For as much as I wish I did, I have no super power that allows me to see into the future. But then, no one does. Despite this, there are "experts," in various fields, who predict certain cataclysmic events are looming on our horizon. They warn of a societal collapse as a result of economic conditions, wars from both internal and external forces, events that are naturally occurring and, deliberate human planned events. Regardless of the triggering event, any one of these acts may well put all of us into such a fight for our very lives that it will make the word "survival" seem like a simplistic description of what will be required to outlive the event and it's aftermath.
Many of us have listened to these warnings, or are following personal gut assessments of the events around us, and we are preparing to provide for ourselves and our loved ones. We are stuffing our pantries with long shelf life foods, stocking and / or planning the restocking of potable water, purchasing medical supplies, buying firearms and cases of ammunition and making time to practice with those weapons. We are buying and reading books on a multitude of survival topics and many of us are developing self reliant skill-sets that have been all but forgotten in modern day life. But, despite all the money spent, regardless of all the time and efforts invested and the amount of physical survival assets we have amassed; how many of us have put ANY time and effort into analyzing and preparing our survival mindset? How many of us are preparing our minds to meet and accept the challenges that could force us into actually living in a post collapse fight for life?
I'm sure the majority of us have seen television programs or movies where an actor has to jump from one rooftop to another. As is usually the case, the actor falls just short of a perfect touchdown on the other side and, just barely, grabs on to a short wall around that roof-line. (called a parapet, by the way) The drama builds until the actor either drags himself up and over that parapet wall, to safety, or struggles until he eventually falls to his death.
I have seen a couple of different "he doesn't make it" scenes portrayed in separate films. In one, the actor struggles until his strength is depleted, then falls. In the other, I've seen the actor struggle then project a look of having deduced some "logical conclusion" that, no amount of struggle will save him, he accepts this as his fate and lets go to fall to his death without so much as a whimper. I've seen Dennis Leary's character in "Rescue Me" dream (or nightmare) himself in this situation and take on a "f**k-it kind of look on his face as he lets go and falls.
So now that I have set the stage, imagine YOU are in some life or death situation that is forcing YOU to make that rooftop to rooftop jump. YOU have fallen just a wee bit short of that perfect landing and YOU are now holding on to the long drop side of the parapet wall, with safety being just behind the other side. (there's something almost tapping on my brain-stem here. Safety on the other side of this short wall. Being safe if I can just get myself, dare I say, behind the parapet... hmmm!)
Logic and common sense dictates that certain event will happen; some will struggle, fight, with every fiber of their being only to succumb to exhaustion, then fall. Others will hang on, in hopes of some miracle of rescue, only to succumb to exhaustion, then fall. And though I find it highly unlikely, there may be a few who will realize they will become exhausted and then fall, that there is no miracle about to happen in the nick of time so why even fight it, they'll take the f**k-it attitude and just let go.
Enter now the other side of this coin; the people who would find themselves in the situation and, rather than think f**k-it will instead think f**k-this!!! and force themselves up and over the parapet. In this kind of situation, there IS NO time to waste struggling yourself into exhaustion. There IS NO time, or energy, to waste by just holding on. You have to focus all of your mental and physical resources to immediate action and get over that wall. Why? Because you are a survivor. You refuse to accept the failure that is giving into death simply because death has come knocking at your door. You do this not out of fear of death, but rather, because you know that in life there is an everyday struggle; the continuing daily challenge that demands you prove your right to life. And you accept the fight, without hesitation, because you are being challenged and, because you have within you a warrior's spirit. And it is this spirit that separates those who will survive and thrive from those who will not.
According to the so called experts, when the "big event" (whatever that will be) hits, MILLIONS of people will die in a very short time frame. The experts predict food shortages, even food riots. So it seems logical to assume many will die from starvation, others will die when they try to take from those who have and, many of those who have will die trying to defend what they have. It's safe to speculate that many will succumb to disease and that, with all this death, bodies will lay where they fall. And as bodies deteriorate, there will be ungodly sights and smell. Many of us will no doubt bear witness to ungodly acts committed by others, against others and there is a real possibility many of us may be force to commit some of these acts ourselves, such as kill another human being. The question is, are you prepared MENTALLY to see these things, to smell these things or, in the worse case, fight to retain what's yours, even if that means killing someone? In the absolute worse case... would you be prepared to turn away a close friend or close neighbor who comes to you for food or supplies?
If you are not prepared for any of these, or any number of other tough choice (life or death) decision possibilities, and without hesitation, my advice to you is start working on instilling a warrior spirit within yourself right now or, say f**k-it and let go of the parapet. Without a warrior's spirit, YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE... period.
To be continued
MikeH.
Many of us have listened to these warnings, or are following personal gut assessments of the events around us, and we are preparing to provide for ourselves and our loved ones. We are stuffing our pantries with long shelf life foods, stocking and / or planning the restocking of potable water, purchasing medical supplies, buying firearms and cases of ammunition and making time to practice with those weapons. We are buying and reading books on a multitude of survival topics and many of us are developing self reliant skill-sets that have been all but forgotten in modern day life. But, despite all the money spent, regardless of all the time and efforts invested and the amount of physical survival assets we have amassed; how many of us have put ANY time and effort into analyzing and preparing our survival mindset? How many of us are preparing our minds to meet and accept the challenges that could force us into actually living in a post collapse fight for life?
I'm sure the majority of us have seen television programs or movies where an actor has to jump from one rooftop to another. As is usually the case, the actor falls just short of a perfect touchdown on the other side and, just barely, grabs on to a short wall around that roof-line. (called a parapet, by the way) The drama builds until the actor either drags himself up and over that parapet wall, to safety, or struggles until he eventually falls to his death.
I have seen a couple of different "he doesn't make it" scenes portrayed in separate films. In one, the actor struggles until his strength is depleted, then falls. In the other, I've seen the actor struggle then project a look of having deduced some "logical conclusion" that, no amount of struggle will save him, he accepts this as his fate and lets go to fall to his death without so much as a whimper. I've seen Dennis Leary's character in "Rescue Me" dream (or nightmare) himself in this situation and take on a "f**k-it kind of look on his face as he lets go and falls.
So now that I have set the stage, imagine YOU are in some life or death situation that is forcing YOU to make that rooftop to rooftop jump. YOU have fallen just a wee bit short of that perfect landing and YOU are now holding on to the long drop side of the parapet wall, with safety being just behind the other side. (there's something almost tapping on my brain-stem here. Safety on the other side of this short wall. Being safe if I can just get myself, dare I say, behind the parapet... hmmm!)
Logic and common sense dictates that certain event will happen; some will struggle, fight, with every fiber of their being only to succumb to exhaustion, then fall. Others will hang on, in hopes of some miracle of rescue, only to succumb to exhaustion, then fall. And though I find it highly unlikely, there may be a few who will realize they will become exhausted and then fall, that there is no miracle about to happen in the nick of time so why even fight it, they'll take the f**k-it attitude and just let go.
Enter now the other side of this coin; the people who would find themselves in the situation and, rather than think f**k-it will instead think f**k-this!!! and force themselves up and over the parapet. In this kind of situation, there IS NO time to waste struggling yourself into exhaustion. There IS NO time, or energy, to waste by just holding on. You have to focus all of your mental and physical resources to immediate action and get over that wall. Why? Because you are a survivor. You refuse to accept the failure that is giving into death simply because death has come knocking at your door. You do this not out of fear of death, but rather, because you know that in life there is an everyday struggle; the continuing daily challenge that demands you prove your right to life. And you accept the fight, without hesitation, because you are being challenged and, because you have within you a warrior's spirit. And it is this spirit that separates those who will survive and thrive from those who will not.
According to the so called experts, when the "big event" (whatever that will be) hits, MILLIONS of people will die in a very short time frame. The experts predict food shortages, even food riots. So it seems logical to assume many will die from starvation, others will die when they try to take from those who have and, many of those who have will die trying to defend what they have. It's safe to speculate that many will succumb to disease and that, with all this death, bodies will lay where they fall. And as bodies deteriorate, there will be ungodly sights and smell. Many of us will no doubt bear witness to ungodly acts committed by others, against others and there is a real possibility many of us may be force to commit some of these acts ourselves, such as kill another human being. The question is, are you prepared MENTALLY to see these things, to smell these things or, in the worse case, fight to retain what's yours, even if that means killing someone? In the absolute worse case... would you be prepared to turn away a close friend or close neighbor who comes to you for food or supplies?
If you are not prepared for any of these, or any number of other tough choice (life or death) decision possibilities, and without hesitation, my advice to you is start working on instilling a warrior spirit within yourself right now or, say f**k-it and let go of the parapet. Without a warrior's spirit, YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE... period.
To be continued
MikeH.
If the "big event" is an economic disaster or depression then it won't "all" happen suddenly. Money and food might just disappear within 48 hours (bank closings and last minute shoppers/looters). It is quite likely that many people will die in a depression simply because when the last one hit us 50% of te population was agrarian today 2% are. We need to two things: 1)Prepare! A year, two years supply of food, a place to survive with a little land to grow food, some money/trade goods put away, etc. 2)You need to understand that even though we (you, I, 300 million other Americans) haven't been tested by this kind of challenge in our lifetime you can do it! We can do it! My parents and grand parents and aunts and uncles did it and billions of others in our long human history. Don't even allow yourself any self-doubt. Be that person in your family who holds it all together. Be the kind of person you parents and grandparents were. Do not run around like a chicken with it's head cut off, you cannot afford to waste time, energy or even thought on anything that will not improve your position and help your family. Bad things WILL happen, try to anticipate them and prepare for them and when they happen try to calm fears and rally your troops/family to meet the challenge. I don't know if we are on the verge of collapse but I truely think I know what it looks like and let me tell you it looks like we are. I hope not! I didn't want to see sufferring and dispair in my old age I wanted to see my kids and grandkids playing and enjoying life. But if it happens I will fight the good fight and do what can be done until I am no longer able to. You can too! Our history proves we are strong people and we will meet and beat another challenge. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. But do it now, it is later then you think...
ReplyDeleteGreat question.
ReplyDeleteI like to think I would adopt the "f#@k this" attitude. I've done it in the past - mostly in sports - but never in a truly life-or-death situation. None of us will really know until we're in the situation.
I'm certain it would be easier to adopt that attitude at a critical moment if I was with my family. I'm an old-school kind of guy, and figure no one else is able to provide for them!
I do know that I would not simply give up. I know that for certain.