. However, this handful of examples can go a long way in helping you to validate information that you receive. Remember, use the Internet search engines, video platforms, and books to research information you receive. Continue to educate yourself, go out and buy or check out books from the library on subjects that you wish you knew more about. Be aware of the events taking place around the world and how such events could affect you in the area where you live. And keep a watchful eye on the news and weather in your immediate area. And learn to discern the facts from the rhetoric. There are many Americans when asked, will tell you that many of the world events don't affect them. So they don't keep up with what's going on in the world. In doing so, they are doing themselves a great injustice. Because in most every case, politically motivated events will in some way, directly affect each and every one of us. Just remember that when the media and politicians tell you you should back some country or event that there's usually an underlying reason that they want you on their side.

Keith Thomas  13:07

 Well, folks, that's going to do it for this week. Thanks for listening, and join me next week for another preparedness topic. And until then, stay safe and be prepared. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your friends and family leave us a five-star rating and a review on your favorite podcast app. This really helps the show and gets our message out to others looking to start or improve their prepping skills. If you found value in this content, feel free to leave me a donation at buy me a coffee.com/typical prepping your donation helps with the production cost of the show so I can continue to bring you more amazing content. Also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. If you're unable to access these links in the show notes on your favorite podcast platform, you can access them on our website at typical prepping.com. Until next time, stay safe and be prepared