How old is survivalism?

I'm not talking about the art of surviving, for as we know that would easily be traced back to the start of human exsistance. As long as there have been people on this planet, they have needed to survive at the absoloute basic levels.

I mean the survivalism as we know it. They way it is talked about here on the forum and across the net.

I'm 36, and have always been interested in survival/bushrcaft type subjects, but growing up i just can't remember hearing much about it.

I used to collect my weekly copy of Combat and Survival as a kid, and now and again i would get my hands on an issue of Soldier of Fortune which had some survival articles in it. As for the groups though, i never used to hear about them.

I am interested in what you know about the history of survival. I think it's important to know the background regarding this kind of thing, as it brings respect to those that may have had to use survival as a means to get through incredibly tough times. In turn, we learn from this.

Do you think the term "survival" in the US goes hand in hand with the whole malitia thing and The Constitution?

Is it just a way of life depending on your lifestyle and living conditions?

I won't deny it, i have the luxury of being able to prepare, learn and practice survival skills without actualy having to depend on them. For some here in more isolated areas in the US, maybe it's a case of you having to hunt/apply survival skills or you go hungry?

CX.

I'd say that since the dawn of the modern age post WW2.
Life is physically easy compared to how our ancestors had it and the checks and balances include sport, outdoorsmanship and of course survivalism.

Historically the survivalists of old would be the scouts and adventurers of the 1700s.

If you want to really go way back you could consider Xenophon leading the lost army back home to be ancient survivalism

I agree with WatchRider on the post WWII timeframe.

But I think we can be more specific by saying it was probably during the cold war years which the movement gained legs.

I am however not from the US, so I expect we may get more information from one of our American friends on this issue.

Originally posted by CX
I'm not talking about the art of surviving, for as we know that would easily be traced back to the start of human exsistance. As long as there have been people on this planet, they have needed to survive at the absoloute basic levels.

I mean the survivalism as we know it. They way it is talked about here on the forum and across the net.

I'm 36, and have always been interested in survival/bushrcaft type subjects, but growing up i just can't remember hearing much about it.

I used to collect my weekly copy of Combat and Survival as a kid, and now and again i would get my hands on an issue of Soldier of Fortune which had some survival articles in it. As for the groups though, i never used to hear about them.

I am interested in what you know about the history of survival. I think it's important to know the background regarding this kind of thing, as it brings respect to those that may have had to use survival as a means to get through incredibly tough times. In turn, we learn from this.

Do you think the term "survival" in the US goes hand in hand with the whole malitia thing and The Constitution?

Is it just a way of life depending on your lifestyle and living conditions?

I won't deny it, i have the luxury of being able to prepare, learn and practice survival skills without actualy having to depend on them. For some here in more isolated areas in the US, maybe it's a case of you having to hunt/apply survival skills or you go hungry?

CX.

Depending on who you believe modern survivalism was created by Ragnar Benson or Mel Tappan in the late 60s and early seventies, but if you include bushcraft its probably goes back as far as Orde Wingate and his Chindits plus a smatering od early SAS/ LRDG plus early US rangers circa 1941.
But for modern civilians its generally accepted that it began to gain ground in the lead up to the Cuban Missile crisis when loads of Brits and Yanks got so fearful of GNW that they started stocking up and building bunkers. However classic fictional novels on survivalist principles were coming out in the late 1950s with books like Alas Babylon. The whole thing was crudely and rudely hijacked by the loons and nutcases who wanted to creat militias in the 1970s/ 1980s but they are dying out thank god.

I have been a survivalist since 1979 along with a few other notable Brits like John Locke and Nemasis who dont do public forums any more.

[edit on 25-3-2009 by Northern Raider]

In a post WW2 era, I'd say it has it's roots in the American civil defense drills of having 2 weeks of food and water in your home bomb shelter. Any number of videos and pamphlets are online from the era that bear this out.

It grew as people realized that more than bombs can cause a problem with shortages of basic needs. It took off in the mid to late 70's with semi-popular magazines and cultural references such as SOF.

Think I'd have to disagree with all of you's. Suvivalism has been going on since the stonge-age, Man had a shelter or a cave and minimal food supplies, then as either adverse weather or other tribes came along , they'd simply 'up stakes' and move to another location, also depending on local animal migrations , they'd probably follow the herd for food, before learning how to farm.
It's just these days we have more technology to help us survive, Lighters, tents , cooking utensils, torches, and other paraphenalia to make it easier for us to survive.
Where as we also have more danger to our lives, or at least more paranoia from media and now the internet fueling our fears, I mean in the 'ye olde days' , when all news was by word of mouth, how many people knew about volcanoes, earthquakes, aliens or even wars in another land that could escalate to a world war?
People have always done what they can to survive, and to be honest even though we have the technology most of us do not have the know-how to use it properly should whatever situation (X) occur.
Most of us were never taught how to find water, which plants ere edible, how to find our way by the stars. Without our technology to help us we're as helpless as a baby.
Hypothetically Put a cave man and a modern man in a forest with a flint knife on the caveman and a stainless steel bowie for the modern man and see who's alive after a few weeks.

Originally posted by DataWraith
Think I'd have to disagree with all of you's. Suvivalism has been going on since the stonge-age, Man had a shelter or a cave and minimal food supplies, then as either adverse weather or other tribes came along , they'd simply 'up stakes' and move to another location, also depending on local animal migrations , they'd probably follow the herd for food, before learning how to farm.

C,mon DW read the threads properly
the OP clearly asks what is the origins of MODERN survivalism, he points out that we know self suifficiency goes back millenia, but he wants to know about modern survivalism IE US.

reply to post by CX


"Do you think the term "survival" in the US goes hand in hand with the whole malitia thing and The Constitution?"

During that time I beleive the German "Hessian" soldiers kept to very small groups that were self sufficiant..The brought there knoledge from europe and some was incorperated with ''our'' ways..
Just a factiod//

I think the new age ''survivalism'' would have had to start with the advent of products to help someone survive..When was the first mass marketted item sold??


[edit on 25-3-2009 by Redpillblues]

Too tired and been to the pub to be bothered reading the posts properly mate.
besides as I said


"It's just these days we have more technology to help us survive, Lighters, tents , cooking utensils, torches, and other paraphenalia to make it easier for us to survive.
Where as we also have more danger to our lives, or at least more paranoia from media and now the internet fueling our fears, I mean in the 'ye olde days' , when all news was by word of mouth, how many people knew about volcanoes, earthquakes, aliens or even wars in another land that could escalate to a world war?
People have always done what they can to survive, and to be honest even though we have the technology most of us do not have the know-how to use it properly should whatever situation (X) occur."

The more events, the more we can plan, there have been more and more different situations over the last century , 2 world wars , numerous small wars, bio attacks , nukes going off in the last world war, terror attacks, I think survivalism has really gained a real following since the last depression in the 20's and 30's when food , money and general supplies were running short.
Only during the wars did masses of people actually learn survival skills whilst being enlisted in their respective countries armies.
Soldiers learn through experience and are taught survival techniques and combat but the average Joe on the streets has to adapt with no training, the depression in the US taught them to survive. Combat training wasn't needed, but foraging for food was.
Its only with the invention of media that has garnered the masses attention to adapt to whatever situations ailes them.

Richard Proenneke is an original survivalist and my favorite. He got me interested in it and every time the documentary comes on PBS I watch it.

en.wikipedia.org...

Well, I'd personally date it earlier than the 1960s and earlier than "post-WWII'. My honest assessment of this is that it has its roots in the late 19th C and eventual realisation in the early 20th C.

As bizarre as it may sound, I think large-scale introduction of a lot of these skills to non-military individuals starts with Lord Baden-Powell's Scouting movement, then through to groups like the Kindred of the Kibbo Kift and the Woodcraft Folk.

A lot of the early practices of these groups are a bit more 'robust' than most people would attribute to organisations like the Scouts.

[edit on 25-3-2009 by Merriman Weir]