Preparing for the worst (short term and long term emergencies)

[icehorse]

I remain ever so slightly optimistic that humans will wake up, be honest about ecological overshoot, and take the hard steps necessary to actually save the planet and civilization. I think it's a long shot, but what else is there to do, but work towards saving the planet and society?

With that said, I've thought a lot about the "prepper" approach to facing the future. I've come to the conclusion that we all ought to be ready to deal with mid-length emergencies, i.e. a loss of services for a couple of weeks, maybe a month. It seems to me that if we lose services for much longer than that we'll quickly be living in a mad-max world. At that point, your bunker - no matter how elaborate - won't save you from the starving hordes for very long

The only possible solution I've come up with for surviving in a mad max world is to have some rare and indispensable skill(s) that the local strongman sees value in.

So long story short I'd propose:

- be ready for a loss of services of a couple of weeks.
- learn so useful skills for a mad max world
- in the meantime, it's probably good to work towards being a bit self-sufficient, things likes productive gardens, first aid skills...

 

[Kathryn]

I never will forget calling my dad one evening (I think after all those police officers were shot in Dallas but to be honest, I can't recall the exact timing). Anyway, I said something like "Dad, what are you going to do?" And my dad, who was always good for a conspiracy theory, said, "Nothing. I'm too old to die on that hill." He may have been right.

I can live a few weeks but after that, I don't know. Not going to learn new skills so there's that aspect. I guess people will have to take me as I am nor not.

 

[Stevicus]

I remain ever so slightly optimistic that humans will wake up, be honest about ecological overshoot, and take the hard steps necessary to actually save the planet and civilization. I think it's a long shot, but what else is there to do, but work towards saving the planet and society?

With that said, I've thought a lot about the "prepper" approach to facing the future. I've come to the conclusion that we all ought to be ready to deal with mid-length emergencies, i.e. a loss of services for a couple of weeks, maybe a month. It seems to me that if we lose services for much longer than that we'll quickly be living in a mad-max world. At that point, your bunker - no matter how elaborate - won't save you from the starving hordes for very long

The only possible solution I've come up with for surviving in a mad max world is to have some rare and indispensable skill(s) that the local strongman sees value in.

So long story short I'd propose:

- be ready for a loss of services of a couple of weeks.
- learn so useful skills for a mad max world
- in the meantime, it's probably good to work towards being a bit self-sufficient, things likes productive gardens, first aid skills...

I guess it would be rather difficult to survive in that kind of world.

And even if you can overcome Lord Humongous, one would still have to learn to survive under primitive conditions. Food and fuel would become scarce right away. Machines would slowly break down with no spare parts or replacements available. If you break an arm or a leg, you'll have to set it yourself, as there won't be any doctors or hospitals to go to. Same if you encounter some disease or need medication. We wouldn't even be able to post to RF to complain about our miserable plight. That would be the worst blow of all.

 

[Audie]

I would say, be the person of maximum utility.

Which does immediately eliminate me.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

About the only potentially useful skill I still have is sarcasm, which I'm not sure the local warlord would value much...

 

[icehorse]

About the only potentially useful skill I still have is sarcasm, which I'm not sure the local warlord would value much...

court jester perhaps?

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

court jester perhaps?

perhaps, but I don't think most warlords want to be made fun of, and I only aim it at the powerful and power-hungry...

 

[Yerda]

I'm hoping the local warlord has some use for statistical modelling

 

[Twilight Hue]

I remain ever so slightly optimistic that humans will wake up, be honest about ecological overshoot, and take the hard steps necessary to actually save the planet and civilization. I think it's a long shot, but what else is there to do, but work towards saving the planet and society?

With that said, I've thought a lot about the "prepper" approach to facing the future. I've come to the conclusion that we all ought to be ready to deal with mid-length emergencies, i.e. a loss of services for a couple of weeks, maybe a month. It seems to me that if we lose services for much longer than that we'll quickly be living in a mad-max world. At that point, your bunker - no matter how elaborate - won't save you from the starving hordes for very long

The only possible solution I've come up with for surviving in a mad max world is to have some rare and indispensable skill(s) that the local strongman sees value in.

So long story short I'd propose:

- be ready for a loss of services of a couple of weeks.
- learn so useful skills for a mad max world
- in the meantime, it's probably good to work towards being a bit self-sufficient, things likes productive gardens, first aid skills...

Eh... just go camping.

 

[Quagmire]

I remain ever so slightly optimistic that humans will wake up, be honest about ecological overshoot, and take the hard steps necessary to actually save the planet and civilization. I think it's a long shot, but what else is there to do, but work towards saving the planet and society?

With that said, I've thought a lot about the "prepper" approach to facing the future. I've come to the conclusion that we all ought to be ready to deal with mid-length emergencies, i.e. a loss of services for a couple of weeks, maybe a month. It seems to me that if we lose services for much longer than that we'll quickly be living in a mad-max world. At that point, your bunker - no matter how elaborate - won't save you from the starving hordes for very long

The only possible solution I've come up with for surviving in a mad max world is to have some rare and indispensable skill(s) that the local strongman sees value in.

So long story short I'd propose:

- be ready for a loss of services of a couple of weeks.
- learn so useful skills for a mad max world
- in the meantime, it's probably good to work towards being a bit self-sufficient, things likes productive gardens, first aid skills...

Being prepared for disasters is a good idea even if we're not expecting the world to come to an end anytime soon.

Living in California with our earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires, tidal waves, and the people running the grid getting high and leaning on the wrong lever has taught me that it's always a good idea to have enough of everything tucked away that you could get by for a few weeks if services suddenly got shut down.

I said all this at the beginning of Covid (and got laughed at ), but there's absolutely nothing to lose by having a month or a couple of months worth of canned goods tucked away. It's not like you're going to throw it all out if the world doesn't come to an end.

Over and above that, just really no downside to being prepared for disasters. And we live in the internet age: anybody could learn disaster preparedness, first aid, survival skills, pretty much any other skills you could need by sitting on your couch and watching YouTube videos on your phone.

Here's one of my favorite channels: Marusya Outdoors

 

[Jimmy]

I remain ever so slightly optimistic that humans will wake up, be honest about ecological overshoot, and take the hard steps necessary to actually save the planet and civilization. I think it's a long shot, but what else is there to do, but work towards saving the planet and society?

With that said, I've thought a lot about the "prepper" approach to facing the future. I've come to the conclusion that we all ought to be ready to deal with mid-length emergencies, i.e. a loss of services for a couple of weeks, maybe a month. It seems to me that if we lose services for much longer than that we'll quickly be living in a mad-max world. At that point, your bunker - no matter how elaborate - won't save you from the starving hordes for very long

The only possible solution I've come up with for surviving in a mad max world is to have some rare and indispensable skill(s) that the local strongman sees value in.

So long story short I'd propose:

- be ready for a loss of services of a couple of weeks.
- learn so useful skills for a mad max world
- in the meantime, it's probably good to work towards being a bit self-sufficient, things likes productive gardens, first aid skills...

I think most Christians are aware that they will receive a new heaven and new earth when Christ returns.

 

[icehorse]

I think most Christians are aware that they will receive a new heaven and new earth when Christ returns.

Or it could be that your god has been giving you warnings to get prepared and you've been ignoring them

 

[Jimmy]

Or it could be that your god has been giving you warnings to get prepared and you've been ignoring them

My God has been giving me the good news.

 

[Regiomontanus]

Being prepared for disasters is a good idea even if we're not expecting the world to come to an end anytime soon.

Living in California with our earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires, tidal waves, and the people running the grid getting high and leaning on the wrong lever has taught me that it's always a good idea to have enough of everything tucked away that you could get by for a few weeks if services suddenly got shut down.

I said all this at the beginning of Covid (and got laughed at ), but there's absolutely nothing to lose by having a month or a couple of months worth of canned goods tucked away. It's not like you're going to throw it all out if the world doesn't come to an end.

Over and above that, just really no downside to being prepared for disasters. And we live in the internet age: anybody could learn disaster preparedness, first aid, survival skills, pretty much any other skills you could need by sitting on your couch and watching YouTube videos on your phone.

Here's one of my favorite channels: Marusya Outdoors

So, you are the one one who bought up all the toilet paper!

 

[Quagmire]

So, you are the one one who bought up all the toilet paper!

Nah, all through covid I was using free copies of the Montecito Journal (I think those rich turds purposely put stacks of their local newspaper in poor neighborhoods just to gloat anyway).

 

[Kathryn]

TRUE STORY TIME!

My grandson is very much the outdoors type, and he prides himself on his survival skills. So a coupla years ago, I bought him a book about what I thought were survival skills. Here's where buying books unseen can bite you in the ****. There was a chapter in that book about HOW TO GET RID OF A HUMAN BODY. Also one on HOW TO BUILD A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL. So not really a book for kids. Oh well, live and learn I guess!

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

TRUE STORY TIME!

My grandson is very much the outdoors type, and he prides himself on his survival skills. So a coupla years ago, I bought him a book about what I thought were survival skills. Here's where buying books unseen can bite you in the arse. There was a chapter in that book about HOW TO GET RID OF A HUMAN BODY. Also one on HOW TO BUILD A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL. So not really a book for kids. Oh well, live and learn I guess!

You never know when certain skills are going to be needed...

 

[Kathryn]

You never know when certain skills are going to be needed...

That's true and I hope his parents still have that book.

 

[anna.]

Being prepared for disasters is a good idea even if we're not expecting the world to come to an end anytime soon.

Living in California with our earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires, tidal waves, and the people running the grid getting high and leaning on the wrong lever has taught me that it's always a good idea to have enough of everything tucked away that you could get by for a few weeks if services suddenly got shut down.

I said all this at the beginning of Covid (and got laughed at ), but there's absolutely nothing to lose by having a month or a couple of months worth of canned goods tucked away. It's not like you're going to throw it all out if the world doesn't come to an end.

Over and above that, just really no downside to being prepared for disasters. And we live in the internet age: anybody could learn disaster preparedness, first aid, survival skills, pretty much any other skills you could need by sitting on your couch and watching YouTube videos on your phone.

Here's one of my favorite channels: Marusya Outdoors

Also live in California - and having come uncomfortably close to one of the largest wildfires in state history, and enjoyed the 7.2 Easter earthquake and the 2011 Southwest Blackout - having emergency supplies on hand has always been a given. I have not only plentiful canned goods and dried beans and rice and water jugs that I cycle through to keep a stable supply, camping gear, candles, etc. but also tubs of 25-year dehydrated food and most importantly, a French press for my coffee.

I also try to never let my car get below a half tank.

However - I live in a metropolis and even though I have firearms to protect my stash (think The Road or The Last of Us) I don't have an armory, and I'm surrounded by millions of people who will be vying for the same supplies. I probably won't last long in a cultural implosion.

A couple other ideas (I'm not a prepper, so I don't think about this often) is knowing your escape routes. Where would you go to get away if you had to? Where I lived before I had an easier route out of the county because I lived in a more rural area but not so much now. There's a lot of city between me and the eastern county border. To the west is the ocean, to the south is Mexico, to the north is L.A. To the east is the desert but it's still the best option of the four.

My best suggestion for the apocalypse?

Stock up on liquor and cigarettes. Excellent for bartering and if all else fails, you can go out with your vice of choice.

 

[icehorse]

My God has been giving me the good news.

Does your god want you to be a good steward of the planet?