Survivalism goes Mainstream

[BraggSurvivor]

THE traditional face of survivalism is that of a shaggy loner in camouflage, holed up in a cabin in the wilderness and surrounded by cases of canned goods and ammunition.

ALIVE AND ALONE Will Smith stars in “I Am Legend” as a survivor of a man-made virus, walking New York’s desolate streets.
It is not that of Barton M. Biggs, the former chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley. Yet in Mr. Biggs’s new book, “Wealth, War and Wisdom,” he says people should “assume the possibility of a breakdown of the civilized infrastructure.”

“Your safe haven must be self-sufficient and capable of growing some kind of food,” Mr. Biggs writes. “It should be well-stocked with seed, fertilizer, canned food, wine, medicine, clothes, etc. Think Swiss Family Robinson. Even in America and Europe there could be moments of riot and rebellion when law and order temporarily completely breaks down.”

Survivalism, it seems, is not just for survivalists anymore.

The rest:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/fa...in&oref=slogin

[tacmedic]

I'm supposed to be shaggy and wear camoflauge? I knew I was doing something wrong!

[Teacher]

I always wanted to see a class (or possibly put one together) on urban survival. Pretty much along this same line of thought, natural disasters, war, civil unrest, (mother-in-law visits). Has anyone heard of a school or classes like this? Pretty soon you wont have to be lost in the woods to practice survival.

[Tahyo]

I always wanted to see a class (or possibly put one together) on urban survival. Pretty much along this same line of thought, natural disasters, war, civil unrest, (mother-in-law visits). Has anyone heard of a school or classes like this? Pretty soon you wont have to be lost in the woods to practice survival.

Of all the situations of survival, a SHTF scenario living in the burbs worries me the most. Although I have what I consider great survival skills for situations involving woods etc due to a life time of learning and actually practicing, I've always gone over in my mind "would it be better to high tail it to the woods? or stay put?" We live in an unincorporated area on a small lake, so I have a water supply, short of someone really contaminating it and I have my share of firearms for both protection and hunting. I've stored a reasonable amount of food, water, fuel and have a generator and that's just it... once your neighbors that are unprepared find out you have something, then to me that could be a potential problem, and believe me, we are surrounded by the type of people that wouldn't be able to cope, in my opinion.

As I've grown older I've geared our main survival for the urban setting, but always have it in the back of my mind that it may be necessary at some point to head for the hills.

**add** My inlaws would be some of the first to become food.


Governments and people are too unpredictable in those type of situations as we have learned from watching the results of Katrina.

[BlackDog]

THE traditional face of survivalism is that of a shaggy loner in camouflage, holed up in a cabin in the wilderness and surrounded by cases of canned goods and ammunition.

ALIVE AND ALONE Will Smith stars in “I Am Legend” as a survivor of a man-made virus, walking New York’s desolate streets.
It is not that of Barton M. Biggs, the former chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley. Yet in Mr. Biggs’s new book, “Wealth, War and Wisdom,” he says people should “assume the possibility of a breakdown of the civilized infrastructure.”

“Your safe haven must be self-sufficient and capable of growing some kind of food,” Mr. Biggs writes. “It should be well-stocked with seed, fertilizer, canned food, wine, medicine, clothes, etc. Think Swiss Family Robinson. Even in America and Europe there could be moments of riot and rebellion when law and order temporarily completely breaks down.”

Survivalism, it seems, is not just for survivalists anymore.

The rest:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/fa...in&oref=slogin

Very interesting article. I believe that everyone has a lot more survival and problem solving ability than they are given or give themselves credit for. If I lived in an urban environment that article would have made me a little uneasy, given the possibility of a self-fulfilling prophecy by the simple spread of rumor causing panic, similar to the Salem Witch Trials or the Bear Stearns Meltdown.

[BraggSurvivor]

In 1963 things were so good my dad thought,
"Man, life can't get any better."

And it never did.

When I was a little kid, every year was better than the one before.

My dad went from having a used 50 Merc, to a brand new 54 Ford, to a brand new 59 Olds, to a new brand new 63 Lincoln.

Nobody's mom had to work, everyone was happy.

No one could have imagined we'd piss it all away in 45 years.

[canid]

yes, it helps if you grow a beard. if you can't get a beard to fill in really well, grow two.

[Ridge Wolf]

Survivalism is taking stock of your environment, assessing your resources and using them in the here and now to lessen the harsh impact of your environment. It doesn't matter where you are... each environment has it 's own remedies.

[Teacher]

I too practice and or at least keep survival practices or situations in the formost of my mind eveyday, in everything I do. The number 1 question I normally get asked about survival schools or classes are from people who never leave the city (God knows why) and want some kind of training or direction in what to do just in case. I always give them the normal "best to be prepared" speech with all the ideas on what they can do at that time. Common sense for some people never fully developed. And, yes the beard does definately help. First thing I gave up when I "retired" from the Navy was barber visits.

[joe_]

I always wanted to see a class (or possibly put one together) on urban survival. Pretty much along this same line of thought, natural disasters, war, civil unrest, (mother-in-law visits). Has anyone heard of a school or classes like this? Pretty soon you wont have to be lost in the woods to practice survival.

yes...

a friend of mine did a year in the woods.

teachingdrum.org

I am sure it is up the same alley as this site...

[Rick]

Well, I'm pretty PO'd at the moment. No one, not one single person informed me of the bearded scruffy camo look and I certainly haven't seen anything in Field and Stream or Survival Monthly. Not even the pin up girls from Bunker Boy hinted at that as one of their turn ons. I'm sadly out of step with fashion etiquette once again it seems. I suppose next someone will tell me tie dye and bell bottoms is now a fashion faux pa. Where are the rule books on this stuff people?

[Sam]

Well, I'm pretty PO'd at the moment. No one, not one single person informed me of the bearded scruffy camo look and I certainly haven't seen anything in Field and Stream or Survival Monthly. Not even the pin up girls from Bunker Boy hinted at that as one of their turn ons. I'm sadly out of step with fashion etiquette once again it seems. I suppose next someone will tell me tie dye and bell bottoms is now a fashion faux pa. Where are the rule books on this stuff people?

Rick, did you get the memo on bathing? If you keep clean you can not survive for any amount of time. So get with the program, we are not gonna explain you to the other survivalist much longer. I mean I can not even smell you from here.
What is up with that?

[Rick]

Godliness.....Survivalist......Godliness.....Survi valist. And I thought cleanliness was a biblical requirement. I need to go meditate on this.

[Assassin Pilot]

I saw that movie. It's pretty good, but the fact that he has about 50 car batteries to power his apartment, a fully automatic sniper rifle, a closet full of spam, huge thick metal covers on his doors and windows, and pistols / grenades in every cabinet of his house kind of take away from the true survival spirit of the situation. And he has like a Porsche and an army-type van. I think he's pretty safe with all of that, even against all the mutants.

But I suppose it is a step up the ladder, tis a lot better than many other movies.

[Alpine_Sapper]

I saw that movie. It's pretty good, but the fact that he has about 50 car batteries to power his apartment, a fully automatic sniper rifle, a closet full of spam, huge thick metal covers on his doors and windows, and pistols / grenades in every cabinet of his house kind of take away from the true survival spirit of the situation. And he has like a Porsche and an army-type van. I think he's pretty safe with all of that, even against all the mutants.

But I suppose it is a step up the ladder, tis a lot better than many other movies.

I don't follow your logic. He forages/hunts for his food, and has amassed a decent collection of canned good to survive on. The rifle is necessary because he hunts the mutants for experiments to cure the disease, the metal covers for shelter from the threats in his environment, etc. etc.

I mean, he's trying to save an entire species from the brink of extinction.

How much more "survivalist" can you get? Is it his equipment that "take away from the true survival spirit of the situation"?

Do you consider "bugging out", or "bugging in", whatever your philosophy, not survival?

As a side note, the graphic novels are WAAAAAAAY different than the movie. Much better, imho.

[Rick]

Is this a remake of Omega Man? Sure sounds like it.

[Alpine_Sapper]

Is this a remake of Omega Man? Sure sounds like it.

Omega Man was based on the "I Am Legend" novel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega_man

[Rick]

Cool beans! I learned something else today. Thanks!!

[Assassin Pilot]

@ Alpine:

I suppose he is in a survival situation then, just in a much different one than what I would imagine when I hear the word "survival". I guess I just go camping too much lol

[dilligaf2u2]

I Am Legend. Over acting. I did like Omega Man.

The idea of a pandemic seems older then most of us want to admit. Can we say dark ages? Black Plague? Mother in laws birthday party?

Don