Survivalists: What We Aren't and What We Are.

We aren't sitting around drooling at the idea of a Mad Max scenario as some sort of Viagra substitute.

We aren't loners without family and friends or pets.

We hope to God that we are never put in the situation where we have to raise up arms against another human being.

A lot of us are exmilitary and already had to make tough choices that we have to live with.

None of us think we are Sly Stallone or Jesse Ventura.

We are average ordinary guys and girls.

A lot of us have seen really bad situations. We know they happen.

That's why we prepare.

We sure don't welcome it though.

My 2 cents.

Sorry all.

Had a conversation with a friend today who thinks we all just love playing war; had to get that off my chest.

If I have my way, I'll die at 102 jumping out of a second floor window with a full belly and a very angry husband on my tail.

I don't fancy myself as much of a survivelist, although I am a huge fan of Les Stroud a great canadian survivelist, with a great show. Having said that though I feel you should designate yourself more a realist with a step up on society, because if, or when TSHTF at least you'll have a level of preparedness. As opposed to the panic most, and probably even myself will be living through. So what ever label some may give, head up high, cause it's you they'll be searching out. For what to do next.....

SaneThinking

reply to post by SaneThinking


Thank you. Once in a while, it gets under my skin that so many people assume we are all nuts, automatically.

We had 3 hurricanes in 6 weeks hit and no power meant no water or anything else that we had not prepared ahead of time. Me and my lovely lady took a GI shower in the back yard the next time it rained. We wound up having to sell the property; not much of a house left after the three ugly sisters hit.

We had the basics though, and medicines. It was hot and miserable but livable. Only thing I'd add to the BOB is lots of booze.

Originally posted by mydarkpassenger
reply to post by SaneThinking

 

Thank you. Once in a while, it gets under my skin that so many people assume we are all nuts, automatically.

We had 3 hurricanes in 6 weeks hit and no power meant no water or anything else that we had not prepared ahead of time. Me and my lovely lady took a GI shower in the back yard the next time it rained. We wound up having to sell the property; not much of a house left after the three ugly sisters hit.

We had the basics though, and medicines. It was hot and miserable but livable. Only thing I'd add to the BOB is lots of booze.

Wow, you have already been through quite a bit; is the questioning friend from the same area (FL, I'd assume)???

I've only been through one minor hurricaine, and one minor earthquake without much damage...

I still don't have a clue as to whether or not a true test of a survivalist would be under the effects of nature or man...

Had forgotten to add booze to my BOB (heads to liquor store... )

reply to post by sonjah1


I have no idea where hes at. Definitely add booze to you kit though, lol.

Thank you for starting this. I'm young, by any standards, haven't been through tough s*** but know that bad things happen all the time, like those hurricanes, and want to be able to keep going if things get bad. Most people I know think that I want to live in the mad max world, but i know i prolly wouldn't survive. I just wanna be able to survive a bad situtuation if i find my self in one.
On a side note I do like guns and don't have many friends, but that is because of a lack of social skills on my part. I also am a bit paranoid, but hey, no one's perfect. Most people thinks I'm nuts (and i may be a little) but I hate it when people take the fact that I wanna be prepared for a bad situation wrong.
Nice thread.

Judging by some posts read on ATS i can't agree with the sentiments. These traits may very well apply to the OP, but one does not have to look far on this site to find other personalities.
I try to take what i read with a grain of salt because one never knows when they are being trolled.

+1

i think we know for a reason

Recently experienced some serious flooding which was a good look at how quickly food,fuel and essentials are stripped from the shelves.Self sufficient where i am but panic buying took hold very quickly in the general area.I guess everyone is a survivalist but to varying degrees

I certainly agree with mydarkpassenger, I'm not sitting around for the end of the world. Several years ago the city I lived in was immobalized by a blizzard and ice storm that left us without electricity for days, ours was off for 10 day and many others longer. Not really a life threatening situation in our case but it was for some. I had plenty of camping gear that I used all the time. Lanterns, stoves and plenty of flashlights and batteries. There was plenty of food in the pantry so this was no problem. Some of our neighbors stayed with us because we had heat so we pooled resourses.

Since then I have moved and built a new house. One necessity was to build 2 wood burning fireplaces. I've cooked entire meals on them with my Dutch oven. Chili or stew simmering over coals on a cold winter day is a treat. I keep food stored because to me it just makes sense. It was how I grew up, we had a garden, canned vegetables or froze them. We have become to dependent of the convenience of getting in the car to go to the grocery store. What happens if we can't get to the store or the trucks or trains can't deliver them.

I don't like feeling helpless in a situation when a little planning could have prevented it or made it better. Store plenty of extra food, do your best to keep a supply of medicine needed, learn some first aid skills (which I have had to use on more than one occasion, one was life saving), prepare the place you live with things you might need in an emergency, store water or have a back up supply and yes firearms for protection if it is necessary. To me all this is just common sense don't be so dependent on others.If others think I'm crazy for this let them.

reply to post by Rede2go
Agreed wholeheartedly. Anything can happen that disrupts our chain of services: fires, strikes, inclement or hazardous weather, interstate HazMat accidents, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and etc.. If more people would prepare to take care of themselves for a period of time there would be less secondary injury and death associated with disasters unrelated to an all out SHTF scenario.

reply to post by 12voltz

Let the weather report that snow is on the way and our little town is quickly stripped of toilet tissue, milk and bread. However, one can usually find powdered milk, flour and yeast, biscuit mixes, and napkins, paper towels, washable face cloths and other such .. ahem... useful work arounds

I'm sure in the case of the severe flooding that even the foods that require a little work were soon scarfed up! Having some of that in reserve meant the difference between eating....... and not eating!

reply to post by SeenMyShare


Good God I did I not mention toilet paper!
Note too self: booze and lots of TP!

Originally posted by mydarkpassenger
reply to post by sonjah1

 

I have no idea where hes at. Definitely add booze to you kit though, lol.

That just struck me as really a sign of the times. I've chatted with this guy a lot on a scifi forum, both Trekkies, but I have no idea where he lives or what his real name is. If he got killed in a car wreck I'd not even know where to send flowers. But his attitude bothered me a lot. Odd how much emotion we can vest in what is basically a an electronic message in a bottle.

reply to post by mydarkpassenger
shouldn't those two things be at the top of every preparers list?

Originally posted by mydarkpassenger
We aren't sitting around drooling at the idea of a Mad Max scenario as some sort of Viagra substitute.

We aren't loners without family and friends or pets.

We hope to God that we are never put in the situation where we have to raise up arms against another human being.

A lot of us are exmilitary and already had to make tough choices that we have to live with.

None of us think we are Sly Stallone or Jesse Ventura.

We are average ordinary guys and girls.

A lot of us have seen really bad situations. We know they happen.

That's why we prepare.

We sure don't welcome it though.

My 2 cents.

reply to post by shuck


I am terrible with computers ..good post though ..Many Survivalists are not nutcases...just some people can see the writing on the wall .. for me its looking at the big picture ..looking at human nature and the logical chain of events..and knowing there will come a time and know it will be in my lifetime. ..the prudent human being has always prepared..

And I truly dread the time when things get really bad..because at the end of the day what will come should not really happen..

Over my lifetime I always knew that things would change..and there was an inbuilt reason for learning ..its only now I understand why..

I am no macho male I hate violence.. yet time and learning has equiped me..I don't eat meat yet the skills I have learned..when it comes to it I will..

I believe we are all equal and people should be kind to each other..but if its a threat I will deal with it..

Strange that many survivalists regard people as potential threats ..but when it comes to it ..they will care..hopefully ..

reply to post by LargeFries


Many people who say they are survivalists just want the end of the world to come around, it's what you do not what you say that matters.

reply to post by JDBlack


I never meet anyone that calls survivalists crazy... That would be a pretty absurd assumption. Some people shop at the mall everyday, others work all day, and some just do what makes them happy. To be labeled crazy for the fact you want to stay alive, would make them sound crazy IMO. Man has been living outdoors ever since we have been put here and to call that crazy, because we now have the necessities to live in a house and buy food from a store does not mean you have to. Stores generally only stock enough food to last 3 days. I'd Like to see these new-age civilians that have never been camping get their food if the SHTF or just a simple blackout. I take pride in knowing how to catch my food, build a fire, and defend myself from attackers or wildlife. I'm not even 20 and know more about the outdoors that 85% of Americans; excluding military.