Has the survival mentality made you less materialistic?

Hi all,

I don't think i have ever been materialistic, however i like many people like a few luxuries now and again.

Yet since becoming interested in preparedness, i seem to be reclassifying what i class as important to my family and i.

I have two kids so they will still have their goodies, yet in the background i have really changed my perspective on many things due to the subject of survialism.

I find myself increasingly listening with almost dismay and worry, at people who revel in the latest huge flat screen tv they've bought, or the latest must have gadget that has to cost hundreds of pounds otherwise is just isn't the right one!

WTSHTF, there are going to be an awful lot of people out there sat in their houses, thirsty, hungry, probably ill in time....but with a whole load of gadgets that won't work without electricity....so they'd better hope that the Sit X doesn't put paid to the leccy too eh?

I look at the celebrity mentality and almost feel sorry for them. I think people like that are going to find a Sit X the biggest shock. They just have not got a clue have they?

Don't get me wrong, i treat myself to this and that, but more and more these days i find myself tossing a coin over priorities. Maybe it's a sign of the times, i dunno? Maybe i'm just getting old?

Like tonight, i fancied nipping out for a couple of pints, but opted to stay in and buy a bushcraft knife instead, a nice little Frost Mora for general use in the woods. There was something nice about the feeling that i hadn't just drunk a tenner, but instead bought something that would be of great use to me and my family.

I'm not advocating being a hermit btw lol, i just wondered if the whole survival thing had changed your view on things?

My biggest niggle, or sadness even, is when i hear people talking as if they are the most important people on the planet. Very shallow, very materialistic, very self-absorbed, very sad people. I just wonder how these sorts of people are going to cope one day if things go pearshaped?

CX.

I would agree that survival mentality has made me less materialistic. But even more so than that it has made me aware. Now I still like to go out and do things and buy nice things but I have become more frugal, as part of the survivalist mentality is debt freedom.

I think thats what is great about the survivalist mentality. It opens your eyes and your mind and gives you the ability to see the world for the beautiful place that it is not as the Elite would have us beleive that we need this and we need that.

Yes it has, but not to the extent of being a breezy, willowy new-ager

Excellent idea for a thread!

I have spent many years living basically non-materialistic but feel that more and more people around me, whether aware of conspiracist ideals/proof or not, are living with a more pure, life-focused mindset rather than materialistic.

Interesting times we're living in!

Much less materialistic than I used to be. Worst thing now is a hording type mentality. Things that will be useful and or valuable in a sitX. Within reason of course as it's all dependent on mode of travel and weights of everything. I am actually happy to report that in a pinch we could bug out relatively quickly and be as prepared as possible to weather it for some time.

So long as family is together it's all good.

I don't buy into the whole need for "survival" thing, so no that has not made me less materialistsic.

What has made me less materialistic is the damn economy and stock market.

Take it from an old Marine. Less is More as long as it is what you need. Move less, drink less water, eat less food, rest and sleep more but keep busy enough to refine your skills and not get depressed. learn to play a harmonica, carry a deck of cards, a book of useful knots. If in a hot humid environment throw away your skivvy drawers or get ringworm. Find a good hiding spot and conserve your energy.

I can definitely say that I have become less materialistic. I used to splurge on credit cards every so often and run up a big bill. Lately I have paid everything off and am working on saving, and for the first time ever I am serious about it. I am making no new credit card purchases. For years I complained to my husband about our lack of landscaping. Last year I planted a bunch of perennials and did the prep work for a lawn. It has been years in the making; this was to be the year I finally got my landscaped yard!

-- Not so.

I am planting vegetables instead. The entire lawn area will be raised vegetable beds.

I needed a new mattress. I have now decided that is a "want", not a "need".

Stuff like that.

Definately, These days I rarely think about buying stuff because its luxurious etc, I wont be a saloon car with air con, sun roof, automatic transmission, leather upholstry etc because they are all just a complete waste of money. I would elect to spend my money on a vehicle with 4 wheel drive, high ground clearance, good reliability record, large storage capacity, long range fuel tanks, diesel engine etc. I tend to bulk buy decent quality products when they are on offer, and my cloths tend to be rugged, durable cut for comfort hiking/ camping or mil spec gear rather than Gucci.
Why spent money on luxuries when you can spent it on stuff they make prolong or save your families lives ?, But in saying that thers no harm ion buying little luxuries in the right context, IE getting the best gun, knife, flashlight, batteries, you can afford,

Less for sure. Don't get me wrong, we all have to have our luxurys, but they don't fit the list as high as neccessitys.

Spiritowl

Seems to me that if you spend the money buying some fancy knife rather than a couple of pints, then it's still a form of materialism. If that fancy knife sits in a drawer and is never used, then the only point of buying it was to make you feel good. Which is the same feeling you'd get from buying the beer or any other consumer item.


What am I trying to say here? I guess that buying a whole heap of stuff to help you survive in SitX and having it sit there unused in a cupboard is no different to someone buying a whole heap of shoes or gadgets or xbox games. After all SitX is a "what if" and this stuff may never get used - so what an ultimate waste of money it really is! Far better to try and use the survival stuff you buy so that a) you're familiar with it and b) you're not completely wasting your money. Otherwise amassing this sort of equipment does become another form of materialism in itself.

To those new survivalists; Welcome, to my world. I have been living a Taoist-like lifestyle by choice for many years, as I'm a Theravada Buddhist. And, I have found that I have become slightly more materialistic by focusing on my survival needs. Yet, for me, this means actually owning a 4x4, buying stock-pile items (grain, sugar, salt, canned goods), collecting gear, and paying more attention to the physical world around me.

I assume I am a rather strange exception to the OP's question, as I'm coming from a completely non-materialistic lifestyle into a more mainstream "I need some things" mentality.

I am happy to see that even those selfish materialists can get their acts together and get a grip on reality. It also makes me happy that where we end up meeting, is in the middle-ground, as it affirms my beliefs.

in Liberty, by the Light of God,
O-315

I have been a tramp all my life, but the weird thing was my life was ruined by those who thught i had money. this has definately shown me that money is bull and i was right not to be really that interested in it. I think being male helps, in being not really into material things, and i am glad i had nothing that these people want.

But also on the topic, people only need so much to exist and if i have enough to live on, i would have been ok in my life, if it wasn't for others.

Originally posted by photobug
..part of the survivalist mentality is debt freedom.

As someone who lived hand-to mouth on only the cash in my pocket as a bankrupt for 6 years whilst all around me were revelling in the consumer credit boom, I totally agree.

That experience taught me that there were many things to be had that were free, such as recycling friends' old consumer electronics whilst they upgraded to the latest rediculously priced version (such as the desktop PC I write this on being built from parts via that method)

I'm totally debt-free now having served my pennance but the survival-mentality I developed during that phase of my life still governs my decision making

Originally posted by organism315
To those new survivalists; Welcome, to my world. I have been living a Taoist-like lifestyle by choice for many years, as I'm a Theravada Buddhist. And, I have found that I have become slightly more materialistic by focusing on my survival needs. Yet, for me, this means actually owning a 4x4, buying stock-pile items (grain, sugar, salt, canned goods), collecting gear, and paying more attention to the physical world around me.

I assume I am a rather strange exception to the OP's question, as I'm coming from a completely non-materialistic lifestyle into a more mainstream "I need some things" mentality.

I am happy to see that even those selfish materialists can get their acts together and get a grip on reality. It also makes me happy that where we end up meeting, is in the middle-ground, as it affirms my beliefs.

in Liberty, by the Light of God,
O-315

To build Nirvarna or Shangri La one still needs tools.

Originally posted by Crispy_Chicken
Seems to me that if you spend the money buying some fancy knife rather than a couple of pints, then it's still a form of materialism. If that fancy knife sits in a drawer and is never used, then the only point of buying it was to make you feel good. Which is the same feeling you'd get from buying the beer or any other consumer item.

I have to say that your interpretation of materialism is similar to mine. If I make a purchase to ensure an emergency is easier to bear then that is a material gain.

It's not as if the urge to splurge has been diminished in any way. I still recycle my wealth in the same way, it's just that recently the recycling has acquired a narrower focus.

Smithy, never been there, nor done that but I've looked in the T-shirt window a few times. 55lbs of spuds and 30 tins of beans to eat and one weekend beer blow-out a month. That was some lean times...

I wish that someone or some people could create a 21St century version of "The Last Whole Earth Tool Catalogue". It came out in the late 60s or early 70s and listed anything and the best of everything that one would need for creating a life from what the earth has to offer. It goes a bit beyond survival living, but the way people lived 100 years ago would be living on the edge for a lot of folks.

Originally posted by hypervigilant
I wish that someone or some people could create a 21St century version of "The Last Whole Earth Tool Catalogue". It came out in the late 60s or early 70s and listed anything and the best of everything that one would need for creating a life from what the earth has to offer. It goes a bit beyond survival living, but the way people lived 100 years ago would be living on the edge for a lot of folks.

What about a Lehmans Catalogue ???

reply to post by CX



To be honest, I have never been a chap to go wow look at my new car or I must have a PS3.
I drive a car that goes and is cheap to repair, while my friend drives around on a Mustang.
When I buy I look to buy quality but quality that will last, I do this with the survival equipment I buy.

If I had a flat screen telly or not has never bothered me and alot of my friends think I'm odd for not wanting anything like it.

I try in my life to be useful with the money I have.

I dont know about you survivalists. I mean i would love to know the basics and pretty much do.

but anything beyond havin food and water supply for a week or 2, i think your a little paranoid.
there is always "sitX" floating around yet in the past.... X amount of years, when has it ever happened?

Its good to be ready, but to be constantly thinking about it. I dunno bout you people sometimes. lol