u/BasketHelpful808

I’m so tired of reading the news every day and having absolutely no idea what’s actually true anymore.
It’s an emotional rollercoaster.

One article says everything is fine, the next one makes it sound like we’re days away from civilization collapsing. Every news site seems full of propaganda, fearmongering, clickbait and completely opposite narratives.

And the worst part is that I can actually see things getting worse around me. I just have no idea how bad it really is.

I live in Central Europe. It’s October and we’re still sitting at around 25°C. We had heatwaves, wildfires and droughts this summer. Food production is getting harder, water is becoming a bigger concern and imports are becoming more vulnerable because wars and geopolitical conflicts are affecting trade routes.

Everything is getting more expensive. Housing is becoming completely unaffordable for young people. Fuel and energy are expensive as hell. And looking forward, there are even more ways this could go wrong. Trade routes could be blocked, infrastructure could be damaged, refineries could be attacked, energy supplies could become unstable.

We are already living through multiple major conflicts at the same time. The war in Ukraine keeps going. The conflict in the Middle East keeps spreading. More countries and groups keep getting involved.
And honestly, a direct NATO Russia conflict in the coming months doesn’t even sound impossible to me anymore.

That’s the part that scares me the most.
Because every conflict seems to expand. More countries get involved, more weapons get used, more retaliation happens, tensions keep rising, until eventually someone pushes the red button.

I also keep seeing claims about things like diseases breaking out in Russia and other major events, and nobody seems to know what is actually happening. At this point I don’t even know who to believe anymore.

I don’t trust the people saying everything is fine.
I don’t trust the people saying we are definitely doomed.
I don’t trust anyone anymore.

Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe I’m doomscrolling myself into insanity. Maybe half of this is just algorithms pushing the most extreme shit possible because fear gets clicks.

But I’m also not going to pretend nothing is happening.

It feels like governments are becoming more and more disconnected from the people they are supposed to represent. Surveillance keeps expanding. People’s concerns are ignored. In some countries that call themselves free, people can seriously risk their jobs, their freedom or even prison because of what they say.

At the same time society is becoming more and more divided.

Left against right. One group against another. Everyone is constantly being pushed into opposing camps. It feels like there is no “us” anymore.

And yes, I’m going to say something that will probably piss people off.

Mass immigration is putting enormous pressure on parts of European society. I’m not talking about individual asylum seekers or saying that every immigrant is a problem. I don’t have anything against someone looking for safety.

But there is a point where the sheer scale of immigration becomes impossible to integrate properly and starts changing entire communities faster than they can adapt.

I work in law enforcement and I see some of these problems myself. There are places where entire neighborhoods have changed dramatically and where integration is barely happening at all.

Pretending that these problems don’t exist because talking about them is uncomfortable isn’t going to solve anything.

And the same goes for culture. Societies are losing parts of what made them feel like home while everyone is too busy fighting each other to even have a conversation about it.

I’m tired of being told to just accept everything, follow every rule and stay within whatever boundaries I’m given while the people making those rules keep making decisions that affect millions of ordinary people.

I’m tired of being told to sacrifice more, pay more, accept more restrictions and just trust the system.

At some point I think there are only two options.

Either people consciously decide that the current system cannot continue and are willing to give up some of the comfort they have become dependent on, challenge the things that clearly aren’t working, accept that rebuilding something better will come with sacrifices and pain, and actually build something new from the ground up.

Or we keep waiting.
We keep watching.
We keep arguing with each other.
We keep following the rules while everything slowly deteriorates.

And then one day we are playing Fallout in real life, except there is no game to turn off and no fictional wasteland to escape from.

I know a lot of people will disagree with me. That’s fine.

But I’m tired of living according to norms and rules that seem increasingly designed to keep ordinary people passive, dependent and divided.

If we actually want to be free again, to build something better and to have the ability to develop as individuals and as a society, then at some point actions have to speak louder than words.

That doesn’t mean hurting innocent people. It means being willing to challenge the status quo and accept that real change can be uncomfortable and that rebuilding something from the ground up may require sacrifices.

Because I’m tired of waiting for the next crisis.

I’m tired of watching politicians and governments patch one problem after another while the underlying system becomes more unstable.

I honestly think we need a reset.

Not another temporary reform. Not another patch on a system that is already showing cracks everywhere.

I think the whole system needs to be rebuilt from zero. Economically, politically, socially and structurally.

Keep what actually works, get rid of what clearly doesn’t, and build something that isn’t constantly dependent on infinite growth, debt, fragile supply chains, mass division and geopolitical escalation.

Because I don’t want to sit around waiting for the day when somebody finally pushes the red button and then realize we should have done something years earlier.

Are you saving because you expect the economy to get worse, or are you spending while your money still has some value?

Personally, I spend every extra cent on stockpiling food while it’s still relatively affordable, and on time with friends while we still can. I barely save anymore because I think my savings will lose most of their value over the next few years.

What are you doing?

Disclaimer
I don’t take a political side. I am neither pro Russian, pro NATO, pro USA, nor pro any other power hungry d#ckhead alliance. They can all f#ck off.

Our world keeps getting darker. Wars keep escalating because no one wants to admit defeat. A war between NATO and Russia no longer feels like just a theory. It feels like a realistic future. Every month more countries get pulled into conflicts in the Middle East, and there is no end in sight. China is waiting for the perfect moment to invade Taiwan.

At the same time, nature is starting to collect its debt. The real consequences of climate change are no longer predictions. They are happening. Heatwaves are getting deadlier, forests keep burning, water becomes more scarce, and a major El Niño could push entire regions even further into crisis.

Society is tearing itself apart. Left vs right. Natives vs immigrants. Men vs women. Young vs old. Every disagreement turns into hatred, and every crisis creates another division. In places like Ireland, people are seriously discussing the possibility of civil conflict. That alone says enough about the direction we’re heading.

The economy isn’t collapsing overnight, but for millions it already feels like it has. Housing is becoming unattainable. Energy prices keep rising. Food gets more expensive while its quality gets worse. Working a full time job is no longer a guarantee for a stable life.

Governments keep making power plays over their populations. Laws get passed despite massive public opposition. Surveillance keeps expanding. Privacy keeps disappearing. Whether it’s done in the name of security, health, or stability, the result is always the same. More control, less freedom.

So how long can this continue before the system reaches its breaking point? Not a recession. Not another political crisis. I mean a genuine collapse where governments can no longer maintain authority, where people form factions, defend territory, build isolated communities, and survival becomes more important than ideology.

Maybe I’m too pessimistic. Maybe I’m wrong. But looking at the speed of the last few years, I don’t think this future is unrealistic anymore. If humanity keeps accelerating in the same direction, even 2027 doesn’t feel impossible.

*Disclaimer*
*I don’t take a political side. I am neither pro Russian, pro NATO, pro USA, nor pro any other power hungry dickhead alliance. They can all fuck off.*

Our world keeps getting darker. Wars keep escalating because no one wants to admit defeat. A war between NATO and Russia no longer feels like just a theory. It feels like a realistic future. Every month more countries get pulled into conflicts in the Middle East, and there is no end in sight. China is waiting for the perfect moment to invade Taiwan.

At the same time, nature is starting to collect its debt. The real consequences of climate change are no longer predictions. They are happening. Heatwaves are getting deadlier, forests keep burning, water becomes more scarce, and a major El Niño could push entire regions even further into crisis.

Society is tearing itself apart. Left vs right. Natives vs immigrants. Men vs women. Young vs old. Every disagreement turns into hatred, and every crisis creates another division. In places like Ireland, people are seriously discussing the possibility of civil conflict. That alone says enough about the direction we’re heading.

The economy isn’t collapsing overnight, but for millions it already feels like it has. Housing is becoming unattainable. Energy prices keep rising. Food gets more expensive while its quality gets worse. Working a full time job is no longer a guarantee for a stable life.

Governments keep making power plays over their populations. Laws get passed despite massive public opposition. Surveillance keeps expanding. Privacy keeps disappearing. Whether it’s done in the name of security, health, or stability, the result is always the same. More control, less freedom.

So how long can this continue before the system reaches its breaking point? Not a recession. Not another political crisis. I mean a genuine collapse where governments can no longer maintain authority, where people form factions, defend territory, build isolated communities, and survival becomes more important than ideology.

Maybe I’m too pessimistic. Maybe I’m wrong. But looking at the speed of the last few years, I don’t think this future is unrealistic anymore. If humanity keeps accelerating in the same direction, even 2027 doesn’t feel impossible.

I never imagined I'd become someone who prepares for the collapse of society, but here I am.

I live in the EU, and over the last few years I've had this constant feeling that the world is becoming more unstable. Wars keep escalating, politics feel more divided, economies seem fragile, and I honestly can't stop thinking about where all of this ends.

In my head, there are two possible futures.

The first is a real collapse. Civil unrest, economic failure, supply chains breaking down, bombs falling, maybe even something as catastrophic as nuclear winter. If that happened, everything we depend on could disappear almost overnight.

The second is slower, but it scares me just as much. A future where governments and powerful corporations gradually gain more influence over everyday life. I've spent years reading political and conspiracy rabbit holes. Whether they're true or not, they've changed how I see the world. They've made me lose trust in institutions and fear a future with less privacy, more surveillance, and less personal freedom. Sometimes I honestly think I'd rather disappear into nature and live on my own than be part of that.

I also think people underestimate nature itself. Climate, collapsing ecosystems, depleted resources... sooner or later we'll have to face the consequences, and I don't think society is prepared.

Because of all this, I started writing a Doomsday Journal. It's part diary and part survival handbook. I fill it with maps, wilderness skills, water purification, food preservation, animal keeping, shelter ideas, first aid, navigation, practical tutorials, and my own thoughts about politics and society.

I've been stockpiling food and water. I've explored places that could realistically work as emergency shelters. I've put a large part of my savings into physical gold and silver as a backup in case of a serious economic crisis. I also keep more cash than I used to because I've lost a lot of trust in banks.

I've also started doing regular firearms training. I completed military service, and I now work in law enforcement, so I already have experience with firearms and field skills. For me it's about staying capable, not looking for violence.

The strange part is that my life still looks completely normal. I go to work. I pay bills. I meet friends. From the outside, nothing seems different.

But in my head, it's constant. I keep planning for worst case scenarios. Sometimes I even catch myself wishing society could just hit pause and start over, not because I want people to suffer, but because I'm exhausted by the direction I feel we're heading.

I don't know if this is intuition, anxiety, or if I've simply spent too much time thinking about collapse.

Has anyone else quietly become a prepper, or am I completely alone in this?

What do you think is better for recovery of natural testosterone production and overall health?

Running a 12–16 week testosterone cycle once per year with a proper PCT every time.

Staying on and cycling for several years, then doing one proper PCT at the very end.

My thought is that in the first scenario your body has to fully recover multiple times, while in the second scenario it only has to recover once—but after much longer suppression.

I’m currently on my third yearly cycle and this question just came to mind. Curious what the science and your experiences say.

I'm trying to buy one sleeping pad that covers everything instead of owning multiple pads for different seasons.

Right now I'm considering the Stoic NijakSt. Pro II (R-value 8).

My use cases:
Spring, summer and autumn in Central Europe (Forest and mountain overnights)
Mostly sleeping directly on the ground (usually no tent)
Occasional bivy bag in bad weather
Future winter trips in Norway

I understand why an R-8 pad is great for winter, but I'm wondering about the other end of the spectrum.

Has anyone here used an R-8 pad year-round?

Do you actually notice any downside during warm summer nights (20–30°C / 68–86°F), or is the concern mostly theoretical?

Weight, pack size and price don't matter much to me. I'd rather own one pad that works everywhere than multiple specialized pads.

Interested in hearing real-world experiences.

I'm trying to buy one sleeping pad that covers everything instead of owning multiple pads for different seasons.

Right now I'm considering the Stoic NijakSt. Pro II (R-value 8).

My use cases:
Spring, summer and autumn in Central Europe (Forest and mountain overnights)
Mostly sleeping directly on the ground (usually no tent)
Occasional bivy bag in bad weather
Future winter trips in Norway

I understand why an R-8 pad is great for winter, but I'm wondering about the other end of the spectrum.

Has anyone here used an R-8 pad year-round?

Do you actually notice any downside during warm summer nights (20–30°C / 68–86°F), or is the concern mostly theoretical?

Weight, pack size and price don't matter much to me. I'd rather own one pad that works everywhere than multiple specialized pads.

Interested in hearing real-world experiences.

I'm trying to buy one sleeping pad that covers everything instead of owning multiple pads for different seasons.

Right now I'm considering the Stoic NijakSt. Pro II (R-value 8).

My use cases:
Spring, summer and autumn in Central Europe (Forest and mountain overnights)
Mostly sleeping directly on the ground (usually no tent)
Occasional bivy bag in bad weather
Future winter trips in Norway

I understand why an R-8 pad is great for winter, but I'm wondering about the other end of the spectrum.

Has anyone here used an R-8 pad year-round?

Do you actually notice any downside during warm summer nights (20–30°C / 68–86°F), or is the concern mostly theoretical?

Weight, pack size and price don't matter much to me. I'd rather own one pad that works everywhere than multiple specialized pads.

Interested in hearing real-world experiences.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently looking for a sleeping pad and I’m trying to avoid ending up with 3–6 different pads for different seasons and temperatures. My goal is to buy **one pad that can do everything reasonably well**.

Right now, I’m strongly considering the **Stoic NijakSt. Pro II**, which has an **R-value of 8**.

My planned use cases are quite diverse:

• Spring, summer, and autumn camping in Central Europe (forest and mountain areas)
• Temperatures ranging from warm summer nights to near-freezing conditions
• Future winter trips in Norway (possibly on frozen ground and snow)

One important detail: **I will most likely not be sleeping in a tent most of the time.** My typical setup will probably be very simple:

• Sleeping pad directly on the ground
• Sleeping bag or quilt on top
• Open-air sleeping whenever conditions allow

If heavy rain is expected, I would use a bivy bag, but in general I prefer sleeping outside rather than inside a tent.

From what I’ve read, an R-value of 8 seems excellent for Norwegian winter conditions and gives a lot of safety margin. My concern is the opposite end of the spectrum:

**Will an R-8 pad be unpleasantly warm during summer?**

I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about this and these are the points I’ve considered:

• I understand that a sleeping pad only reduces heat transfer to the ground; it doesn’t generate heat.
• In winter, the temperature difference between my body and the ground is huge, so insulation matters a lot.
• In summer, the temperature difference is much smaller, so increasing the R-value further might not make a huge practical difference.
• Most excess body heat should still dissipate through the top of the body into the air.
• If I get too warm, I can always use a lighter quilt, open my sleeping bag, stick a leg out, etc.
• Theoretically, if the ground is hotter than my body (sun-heated rock, desert conditions, etc.), a higher R-value would actually keep me cooler by reducing heat gain from the ground.
• On the other hand, as a back sleeper, I’m wondering whether an R-8 pad could cause my back to feel noticeably warmer because less heat can escape downward.
• Since I won’t usually have a tent around me, I also wonder whether the increased airflow around my body makes the “too warm in summer” concern even less relevant.

Weight, packed size, and price are not major concerns for me. My priority is comfort across the widest possible range of conditions.

So for people who have actually used high R-value pads year-round:

• Do you notice a significant downside in summer?
Would you happily use an R-8 pad during 20–30°C (68–86°F) summer nights?
• Does sleeping without a tent change your opinion?
• Or would you recommend something around R 4–5 and a separate winter setup instead?

I’d love to hear real-world experiences, especially from people who have used expedition/winter pads throughout the entire year.

Thanks!