I like to get the word out about things like MAGs, Bartering (does not work in a shtf) and so much more. I do my best to educate, yet we constantly see the same subjects pop up from time to time. What can you do?
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Some advice about MAG’s.
A ‘MAG’ or ‘Mutual Assistance Group’, is a group of friends, family, or like-minded individuals, that gather in a crisis in an attempt to support one another and increase the chances of survival in a crisis.
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Pre-SHTF
A MAG is an excellent way to share and discuss various Prepper topics ranging from recipes, to survival in a nuclear winter, animal husbandry skills, or show off newly acquired gear and supplies.
BUT -a meeting of MAG’s should NEVER lead back to your home. Always meet in a neutral location.
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SHTF
A MAG does not work in a shtf. MAG’s get their excellent reputations as a great idea from natural disasters where they do work extremely well. Remember, a natural disaster is not a shtf.
In a shtf, there are just too many variables that will not allow a MAG to work -some of these are huge issues and can’t be overcome and ultimately could easily cost you your life. Others are minor issues but they need to ironed out well in advance of an actual shtf.
The reason MAGs work extremely well in a natural disaster is because there are overarching laws. In a natural disaster, while it may appear there is not much in the way of local law enforcement visibility, there are still overarching state and federal law enforcements in place. This means individuals committing heinous crimes in a natural disaster will eventually be hunted down and brought to justice. This is not the case in a shtf. Serious, even horrific crimes like murder, rape, and the butchering of people in a shtf will never see justice.
Something a shtf has that a natural disaster does not have are “defectors”. If someone in your MAG gets pissed off, or you kick them out of your MAG for rule violations, as a disgruntled former member of your MAG, they can defect directly to the threats. Once that happens you can expect the threats to arrive at your property, and they will know all your strengths, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and numbers (human and dogs) before they even show up at your property. This will not end well for the entire MAG and will probably cost you your lives.
Another issue that few Preppers actually think about, is that indeed your MAG could consist of people with some real skill sets, people like a trained shooter who is a phenomenal sniper, or maybe a trained surgeon, (undeniably great skills to have in any MAG). But in a shtf that is so phenomenally vicious and extremely brutal, what guarantees do you have that either the shooter or the surgeon will not have a complete mental breakdown in the middle of the shtf? You don’t. What is an amazing asset today may become a severe liability to your entire MAG in a shtf.
Naturally, the larger your MAG is in peacetime the greater the chances you are going to be including someone who is going to have that mental breakdown within your group that puts all your MAG lives at risk. And remember, that shooter or surgeon may come with family members (small children as well) that just increases the chances of having to deal with a mental meltdown. How will you deal with a family member breakdown without driving the primary asset out of your MAG and into the arms of the threats?
These are just some of the many, many, reasons a MAG does not work. If Preppers actually sat down and seriously weighed all the Pros and Cons of being in a MAG, you would realize what a bad idea a MAG actually is. Remember, weighing the Pros and Cons is not a one for one listing, how many Pros does it take to counter just one Con that could cost you your life?
So, before you commit to being in a MAG and divulging all your secrets and your exact location, think long and hard about what is at stake. Some of the things at stake you can certainly mitigate, some you cannot, and that makes the entire MAG a huge vulnerability.