There are threads on here that deal with BOB’s, INCH bags, gardening, water, guns, bunkers, and the like.

I thought I would share, how and why I became a “survivalist” in the hopes that others would be able to see that those who are prepared are in fact not crazy, and maybe share similar stories.

Only recently, maybe 3 or 4 years ago did I start thinking of myself as a survivalist.

Yes, I have been camping, bugging out, hunting, fishing; all of that fun stuff for a long long time, but had never really thought about what I was doing, I just did it.

One day I broke a button on a favorite jacket, and immediately thought to bring it to a tailor to have it fixed. The idea dawned on me, that if a tailor could fix it, I should be able to as well.

This led to a whole new thought process, why pay others for a good or service, when I should be able to do it myself. The whole, “if one man can do it, another man can”, attitude.

I started small, ensuring I had backup power, that I could grow and save my own food, take my own game and so forth. Not really survival, but general preparedness and self-reliance.

The more I was able to accomplish on my own, the more I wanted to learn, to stop relying on others for not just everyday, but any item, so I got into raising chickens, making my own cheese (I barter with a farmer with cows, not to that point yet.), building my own home. Not all together difficult things, but things that require a little time and know how, and yes, the dreaded hard work.

All in all, survival, or preparedness is an ongoing learning experience, trial and error and working with what you have around you to become more self reliant.

We can post all day long about aliens, TEOTWAWKI, bug out bags, food storage, whatever, but first we must come to the realization that everything we need, want, in a survival world, or in the world we live in now, is readily available if we put in the time to NO longer depend on the whims of society, big agriculture, and the constant shifts and changes of governments.

I don’t want society to fail. I don’t want war or civil unrest. I don’t want to be forced to eat geneticly altered food. I want to be able to control the little world I live in and work with others no matter what the state of the world is, and to be prepared to take care of myself should the above mentioned ever happen.

I hope you feel the same.

Welcome.

I don't call myself a "survivalist" but I can read.

I know what happens if the electrical grid or our transportation system is disrupted and it isn't pretty.

Better to prepare and not need it than need it and not have it.

Food, hands down is our biggest vulnerability. No transportation = hunger and chaos within days. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to add 1 + 1. And I like to eat. Starving to death or fighting for food is not my idea of fun.

Buy low, stack high.

[edit on 6-5-2010 by infolurker]

Originally posted by salchanra

I don’t want society to fail. I don’t want war or civil unrest. I don’t want to be forced to eat geneticly altered food. I want to be able to control the little world I live in and work with others no matter what the state of the world is, and to be prepared to take care of myself should the above mentioned ever happen.

I hope you feel the same.

I sure do feel the same. I like having the internet and going out for ice cream with my kids and being able to run my business in a stable economy.
but now I'm convinced that society has reached the point of no return. Too many people with a non existent work ethic, People around the world rioting because the handouts are about to stop as the breaking point has been reached. the systems upside down and is about to collapse. it will start in Europe and the Americas are close behind.
That being said I still hope for a bright future for my kids, Im still planning for the future of my business. At the same time preparing for the coming collapse and trying to position myself to come out on the other side.
Its like having a split personality.

Originally posted by salchanra
Its like having a split personality.

I think you touched on something very important here. Most people feel exactly that way once they get into survival skills. You end up walking in 2 worlds at once. You go out for ice cream but notice in the edges of the parking lot there are weeds you could eat - dandelion, plantain, chicory. You look up at the clouds and realize that it will be raining within the next 24 hours. You notice much that others are oblivious to.
If and when the SHTF (and I DON'T want it to) those same oblivious people will be crying to everyone and the government for help that probably won't come. If armed they will soon begin trying to take whatever it is they feel they need and I don't blame them. It will be critical to be able to keep what you have or to stay unnoticed or both preferably.
EVERYONE in an urban or suburban environment better have firearms and know how to use them if you wish to stay alive. I'm sorry but that will be the bottom line.
I actually came to learn survival skills in a completely different fashion. It has always been my passion to study so called "primitive" peoples and how they live from day to day. By studying these cultures you begin to understand your connection to the earth and how to get what you need from your immediate environment. It was also my good fortune to grow up in an outdoorsy family where hunting, camping and fishing were routine weekend activities. My parents grew up during the depression and passed on to me their sense of values which I am also most grateful for.
So whether your interest is anthropology, bird watching, hunting , camping, flower walks , whatever there is a way to begin to learn these basic skills that I feel are really the birthright of everyone. We should ALL know how to live directly off the earth, using what the creator has given us wisely and not destroying anything in the process.
Weaning ourselves away from modern technology is the first step. Learning to work with your hands is one of the greatest experiences anyone can have. I would encourage everyone to go outside right and ask yourself "do I know where to find potable water, food or shelter? If you don't you'd better get busy. There may not be much time left to prepare yourself and those you love for an uncertain future.

Bump

great post! We all need to take a hard look in the mirror and see what we'd do if we all just had to rely on ourselves.

Originally posted by Asktheanimals

I actually came to learn survival skills in a completely different fashion. It has always been my passion to study so called "primitive" peoples and how they live from day to day. By studying these cultures you begin to understand your connection to the earth and how to get what you need from your immediate environment.

In a way, once we get to the point of understanding that we can, and IMO should learn to rely upon ourselves, no matter how we get there, an interest in primitive cultures, not wanting to pay for a button, actually enduring the hardships of a Katrina episode, in the end, I think we all eventually wind up at the same place.

I glean knowledge and wisdom from those that came before me. Why reinvent the wheel? Couple that with the things we have that some never dreamed of, such as the internet, stainless steel, long range scopes, etc... and you begin to realize that there is no reason why we need to be stuck in our forced society with traffic, terrible food and water, senseless victims afraid to take care of themselves.

I am glad to see posts saying they do NOT want society to collapse, there is way to much talk of that one this board and in "survival" prepardness circles allready.

Take what you have each day, and make it yours. Not something given to you, or something stolen. But make the food, the cheese, your water. When the knowledge and determination lay within you, no matter what the state of the world, no one can ever take it from you.

i have to agree

see that the whole deal with me, if one man can do something then why cant i do it? why should i put a limit on what i can and cant do.
like my brother in law installs windows and i was like well im never really going to install windows(usually we rely on the contractor to do it)
but i was like i dont mind learning, and thats what we all need to do is learn about things that will help us Post Apocalypse