In a true post apocalyptic world, a real collapse of civilization, you must first think of the basic human needs. Food, shelter, security. Secondly would probably be medical knowledge and energy production.

I Agree that a jack of all trades would be more valuable, however some seemingly single skills require a subset of many skills.

Food: Someone who can farm and produce large quantities of crops or livestock will be valuable. Farming a large piece of land and have it produce a usable crop is different from growing your own small garden. Also, trapping and hunting would be valuable. Each of these require knowledge that is best learned through experience, not from books.

Shelter: Anyone can build a basic shelter. You don't need to be an engineer to build a shack that can protect you from the elements so I don't see this as an essential skill. Plus, engineering skills could be learned from books. Techniques, formulas, principles etc, could all be learned by an intelligent person from books. I think builders and carpenters would become more valuable later on as things settle down and people want to have larger and nicer structures built.

Security: While having weapons and the skills to use them properly will be valuable, it's not the only thing you should worry about. I don't see a shortage of armed people happening. But, being able to organize those people into a formidable force instead of a bunch of individual wannabe commandos will be a valuable skill. Survival types will probably be ok but the average group of mindless people will need a leader.

Medical knowledge: I see hands on skills being more important than general knowledge. Knowing how to treat wounds, administer first aid, perform surgery, etc.. Sure, I can stitch up a small wound, but what happens when your appendix bursts or someone shoots you for your can of spam? You gonna trust your neighbor to cut you open or would you rather have a surgeon do it? Secondly would be someone with the safe manufacture and administration of medications, both synthetic and natural.

Energy: I would imagine someone who can produce bio diesel and build a wind turbine would be pretty high on the friend list. Knowing how to make and repair batteries would probably be a good thing to know. Do you know how to produce sulfuric acid and repair a car battery? They're good for more than cars. It might be good to know.

Originally posted by kiwifoot
I was pondering a post apocalyptic earth. Where everything that we know and count on is gone. No shops, no public services and no government or structured society as we know it.

It came to me that I ought to have a skill, a talent, some knowledge that would make me useful in such a world.

Since I don't have one, I thought I'd give it up to ATS to tell me a skill that would make me an integral part of any new society.

For example, anyone with a knowledge of horticulture would be very valuable to a new civilisation. Someone who could make pots in a kiln, brew beer, fish or hunt too.

But what knowledge would be priceless. If there was a choice to be made between saving you or the person next to you, what skill would you have so as to be chosen over them?

Any suggestions people?

[edit on 10-5-2009 by kiwifoot]

Knowledge.

Tools.

Catches of supplies to trade items with others (obviously don't tell people where they are).

Welding gear and the knowhow to make a decent wield.

Anything that's at a premium and you can obtain / act on exclusively.

skills most valuable after a technological infrastructure breakdown ie: caused by solar flares...

*levitation (to get around without cars)
*telekenisis ( to move things without cars)
*heat ray vision ( to heat things without stoves or lighters)
*telepathy (to communicate without the internet or phones)
*bio luminescence ( to light your way without electric lights)
*healing-touch (to heal without medicine)
*super strength (to accomplish tasks without tow trucks or cranes)
*impenetrable skin ( to endure high stress environments unscathingly)
*lack of hunger or thirst(a new biology that doesn't need sustenance - no famine or dehydration)

you can't beat that skill set.

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Not sure what your location is, but in my neck of the woods we're still on the lookout for people with gun-smithing skills. My "pack" has everything else pretty much under control.

How about thinking for yourself instead of letting a bunch of people you don't even know think for you?

When in a post apocalyptic world, you will either be in hell or heaven, according to the Bible and the Quran.

Therefore, the most noblest of us will be the one who is most righteous. So the only skills you should be working on is your faith in One God, the last da, and His prophet.

Originally posted by The Lizard King
How about thinking for yourself instead of letting a bunch of people you don't even know think for you?

Listen 'mate', I don't know what your deal is but the idea of ATS is to share, discuss, and learn. By asking questions there may be 26,000 people who know the answer, and have had thoughts about it, also there may be ONE person who hasn't contemplated it and may learn from me posing the question.

If you haven't got anything constructive to say, keep quiet. if you don't have the common decency to be polite, be quiet. In fact, you should probaly just be quiet.

My choice for good skill to have, is the maintenance mechanic. They have a working knowledge of plumbing, electrical, welding, fabrication, carpentry, trouble shooting skills, some automotive repair skills, but mostly, a working knowledge of many skills.

I would rather have one of these people by my side, than any one other skilled person.

Skills I would go for.

*Knowledge of edible wild foods
*Knowledge of medicinal plants and basic first aid
*Knowledge of how to build a decent shelter
*Knowing how to purify or distill water
*Knowing what signs to look for to predict local weather


Those are just the basics I would want to learn first. Getting technology back up and running would be great, but that's what would have caused the mess to begin with and should be last on the list.

I noticed a lot of people discussed weapons and self defense and forming roving gangs. Just think for a second though, you kill all the people who have certain resources or knowledge to gain those resources, what's your violent roving gang who's sole mode of survival is through petty theft going to do when everything is gone? Planning like that show's no forethought in actual survival. Self defense is a great skill to have, but not if used to just steal from those who could be potentially very valuable to you if treated with respect. Violence is what's going to be the cause of an apocolyptic world, that should tell everyone here that it isn't the solution for a post apocolytpic world.