The Realities of Survival

I dont' want to bring everyone on a downer, but i wanted to bring to light some of the realities of survival. Many people actually seemt o enjoy the idea of a SitX, the idea of living off the land permanently. Well i like living of the land but doing it on a permanent basis is not like camping for two weeks.

The fact is that even with good survival skills, a tent, a sleeping bag and other things, you will spend nights cold, you will spend days hungry and you will spend days rather unclean. There will be problems with dealing with your health as well.

We always seem to make out that SitX would be better or at least easy to deal with if you're prepared but it doesn't always work that way. If you've spent any time camping long term away from civilization then you'll know what i mean. Getting food might seem easy enough but there will be days you get side tracked by unknown things.

Sorry to bring a downer on so many peoples plans, i just thought it would be good to take a realistic look.

I watched survivorman and he has trouble like heck getting food.Of course that just a movie but there numerous times i go hunting and never come back back with any food.Same as fishing.

reply to post by alienstar


That's the fastest reply i've ever seen! Has to be a record!

Well suvivorman is slightly different, he goes out with no supplies at all, so at least people here would be slightly more prepared. However yes, his situations are more realistic than your Bare Grills types, backed up by a camera crew. He sometimes goes a very long time without food, experiences the initial effects of malnutrition and shows the very real outcomes of survival.

i have read thread after thread on here dealing w/ physical survival and i guess w/ this particular thread, i finally just feel the need to get something off my chest, so to speak.

most seem so focused on surviving physically (which i am not COMPLETELY against, as i am doing my own "stock piling"), but i think there is a reality we are all forgetting.

it is this: IT IS NATURAL FOR US TO DIE!! you can survive through "hell" should things play out the way many of you think they will and even i am inclined to think they will, but you are still destined to die.

stocking up and learning to live "off the land" isn't an idiotic thing to do, by any means..... after all, we all have the "instinct" to survive. but rather than focusing TOO much on that and relying on THAT as your point of focus, wouldn't it seem more realistic to realize that we ARE destined for death eventually anyway?

in that mind set...... meaning death WILL ultimately find each and every one of us at some point...... wouldn't putting the majority of your focus on keeping yourself from playing into these mind sets of "fear", "worry", "anxiousness" be more of a weapon against the corruptness so prevelent in the world today?

summary from my subjective point of view: focus on teaching your family to stay in the mind set that good is all around us despite the evil, sadness, hatred etc that seems to be so prevelent in the world today.

if they want, "they" (if there is a "they) can strip you of all you need to survive no matter how prepared you think you are... BUT "they" can't strip you of your "spirit" and your goodness and your hope....... that is all that you have that can ultimately never be taken away unless you freely hand it over..

I need to shed a few pounds anyway.. I've been poor most of my life, so hardship isn't anything new to me. My family is another matter. I don't want them to suffer anymore than is absolutely necessary.

I've done all I can to prepare, so the rest is up to God. That doesn't mean I'm going to kick back and wait for a sign from him though.

I believe God helps those who help themselves, and gives you only what you need, not necessarily what you want. I'm not a religious fanatic, but it's nice to have something to believe in that is greater than myself when things go south of the border.

Originally posted by justamomma
it is this: IT IS NATURAL FOR US TO DIE!! you can survive through "hell" should things play out the way many of you think they will and even i am inclined to think they will, but you are still destined to die.

Did i ever argue we're destined to die, please don't sidetrack the thread. I was just on about the hardships of survival, the realities. Everyone dies i have no fear of such a thing.

Originally posted by justamomma
stocking up and learning to live "off the land" isn't an idiotic thing to do, by any means..... after all, we all have the "instinct" to survive. but rather than focusing TOO much on that and relying on THAT as your point of focus, wouldn't it seem more realistic to realize that we ARE destined for death eventually anyway?

Again, side tracking the thread. Yes we'll all die, however it's always a good idea to maybe make sure you last out your time. I wasn't on about dying, it didn't even cross my mind as i'm to positive to consider it an outcome, i was only talking about the very real physical hardships of surviving.

Originally posted by justamomma
in that mind set...... meaning death WILL ultimately find each and every one of us at some point...... wouldn't putting the majority of your focus on keeping yourself from playing into these mind sets of "fear", "worry", "anxiousness" be more of a weapon against the corruptness so prevelent in the world today?

I wasn't playing into anything, you really have misread the idea of this thread. Careful condiseration and experience is what i base this thread on, not worry.

Originally posted by justamomma
summary from my subjective point of view: focus on teaching your family to stay in the mind set that good is all around us despite the evil, sadness, hatred etc that seems to be so prevelent in the world today.

if they want, "they" (if there is a "they) can strip you of all you need to survive no matter how prepared you think you are... BUT "they" can't strip you of your "spirit" and your goodness and your hope....... that is all that you have that can ultimately never be taken away unless you freely hand it over..

You are kidding right? The spirit is broken with great ease in many people, notice how i never even consider this outcome, i never even let death cross my mind, i'm wiling to bet that means my chances if things kicked off are better than yours as i'm more positive. It's been shown those always looking for the positive do better in pretty much all situations. Death? Why even consider it, if it's coming for you then it's coming, no point even bothering thinking about it.

Please don't derail the thread again, i was talking about my experience having done a lot of outdoor living over the years. It's a very real challenge and you will spend days hungry in my experience, despite trapping and hunting/fishing.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984



well certainly i offer my apologies as i seem to have offended you w/ the way i perceived things written.

reply to post by justamomma


Lol np, not offended just was way off topic, everyone dies yes, do i care about such things no. It happens it happens, i like to concentrate on living. My point was more about the idea that surviving isn't as easy as it sounds. Even with knoledge and equipment you can still go through serious hardship.

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984
reply to post by justamomma

 

Lol np, not offended just was way off topic, everyone dies yes, do i care about such things no. It happens it happens, i like to concentrate on living. My point was more about the idea that surviving isn't as easy as it sounds. Even with knoledge and equipment you can still go through serious hardship.

yeah, that is what i thought you were saying and i guess that is why i said what i did. now just a little confused as what you were hoping to gain by this post unless it was to inform others of such a thing (not that i don't think those things aren't reality, but these ppl are smart enought to realize this already, i would think)? but even in that case, i just think it is important for ppl to remember to do what they can, but that life (at least not as we know it) won't last forever anyway and that although things can go wrong w/ preps, to remember not to lose hope. but i guess that may still be off topic, and again sorry cuz i am a bit confused as to what the point was in posting this now. sorry....... not looking to argue.

reply to post by justamomma


The point of the post was to prepare people for the realities of survival so that when they're cold at night, when they're hungry, not to give up hope. If you expect something as a real possibility then you wil be more able to cope with it when it does happen.

im not a member of this site, and i dont expect to be coming back (maybe i will though) but i just thought id mention that i believe the point of this thread is to make it clear that outdoor survival is not for everybody, although many believe it would be a lot simpler....

the reality is: outdoor survival- some live, others barely, most die and few exell...

lets just say the entire world was thrown back into the middle ages, the way im thinking, 80% of the worlds population would die, 0.001% will become leaders of small cults (that may grow) and the other survivors would be pretty miserable

do you honestly think you fall into the leader-group? think again

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984
reply to post by justamomma

 

The point of the post was to prepare people for the realities of survival so that when they're cold at night, when they're hungry, not to give up hope. If you expect something as a real possibility then you wil be more able to cope with it when it does happen.

ahhh!! gotcha definately something worth saying, no doubt! this is a reality i DO keep in mind and although i want to believe that i will be able to face each of the many problems that WILL arise in dire situations, i am also not "dreamy" enough to believe that a woman like myself, spoiled in childhood but aware of the realities, can even begin to understand the REALITY that we very soon can (and probably will) face. i guess that is why i try to focus more on the condition of my heart bc it is all i have.

again..... i completely agree w/ the "message" (intent) of your thread and can only hope that there will be some way for those of us who are less knowledgeable about survival and all that entails to be able to make it through (in my case, that hope is more for taking care of my two sons than myself).

as the "anonymous" poster said and something i agree w/ "others barely, most die" and so....... well, i guess i am left to prepare the best i can w/ the understanding that it may not be enough.... BUT w/ the hope that if i face each day as it comes, i may be able to, at the very least, be one of the ones that barely make it through for the sake of my boys.