'What Is The Duty of A GI?
asked in the TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Q&A Forum
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It's my theory that an *anticipation* panic is unlikely in this nation. The process of learning to fear Y2K is really more difficult than it appears to those of us on this forum. To "get it" requires imagining something totally outside the realm of one's experience in this country. In February, 1999, you've been exposed to enough Y2K information that you're either going to get it or you're not going to get it. The get it's are largely what I'll call autodidacts. They are used to assimilating ideas from various sources, sorting through those ideas, following up on the worthwile issues and forming opinions on their own. They're also used to having the responsibility for risk assessment for themselves or their family or for their livelihood. These particular autodidacts have some experience in sorting through chaotic situations and extracting from chaos some thread of logic upon which they will act. Most noticeably, every GI has a certain tendency toward eccentricity in that when their learning process reveals a thought which is not in the mainstream of public discourse, they do not shrink away from extending that thought even if each step in the process steers them further away from the mainstream. Most people fear eccentricity with a passion, some people embrace it. I think the GI's embrace it; the DGI's fear it. I also think one's bent toward eccentricity is well established by adulthood, and neither Y2K nor any other issue is going to change that. I postulate that almost everyone who is going to get it has already gotten it.
There has been no panic. Quiet preparation, some anxiety, some difficulty in finding the exact right generator, some difficult decisions about a week's worth of food and cash versus a month versus six-months, etc., some increased buying of precious metal, some thinking and decision about whether to venture into community action (since no one else in your community is doing it), etc. etc.
This preparation will go on for the rest of the year in largely the same manner with some of the more perishable food and fuel being purchased between October and December.
The DGIs will not panic or take any action unless there is an actual event that tells them their world is crashing down.
The GIs, have a fear of being cold and hungry and thirsty, but also have some curiosity about what Y2K gridlocked universe would look like. The GI's bent toward eccentricity decreases his fear of facing a different world.
None of this is to say that a GI is better or more capable than a DGI. It takes all kinds to make the world go around. But, think of this, if a DGI is a DGI because they are simply incapable of certain kinds of thinking, where does that leave the GI's.
Certainly you, as a GI would not fail to provide for your young child or your elderly grandmother, neither of whom have any opportunity to assess the Y2K risk. Consider this, the DGI is essentially a child in that he is incapable of understanding the Y2K risk. Do we GI's not have a duty to make a strong effort to help the DGI's?
It's not unusual that unique groups of people are assigned unique roles in society. Firemen, policemen, soldiers, medical researchers and the list goes on and on of groups with special talents and gifts who offer those gifts to society. Do we GI's not have a special talent that society needs right now? I know it's hard to save someone who is insisting that you go away, but when that person is a child can you take their protestations to heart or do you act in the way that you feel is best.
Certainly, there are limits of all kinds on what we can do. And I'm not advocating that we force and DGI to do anything, but it seems that we have a calling to go about our community in an effort to ensure a minimum of preparation. Even that minimum preparation advocated by the Red Cross could save lives if there is widespread disruption in January or February.
Community action is not for all GI's. But, community action will only come from GI's, so its important for you to examine the question and determine if you are one of those servants.
-- Puddintame (dit@dot.com), February 04, 1999
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