Survivalism is just a fad.

Okay, think back over the past 40 years at disasters, world events and personal events that have happend to you or where you live. Now think to the next 40 years and think of the possible Situation X's that could hapen to you or where you live.

Look at the following 2 questions and ask yourself truthfully the following:-

A. Which ones of the following Situation X's is a probability?
B. Which ones of the following Situation X's is a possibility?

Categories of Situation X

Tick the boxes you think may apply to you and to where you live.

NATURAL DISASTERS

 Avalanche
 Coldfront
 Drought
 Earthquake
 Flood
 Fire (brushfire)
 Heatwave
 Hurricane – Severe Storm – Typhoon
 Landslide
 Snow – Snowstorm – Blizzard – Whiteout
 Tornado
 Tsunami – Tidal Wave
 Volcano – Lava – Pyroclastic Flow

LAW, TERRORISM and WAR

 Biological Warfare
 Chemical Warfare
 Civil Unrest – Mob Rule – Looting
 Civil War
 Crime – Gang War
 Genocide – Ethnic/racial Cleansing
 Global War
 Martial Law – Curfew
 National Emergency
 Nuclear Warfare – Dirty Bombs
 Regional War
 Sabre Rattling – Military Standoff/posturing
 Terrorist Attacks

ECONOMIC & DOMESTIC

 Commodity Shortages – Food, Fuel, Medical Supplies, etc
 Chemical Spillage
 Fire (domestic)
 Hyper Inflation
 Industrial Action
 Interest Rate Rise – Mortgage Shortfall – Negative Equity
 Job Loss – Loss of Income
 Power Shortages – Blackouts, Power Breakage
 Vehicle Breakdown

HEALTH RELATED

 Birth (non-hospital)
 Disease
 Heart Attack – CPR
 Pandemic
 Plague
 Trauma – Severe Wounds
 Virus

Once you have your list, think about how prepared you are for those possibilities and/or probabilities.

reply to post by Anthracite


Funny you said this because I being an avid recreational skydiver always had my skydiving gear at work in my work office. Reason is we would take off early sometimes and hit up the drop zone on the way home from work. Imagin my luck had I worked in a different building. WTC 1 or 2?

Thing is I'd rather have a gun and never have to use it, than not have it in a situation that required one.

I would agree that preparing for some mythical apocalyptic doom and gloom disaster is probably a waste of time and money. It is always, however, a good idea to prepare for disasters that are likely. If you live on a flood plane, you should prepare for a flood, if you live in tornado alley, you should prepare for tornadoes.

I think some of the people on ATS are stuck in a movie though, and are hoping/praying for something horrible to happen in order to be released from their daily routines. The likelihood of the infamous "situation X" that those people are wanting? Not very high. A localized disaster though, that is likely to happen.

[edit on 23-6-2008 by ALightinDarkness]

ATS is a great forum, but you can tell there are a bunch of big brother trolls posting a bunch of crap here to keep the disinfo on top of the real stories!
=================================================

HEY!! What's the deal here? Our group of BB Trolls is a secret.

I live in a hurricane and tornado prone area. Survival prep is a must here even if you aren't a "survivalist".
Having extra if no Sit-X happens means I can help others when a "typical" natural disaster happens. If nothing else I can use any survival stuff camping.

Originally posted by mysterychicken
I live in a hurricane and tornado prone area. Survival prep is a must here even if you aren't a "survivalist".
Having extra if no Sit-X happens means I can help others when a "typical" natural disaster happens. If nothing else I can use any survival stuff camping.

Don't lie most survivalist won't give a damn about others when tshtf if it ever will. Human nature is very capricious and I wouldn't trust a survivalist any further than I can throw him.

This is silly. Of course survivalism is a fad. It's a fad until you don't have to fight for survival anymore. But you always will have to fight for it.

Survivalism? You are participating in it every day my friend. When you go to work and put up with the bullcrap from your boss, so that you can make enough money to pay for dinner and your mortgage and your kid's college education. That's Survivalism.

You think that you are safe with your 9-to-5 and TV dinners? You are just a slave like most people are. Most are one paycheck away from "not surviving." When the crap goes down, you will have to do whatever you have to do...TO SURVIVE!

reply to post by heliumboy


I have lived through hurricanes. Believe what you want to about people (and you're right about some of them). However, what I saw was people helping people and making sure that everyone was taken care of. Maybe I was lucky to be in the neighborhood I was in. I used to think like you until I saw people given the opportunity to be their worst but chose to be their best.

Nah his right. What's the worst that could happen to America? $15 per pound pork? Well, that's how China is now in comparison and the Chinese are doing fine.

I don't think that anything bad would happen until another four to five decades.
Remember, were humans, were savage beings that can live off of anything. We are going to be fine.

It doesn't hurt to be prepared.

In fact, it will probably hurt a lot more to be unprepared in any circumstance.

reply to post by heliumboy


You, my freind, have a very dark view of human nature...

While it's true that many people don't care for anyone but themselves, it's also true that many more don't feel that way at all. If, or when, things go bad, for every person that goes around stealing for themselves, there will be just as many, if not more, who will bend over backwards to help those around them. That's as much a part of the human nature that you denigrate as the bad you so expect. Look around you sometime, you'll see people helping each other all the time, expecting nothing in return, just because they can.

Ultimately - whatever you believe, you are right. If you believe that the rest of us are "following a fad" for being prepared for the worst, then that is your belief, and your problem, not mine.

All it tells me, is that your parents didn't teach you to be well prepared. Are you the kind of person who lives Pay-cheque to pay-cheque? If that works for you, I'm not going to tell you its wrong. I however, try to put money away (which is diffuclt as a starving student), and I buy a little extra every week, just to be prepared, IN CASE something happens. Its just planning for the worst case scenario, any scenario, Natural or Otherwise.

You drive around with a Spare Tire in the Back of your Car don't you? What is the liklihood that you'll get a flat? Who knows. I've only had one in 3 years, but I still drive around with that spare tire...

- Carrot



[edit on 6/23/2008 by CA_Orot]

reply to post by heliumboy


I am not a situation specific survivalist. And to sit there and think NOTHING will every happen to you must be a very comfy spot indeed.

But ANYTHING can happen. You just never know. Even if you don't believe that total economic collapse isn't possible, there can be weather events.Your car can slide off the road and no one sees you. This happens, more often then you think.

You just get lost.

Why wouldn't you want to be prepared?

reply to post by Wotan


You forgot:

Zombie outbreak
Alien invasion
A killer mist full of giant man-eating inter-dimensional bugs
Angry plant-life
Cochney road gangs
Immortal Zombie-Nazis

All these things are a threat to us all, in my opinion.

Ok, I've had my fun now. Seriously, why would you choose to be susceptible to an event rather than go that little bit out of your way and be prepared?

Hell, I'm only 20 and yet I've (thanks to the survivalists here at ATS) managed to have myself and my family prepared if anything goes down.

reply to post by Wotan



Wotan,

While it may behoove you to call me ignorant, i assure you sir I am not. I do not have an issue with being prepared. I do believe that living in fear of a situation x occurrence is a waste of time, and energy. To be prepared for the possible natural or man made disasters in your area is extremely sensible. (hell I drive around with an N.C.B. suit in my car... Since I live in the oak ridge fallout radius) THAT SAID.

Sensationalism over a global disaster leaving us in a "mad max" type world is not only a waste of energy, but it is also being ignorant of the possibilities. While you may be able to survive, once civilization dies out, a majority of people will follow behind it. God forbid a comet or meteor strike, is a guarantee of extinction. To fret over these things, and how you would live through them causes undue stress, and can eventually lead to mental problems.

Preparedness is not a problem. Everyone should be prepared.
But sensationalism is not necessary, and only leads to more problems (i.e. as I said in my previous post, people wanting to kill each other instead of BARTERING...)

You see... if this did happen... you have to try and start civilization SOMEWHERE or everyone is doomed. you can't fight forever. eventually you have to work together.

But whatever... I guess my wanting to work with my fellow man, instead of clubbing him to death makes me ignorant.

Coven

Originally posted by seagull
reply to post by heliumboy

 

You, my freind, have a very dark view of human nature...

While it's true that many people don't care for anyone but themselves, it's also true that many more don't feel that way at all. If, or when, things go bad, for every person that goes around stealing for themselves, there will be just as many, if not more, who will bend over backwards to help those around them. That's as much a part of the human nature that you denigrate as the bad you so expect. Look around you sometime, you'll see people helping each other all the time, expecting nothing in return, just because they can.

We will see. You obviously have never been hungry and desperate. If I was desperate I certainly would consider killing and eating my family to survive. i certainly don't believe in any sort of God or higher power. human life is essentially worthless. we will all come to this conclusion if the types of SitX every comes about.
please read this link

most here think that we will reach stage 5 evidenced by the fever over what to buy and how many are hoarding guns and ammo.

reply to post by heliumboy


Can't say as I have been hungry. I have been poor, however, wondering how the next bill was going to get paid...oh I know only too well how that feels.

Being prepared for a possible emergency is just common sense. As for people not willing to help, and busy hordeing guns and ammo; 'tis true that some indeed will do just that, but alot more won't.

reply to post by heliumboy



I find it humorous that so many of the survivalists say don't mock what they are doing or some of the others are simply writing mean posts. Of course, your post was a little harsh too, but not too bad. The funny thing is that so many of the survivalists or whatever you want to call them are always making fun of the "sheeple" cause they say the sheeple won't be ready. I guess it's good some of them get a taste of their own medicine. I'm not stashing away too much, but I do grow lots of my own food, I know how to can what I can and have weapons and ammo. I buy a little here and there and practice when I can. I too personally believe nothing will happen as predicted, but something else could happen that we are not expecting at all. There is no way to prepare for something we are not expecting, but the main thing is to be able to self-sustain for a little while at least. It's true too many people are not doing enough to prepare for any type of emergency, but so many people are preparing for a doomsday that will not come, or at least their preparations aren't going to come in all that helpful when the stuff does hit the fan. Even if you grow your own food and we have some type of nuclear catastrophe, who knows how far the radiation is going to go and spread and stay in/on the land/crops. Also, when you need the rain, it probably isn't going to be safe to drink nor use for crops for a while. I mean there are a million scenarios, so, good luck to everyone, prepared or not. I figure, plan a little, save a little, learn a lot and enjoy life even more. You could live in fear or hoard stuff away for 5 years saving all of your money, spending lots of your time and planning for this huge thing and then die in a car wreck. That 5 years you could have enjoyed your wife/husband more, girlfriend/boyfriend more, family more, friends more, etc...

JPT

reply to post by coven


I think that you and many like you that have been posting here have totally misunderstood what many of us have been saying.

Some of you are too blinkered or narrow visioned to see the wider picture of what Survivalism is all about. Some of you see Survivalism as black or white when in fact it is a very grey area. Some of you only see what Hollywood likes to portray, which is pure fantasy in my opinion.

There is nowhere in this forum where I have advocated killing a fellow human being, so lets get that right straight away. It is against my professional code of conduct as well as my personal moral code of conduct. I care for people with acute trauma injuries every day and nothing is more rewarding than seeing an injured person get fit and well again. I help to save lives in my everyday professional life not take them.

As for others on here that are saying that we are trying to convert or preach to, well we are not, we are just putting out why we do what we do. If you dont like or are not interested in the subject, then it is simple, do not post on these threads in this forum and let us that want to learn and educate others get on with it. Personally, I could'nt care a flying fig if you dont want to learn about the concept of Survivalism ..... that is your choice. Just dont come on here and tell me I should'nt or why i should'nt.

To those of you who 'mock' we survivalists for our preparations and lifestyle and think nothing will happen to them, then good luck to you and I sincerely hope you are right. I couldnt care less about your lack of preparations, but in case we are right ''We told you so''.