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If you read my postings, it's precisely about rebuilding communities post-collapse. I agree, no man is an island.
For example, should a collapse occur, then you're right many people will starve. Recently I wrote that logically if there's no supply chains, up to 90% could be dead by six months. I'm serious as a heart attack about that, especially with Winter here.
I live in a rural area and can do all of the things I mentioned in my postings. Most people don't have skills only some supplies.
The only way a community can make it it by pooling resources later, however getting people to trust again is critical.
Recently I discussed a way to eat the food in freezers and refrigerators in case the power went off. A good organizer would help people to understand that eating that food in block parties would be wisdom, because otherwise it would spoil and be utterly wasted. Because food is stored as excess in fat and water, then those people could live a week or more on those calories.
In my community there are people who raise animals and feed and have extensive gardens and farms. We're not urban whatsoever.
If a lot of people die, then it'll be the responsibility of the survivors to make things come together and begin civilization again.
Think about it this way, a lot of survivalists are worried about the Horde of people who don't have supplies. Truthfully most of them will die, even the gangs, because to gather up resources and fight is very calorie dependent. Unless people have skills and seed and supplies, then they won't make it. Meanwhile those who manage for even six month to nine months may be alone. Many will be isolated and without medical personel. Only by pooling resources and abilities will the survivors make it.
Anything is possible, but more are plausible. A plague for example is very possible, but some will either have immunity or not catch it. Even with the great influenza epidemic, the majority lived. Think about the great tuberculosis epidemic too. The issue is that people today don't raise food like those folks did. It's a major concern.
I don't believe that a full scale nuclear attack will happen. I think in the end wiser leadership will prevail. I do think military coups are possible, EMP events, large scale natural disasters, another Great Depression, etc are all possible.
If one preps, then one has a cushion. I'm not concerned with survival at all. My goal is educate people and help my family. If I die, so be it. But if I can help them get organized and help some to live, then it's better than not helping at all.
OK specifics, I think that many SHTF scenarios are survivable by a subset of the population. Most are. It depends upon the depth of a crisis. Say we had massive power failure and the nuclear plants all went into a shutdown like Fukushima. Yes, the radioactive isotopes would devastate the land with high cesium, and all manner of isotopes. Still despite what happened at Chernobyl, species adapted and were able to live. Sure humans may not, and can't live in the worst zones. Many will have birth defects and die. Many thyroid cancers will happen, leukemias, bone cancer, pancreatic cancer, etc. Death from all of the radioactive insults as well all malnutrition and lowered immune systems. Istopes will concentrate in the food chain in the land and water. Still life will go on in some fashion.
Read more of my posts. They're about ways to organize after a major event or major events and bringing the community together to dig wells, purify water, deal with sanitation, grow crops, hunt, fish, make rope, create energy from existing devices, make candles, harvest soap from ferns, use vet antibiotics to save lives, harvest herbs, preserve food, etc. It's not about selfishness and doom, it's about affirmation, life, and Hope.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1110734 Thank you for your well-reasoned reply. Look, I'm not knocking your efforts or your intent, not at all. What I question though, is the logic of those who would WANT to go on in the midst of mass deaths and devastation, radiation, martial law, lawlessness, etc. It's one thing to be prepared as best one can for natural events, such as the east coast hurricane, that can be devastating but affect only a relatively small segment of the country/population - but it's quite another if you're talking about a scenario from something like "The Stand" or "2012" . . . and in those cases, who'd really want to be one of the remaining souls? Also, I'd like to add something I find frustrating about these discussions, and that is the fact that there are so many people today who literally have no family, no close friends. There are more people than ever before who are divorced, widowed, single, childless by choice, and have intentionally severed ties with dysfunctional family. Such people, in a SHTF event, would have no support, no community. As for friends, the same applies, as more and more people are choosing to be solitary, not cultivating friendships, or have been betrayed too many times and have just said (rightly so) to heck with friends and socializing. So again, these people would not have a solid circle of friends to connect with. Plus, there are a lot of people would never want to impose on others or would feel very out of place relying on strangers. So I wonder, when these people so openly talk about, even brag about, their confidence in stockpiling and having a community of support - do they EVER consider those who have no community at all. Just my two cents worth. I equally thank you for clarifying your position. I agree, people without familiy or friends can be ostracized. That is the way of history. In reality, people who were severely indebted in Australia and in North Carolina went to new lands and began again. Many were orphans, widows, widowers, reviled, etc. People went out to the West in the USA, and found communities who allowed them in, taught them skills and worked together to form new communitues. Yes, they displaced the indigenous people there, much as happened in Australia. Yes, all of that was terrible, but some intermarriage happened in both places. Regardless, lives were made better by many of these downtrodden folks despite adversity. Think, lots of people traveled by covered wagon with little more than some bare essential tools, their livestock, little money, and some hardtack bread. Over time, they bettered their lot by learning skills, clearing the land, building a home, finding water and digging long term well, learning crafts, using herbs, etc. Where did that information come from? Well some read books, but a great deal was transmitted orally from other pioneers on the frontier. If there's a collapse, then the ones who survive will look for communities that will accept them. Sure, many will not be helping strangers, but I think that different religious communities, different conservatives, different liberals, gay folks, races of all kinds will be welcomed in communities or they will form their own communities. That's what happened organically in history in the New World. I'm far more optimistic. Think about this way, the worst form of punishment in prison is solitary. We are social creatures and we make excuses to visit with each other, even to talk about nothing important. In a SHTF scenario when so much life is dying, then how much stronger will that urge be to help. Yes, there are sociopaths and criminals that don't care, but they're always a small subset of the population. I think most of them unless they have skills won't make it. It need not be like The Road or The Stand. There's no reason it has to be like that. Even if it is, and I can teach people how to harvest flours from clover and cattail, then I can help a generation hold together long enough that some might grow older. In that brief time, some pockets of humanity may strengthed. Be optimistic.
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