Bugging out

Out of any given hundred people, how many do you think would actually have what it takes to survive when the shit truly hits the fan? 40? 30? I think the real number would probably be closer to 5. I’m talking about collapse of civilisation as we know it, anarchical uprisings, dangerously depleted food and energy sources. Apocalyptic stuff, sure... but when you take a good hard look at the way the world is going these days, I sometimes feel that it’s plausible that it may just happen in my lifetime, or that of my children after me.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am not a pessimistic paranoid crank that collects weapons and associated paraphernalia because I think big brother is out to get us. Nor am I a doomsayer. But I would consider myself a realist. And a practical one at that. I have always liked to live my life by the mantra, “Hope for the very best, but prepare for the absolute worst”. Albert Einstein once said that he knew not what weapons World War III would be fought with, but that he knew that World War IV would be fought with sticks and stones. Apt indeed. Considering the rapid pace of technological advancement, and our increased and still growing ability to export death to further and farther corners of the globe, you wouldn’t be foolish to spare a moment or two to mull over the finer details of exactly what you would do if faced with such a situation.

I am not here to discuss what may happen, how, or when. My aim is to confront you with this possibility, and, hopefully, impart a bit of “useful paranoia”. What is useful paranoia? Well, it’s situational awareness, which comes in many forms. Useful paranoia is when you’re walking down a dark street late at night to get back to your car, and you have anticipated the worst thing that those shady characters down the street could possibly do to you; at the same time you’ve figured out your game plan in case they get the brazen balls to try to jump you. Useful paranoia is when you just met someone that gives you a bad vibe, and despite the fact that they haven’t done anything YET, you make up your mind to steer well clear of them in the future. Useful paranoia is about looking down the alleyway of life, ready to act if needs be. Useful paranoia. Use it. I’m sure many people’s last thoughts in life revolved around wishing they had.

They say there is a fine line between genius and insanity. I’m happy with people thinking I’m insane for the time being. I just don’t want them knocking on my door WTSHTF (when the shit hits the fan). Many people, upon seeing my collection of survival/tactical gear ask "Why do you have gas masks? That’s just creepy.” Fine by me buddy. Pigeonhole me. Just don’t come to me when poisonous gases somehow make their way onto the streets. It’s happened before. It will most likely happen again. Possibly in your neighbourhood.

Is it just me, or do other people notice that natural disasters across the globe have taken a serious upwards spike in recent years? Look at Hurricane Katrina. As soon as buildings collapsed, so did society. The good ol’ Southern people took to looting and killing QUITE easily. Let’s face it. Humans are not inherently good. We are subject to base emotions and instincts, and when everything recognisable around us has gone, we forget our morals too. Not all people, of course, are hardwired this way. The ones who don’t commit heinous acts of mayhem fall into two categories. 1. Those who become victims of said crazies and 2. Those who are self sufficient, can meet the survival requirements for themselves and loved ones, as well as defend themselves to the very end. I sure know which one I am.

Most people haven’t even considered, I mean REALLY considered what they’d do in the event of an emergency. Sure, they might have a fleeting thought or two about it, but it’s usually more along the lines of “I think I’d head over to my mate Dan’s place. He’ll know what to do”. Let me illustrate this point by providing you with a quote from Kurt Saxon, the founder of modern Survivalism. “The difference between one who prepares and one who doesn't is more important than a difference of opinion. If you prepare to survive, you deserve to survive. Those who can, but won't prepare, don't deserve to survive and the species would be better off without them. If you have the kind of intellect that's geared to survival, it may be a matter of genetics. Your neighbor may lack these survival genes. Therefore, becoming his means of survival could not only doom both of your families to death, but if you should make it, you would have enabled a non-survival type to further pollute the gene pool.”

Harsh words they may be, but the improvident are the improvident. It seems though, that more people are starting to take heed to the importance of survival, even if only on the surface. There are now a plethora of different “survival” shows on TV, all pandering to the couch survivalist, who sits there happily in the delusion that watching a few shows increases his chances of survival as he munches on his bag of chips. Those shows may be mildly informative, but unless you actually start taking some preparatory steps towards ensuring your sperm actually survives you, you’re just another dead duck in the water, I’m afraid.

Take heed. I am not delivering you survival knowledge. That is yours to seek out for yourself, and is to be acquired and refined over a lifetime. But I will provide the interested among you with some basics to consider.

Plan out an escape route in the event of a disaster. Be it caused by war or natural disaster, consider what routes you would take, and what routes you would adapt to if the others are compromised. Don’t think that you can go all the way by vehicle. WTS truly HTF, it’s most likely that major roads will be jammed and that petrol is scarce. Plan to go by foot. Have a destination in mind that will allow you to survive indefinitely, or at least for the time being while you find somewhere better. Better still, physically go and find such places and know the terrain and the resources available.

Prepare. Prepare by getting together a “bug-out kit”. This is an assortment of items that will hopefully help you for the required amount of time it takes to acquire new resources. The bug out kit should include items like water purifying tablets, basic medicines and bandages, food and water supplies to last at least three days, and any survival gear that would help that is not too cumbersome. Remember, it’s about survival. If it’s slowing you down, it’s decreasing your chances. Ditch it.

Build a network of like minded people that you can rely on that you can co-operate with. I stress the word “co-operate”. If they’re leeches, ditch them too. What matters most is you and yours.

Learn survival skills. Go out into the wilds whenever possible and just practise living it rough. Learn what things are good to eat and what aren’t. Those berries may look safe and delicious, but they may also have you bleeding internally if you make the wrong decision.

Learn self defence. Learn how to use weapons, so if needs be you can use them to protect yourself. Learn how to fight unarmed as well. It is never a good thing to inflict violence upon your fellow man, but if push comes to shove, defend your life at all costs, or at least give a good show of dying trying. As for myself, I believe it is best to have a gun and not need it, than to need one and not have one. However, at the end of the day, your greatest weapon is your mind.

Exercise regularly. Maintain positive thinking as the driving force in your life. An unsettled mind does stupid, irrational things.

If at the end of your life, you have safely navigated it without having to deal with such issues, count yourself lucky, and do not think for a second that preparing yourself for something that never happened was a waste of time. Consider yourself wiser and stronger for it, as it would have made you a better person. A prepared person is a calm and well adjusted person. There is nothing better than having the confidence in yourself to know that regardless of what life throws at you, you have the ability and knowledge to endure.

I sincerely hope, dear reader, that I have given you some food for thought. And if you are like me, you will value the importance of preparedness. I truly hope no crisis ever befalls you, but I hope even more so, that if it does, you will live to fight another day.

MadManDan