Trumping all of the above would be a master biochemist/chemist with a magnificent library of medicine formulas. Pain management will be the largest demand, treatment the second and nutrition the third. A doctor without tools & basic medicine might as well be a butcher.

Those that feel well will want entertainment. This is a broad market.
Data restoration/medium transfer, printing/duplication etc to support entertainment.

The ability to heal wounds, radiation and diseases.

I think the question really depends on who will be doing the chosing you or the other guy...

Your useless to an average guy,even though you may know atomic fission..Who just wants to homestead and live with out a worry of dying in his sleep if he takes you in his crew...But you have other motives..

Get what I'm saying..



[edit on 10-5-2009 by Redpillblues]

Nothings better then a doctor that can grow and make his own medicine.

1. Hair Stylist/ Color Tech
2. Professional Disc Golf Player
3. Sub-Prime Mortgage Broker
4. Word of God Spreader
5. Taste-tester
6. Indigenous
7. Whatever the board game Life says you are
8. A Boozer, User, and/or Loser
9. Expert in post-Apocalyptic Environments
10. Stay at home parent
11. Central Banker
12. Diplomat for extra-terrestrials
13. The Party Guy
14. Poker Player
19. Ability to maintain lucky streak
15. Sleight of hand
16. Not taking long range hypotheticals seriously

[edit on 10-5-2009 by Moonsouljah]

I'm with argentus in that a working knowledge of metallurgy will be (and currently is) priceless.

Society will slowly rebuild and even though there may be a carpenter/builder in the group that knows how to construct new buildings, they probably won't know how to make a necessary I-beam out of a Ford fender.

Being able to supply others with the tools they need to be useful will put you at the head of the class.

Originally posted by Fool_l


Nothings better then a doctor that can grow and make his own medicine.

Even a person well versed in medical areas and knows how to make medicine and knows what herbs will suffice when You have to depend on what grows naturally. Does not have to be a doctor, I would lean towards shaman or healer more so, because doctors today only are in it for the money, when that's gone they won't be helping anybody but themselves.
Builders and engineers will certainly be a necessity. I would say if you put teacher in there, someone able to teach basics like math and reading for the next generation, beyond that they(the next generation) would apprentice for healers, builders or engineers when reaching the age at which to aquire their skill. Hunters definately and people who know what is able to be consumed and what can't. Obviously those with skill for greenhouse planting and harvesting if the vegetation is destroyed. Water treatment specialists. Also somebody to record history, so a writer/reporter type. Those are some of the things I can think of.

1. Number building- More is better, create a group of people that will rely on each other. You can never be too picky or choosy is this situation.

2. The ability to create the necesities of life from as many things as possible. Food, Water, Shelter. Medicinal classes also fit here.

2-2. This is just as important, and that is the ability to create energy in any way shape or form. whether is be stockpiling lighters for fire, or just learning how to use solar energy. The ability to harness energy with simple things will be invaluable.

3. Cohesion- Love, unity, purpose, vision. Call it whatever you want, but if your the guy thats motivated and wants to recreate the planet after the apocolypse, you will be a strong leader toward a better society, therefore well liked. Refer to number 1.

4. Conciousnes and Awareness- The higher level of inner awareness you have about yourself and people will give you the mental stability to persevere such a hard time, and still make just and positive decisions.

5. Many many many unique skills. As stated earlier someone who is really good at alot of different things can not only be indispensible, but also a great source of entertaintment.

Learn how to make gunpowder. Plenty of people know how to reload their own bullets, but few actually know how to make the ingredient that makes them work. You'll need coal, saltpeter, and...ummm......(What? You expected me to tell you how to make it?)

Learn how to make Penicillin. You'll need some moldy bread so a little baking skill might do you well. VD will run rampant in a society no longer able to cope with it.

Jack of all trades is your best bet. Learn as much as you can about everything.

In a SHTF world, your mind is by far the best tool you will have to survive.

Just my thoughts.

and sulphur. the proportions are just as important to know as the ingredients.

not all molds are created equal. there are plenty of herbs out there that have antibiotic, antiviral and/or antiparasitic qualities. knowledge is power.

being able to survive the first 5 minutes of any encounter with another group so that you can tell them how valuable you are would be paramount to surviving the rest of your stay with them.

Necromancy...

Might help just a bit in a post Apocalyptic world..

I'm thinking there's no electricity in this Post Apocalyptic World. Your going to need hand pumps for water wells and a clay filter system, in the event your water is contaminated. A supply of Solar panels, windmills, generators, inverters, and batteries. Having all these things and the skills on how they operate would make you priceless in this situation. A large supply of non-gmo survivalist seeds for food insurance. And knowing how to grow a garden at a fairly rapid pace. I'd plant some tobacco plants too. I'm pretty sure grapes come in non-gmo survival seeds too so knowing how to make wine would surely make you priceless! How about the ability to make your own soap? Remember Grannys old Treadle Sewing Machine? Have a few of those on hand. Knowing how to shoot and hunt is obvious, but tanning hides takes a special skill. Make coats and warm winter boots for people.

If you can start a fire without matches and know how to dry meat is a plus. Also have lime bags in stock. It we are looking at an apocalyptic world there's probably going to be some dead people laying around. If the hole is deep enough in the outhouse you don't need lime. A supply of Books on CPR and First Aid would be really handy. And the book 'Your Body doesn't Lie' Of course, we must not forget the farm animals, chickens, cows, sheep, pigs, horses, and mules ect.... Good dogs for guarding and rounding up sheep. A few cats to keep away the mice and rats. Canned foods like tuna in oil. You can use the oil for cooking. Like another OP said know how to make gun powder and keep it dry! Most important for the female ATS'ers is knowing someone who knows how to concoct makeup from plants and flowers. Even perfumes.

[edit on 5/11/2009 by MountainStar]

Originally posted by Mtheory
Doctor would be the best imo

My initial thought was doctor too, but after further contemplation I have to change my mind. A doctor might be priceless, in a post apocalyptic world, but that skill would only be really appreciated by the sick and dying, which wouldn't be the majority of people. Few would find a doctor priceless unless they needed one. Humans have been around for a long time without doctors, and without them some people would die, but humanity would march on. Priceless would be someone with skills that could benefit the many, not the few.

What would be priceless is someone that has a LOT of knowledge about everything, particularly science, and has a high IQ and ability to figure stuff out. For example, a doctor wouldn't be much good if they didn't know how to formulate medications that they would need in order to help people. Someone that's quite knowledgeable about many things, such as chemistry, would become priceless if they had what it takes to figure out how to make penicillin, would know how to turn milk into cheese, would know how to create yeast for baking, etc. etc. etc. Smart people will be priceless. Even today smart people are rare and priceless in this world full of morons hell bent on destroying this world with their religious hopes for their upcoming biblical armageddon, ha.

self relience
being able to cope with solitude for a long period
knowledge of sustainability
Hunting/fishing without the aid of firearms which attract attention
Ability to eat a variety of raw foods

and the most valuable skill is that of trusting your own instinct or gut feeling to know what and who is right and wrong.

Originally posted by munkey66
self relience
being able to cope with solitude for a long period
knowledge of sustainability
Hunting/fishing without the aid of firearms which attract attention
Ability to eat a variety of raw foods

and the most valuable skill is that of trusting your own instinct or gut feeling to know what and who is right and wrong.

I agree and add knowing your limitations. You can't do it all. Many people can ½ ass their way through surviving, I'm sure.

By even being aware to prepare for SITX is proof that we have higher brain functions and are capable of learning even more when pressed into what ever may happen. If you've successfully convinced others of the probability of SITX then you have communication/bartering skills.

If I were to pin the award onto the highest priority, someone mentioned librarian... Take that one step further; Every can agree that knowledge/skill is power. I would say that the person holding a solar powered, multimedia library in their hand would be the most vital.

With every medical first aid journal/metallurgical/survival/herb and plant lore/farming/chemical/historical/engineering/military/cookbook long forms and quick references in a solar powered (or hand crank), multimedia device(s) would possess everything that everyone would want or need to expand their horizons. Trial and error and afro engineering can be fatal.

With seemingly unlimited downtime after daily activities, it'll be really boring after a while and cranking up a movie or video or perusing a virtually unlimited knowledge base of literature... Perhaps learn how to pop corn over an open fire so the family can enjoy retro-movies once in a while etc.

The only person that might be more valuable is the one that knows the key to decrypt the encrypted materials on that multimedia device(s).

There is great hope. Also, Knowledge is power.

The ability to make people laugh.

If you can do that in a post apocalyptic world, you will be utterly unique.