Those were some interesting numbers from that poll. Apparently, the majority of respondents share the same thought as I – that the ‘Big Event’ will be economic. Not zombies, not the Rapture, not Planet X, not chemtrails….just a good ol’ fashioned economic crisis.
Of course, no one really knows what the next apocalypse is going to look like, so I’d rather err on the side of ‘overprepared for an economic collapse’ so I don’t wind up ‘underprepared for WW3’. Succinctly, if you’re prepared for a nuclear war you are probably, de facto, prepared for all the smaller stuff than that….blizzards, power outages, etc.
I have had an interest in preparedness (although I didn’t know thats what it was) since my early teens. (Directly traceable, I believe, to having started reading post-apocalyptic fiction for some extra credit book reports) It wasn’t until I was in my early twenties that I could do anything about it. And, being a young stupid kid, my immersion into preparedness was pretty much the same as most n00bs – lotsa guns. In the painful decades since then, I’ve moved away from the fun stuff like guns and camo to the mundane stuff like food and toilet paper. Don’t misunderstand…both are needed for a well-balanced approach to preparedness….but in all the crises I’ve been in , we used alot more food and TP than we did M855.
I was emailing someone the other day and I mentioned that there’s a point where you can ‘plateau’ as a survivalist and your focus goes from acquisitions to maintenance. Your’e pretty much done acquiring things and you’re now at the stage of maintaining those things. Preparedness is a commitment, man….sure, there are some things you can tuck away and forget about, but there’s alot that needs to be maintained and taken care of on a regular basis if you want to not waste your money. (For example, running the generator once a month to make sure it’s always ready.) I wouldn’t say I’ve plateaued… there are still a few big ticket items I need to acquire, but if the world ended tomorrow I would not feel at a great disadvantage with what I have now. But…always room for improvement, y’know?
The things that hold me back? Easy: money and motivation. (and, really, the two kinda go hand in hand.) If money were no object, I’d be living in my own private county right now. But my motivation wanes from time to time and without motivation I’m less inclined to take the steps and do things necessary to get the money. Frankly, it’s always easier to do nothing than it is to do something…and I’m sadly notorious for taking the easy way.
This is probably the main reason I so enjoy disaster movies and books – it puts my overactive imagination into overdrive and I start wargaming things in my head…and next thing you know I’m in the attic with a clipboard inventorying Hardigg cases and making lists. Hey, whatever gives you motivation. Me, my motivational imperative has always been security. Not physical security, per se, but rather security as in being able to absorb the punches that life likes to aim at my family jewels. My goal is to be secure enough that a job loss, debilitating injury, or other insult to my well-being will be an inconvenience rather than a critical hit. To that end…survivalism.
True dat on plateauing.
For some big ticket items that I really only ‘need’ if true shtf, I keep a list of things to buy when I perceive things to be immediately heading in the wrong direction. Things like night vision, thermal, and an ungodly amount of more food.
Like you I prepare for an economic collapse. However I also have to prepare for blizzards, plumbing issues, etc. Life stuff! And what if that freight train running through my backyard derails and all those chemical tanks combine into a nasty chemical cloud? I try to live by the 7 P’s. It’s all one can really do.
Catfishbrody:
What are the SEVEN P’s?
I know of the six P’s – Prior Planning Prevents P*ss-Poor Performance.
Please add to my education!
The first P stands for Proper as in:
Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. 👍
6 P’s is just about the same thing. I was taught PROPER prior planning prevents, etc,
I just had a crusty ol’ First Sgt and Gunny whoop such things into me. Being Viet Nam Vets they had a different view on things. And Top served in Korea too. So when they barked I listened! lol
Meh, it’s all just semantics in the end so long as tasks get done correctly. It was a CSM (Company Sgt Major) who taught me this plus the adage two is one and one is none. 🙂
Speaking of post-apocalyptic books, does anyone have any recomendations? And I don’t want the multi part books that are all over kindle. I would like books that have the whole story, begining to end.
thanks in advance
Hi Cookie!
Here are some authors who have a good track record.
William R Forstchen – his “One Second After” series.
Jonathan Hollerman – his “EMP” series
Franklin Horton
A. American
and James Wesley Rawles!
There should be enough here to keep you going for a LONG time.
Best Wishes – and happy reading!
You caught the part where he said he didn’t want books that were part of a series, right?
I was going by the part which said he didn’t want Kindle….
Actually I’ve read most of these series(at least as far as they have come so far). I’m looking for individual books. Thanks anyway.
Cookie
Alas Babylon by Pat Frank
Here’s a few off the top of my head…
Pulling Through by Dean Ing
Wolf and Iron by Gordon R. Dickson
Lucifer’s Hammer by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Earth Abides by George R. Stewart
Apocalypse Drift by Joe Nobody
Thanks
Commander
I was young as well when I got into prepping but didnt know what it was and it was through a round about way. I started getting active in the outdoors through the scout and when I got older carried that over to rafting, camping, and drinking beer in the outdoors with my friends. I liked having my camping kit/gear well organized and well maintained. I then after seeing some of the political climate change realized how much I was taking my second amendment rights for granted and concentrated a little to much on firearm related stuff. I have since seen the era of my ways and gotten most of my medical, communication, food/cooking, heating, fuel storage, and electrical generation taken care of but there is always more to buy.
I think I have more than the basics covered but a few big ticket items left that I want and am budget limited by are as follows:
Quiet Honda generator with wiring in place to link it up to critical systems
High end night vision goggles and scope
A capable solar set up with possibly the option of semi-easy breakdown for mobility
A hidden on site underground bunker wouldnt hurt either
One can only wish right.
Have a good one,
Curly Wolf
Commander Zero:
Your poll was a good idea, but there was a crossover-point that didn’t get covered…
It is possible that an economic downturn would be “augmented” with outside interference (probable EMP attack).
So it would be BOTH economic and an attack…
Procurement never really stops, there’s always a missing need to fill, replacements for what gets used, or as upgrades; I’ll agree, though, that it does slow down quite a bit and maintenance increases. Maintenance’s ugly sister often rears her head, and her name is “organization.” There are few things worse than knowing one has Object X (or still worse, multiples of it) but not being able to find it at all, much less in the immediacy of urgent need.