# Preparing for the collapse of society....



## iamwhatiam (Jan 6, 2011)

(((Forgive me if this topic has been posted already..i've searched and haven't found anything recent. Only a couple posts about whether it's gonna happen, or what you would want to have when the revolution comes)))

So, this isn't a thread about whether or not it's gonna happen, etc........ I'm interested in for those of you who think we're about to see everything around us crumble: What are you doing specifically to prepare for it? What skills do you think would be most important to learn?

And for those of you who don't believe in an impending apocalypse: Are you taking any steps to become more self sufficient?


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## Diagaro (Jan 6, 2011)

In preparation for the apocalypse/end of civilization - whatever I am doing .. . . . . exactly what I have alwease done, live life to the fullest, with minimal regret, rarely hurting others, taking only what I need to survive out of the universes pool and putting as much back in as possible and staying happy on a minimalist level.
I have survived in some harsh situations, and if they are not training enough then I will gladly die to open more space and resources to those that come along in my absence - If my death feeds, clothes, or somehow houses two I will not have died in vain.
As for nuclear cataclysm I shy away from larger citys and military overrun areas, fallout is no concern, if it happens, it happens.


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## Nelco (Jan 6, 2011)

researching, giving myself options with knowledge..avoiding crazy people so it doesn't be a mistake later, if everything goes crazy.


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## dharma bum (Jan 6, 2011)

a buddy of mine sent this to me a couple of weeks ago...

Post apocalypse to-do list


THE BASIC LIST:
get leaner (disencourage cannibalism)
get stronger
get faster (outrun zombies)
basic first aid
CPR (adult, child & infant)
be prepared (emergency food, first aid, water)
be prepared (tools, booze,pot, radio)
basic construction
cooking over campfire
basic mending & sewing
growing food
storing food
purchase bike
bike safety & maintenance
orienteering 
fire safety
basic veterinary first aid
learning to drive a manual transmission
relaxation techniques/yoga
swimming/holding breath
knot skills/making rope
Make harness to carry small child on back
purchase new machete
urban foraging(finding medicine, robbing stores)
making escape plans/back up plans
INTERMEDIATE TASKS:
advanced first aid
be able to run with Samson the Wonderdog strapped to me
figure out way to strap Samson the Wonderdog to me
gun safety & maintenance

load & fire handgun
load & fire rifle

load & fire shotgun
metalworking/welding
rock climbing
woodchopping 
sledgehammering 
soapmaking 
farm animal keeping/care
horseback riding
archery/crossbow skills
starting/building a fire sans matches
motorcycle riding
marathon walking
hand-to-hand combat/self-defense
building rudimentary shelter
foraging/identifying edible plants
gather/purify water
diplomacy
group disaster training
ï»¿


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## shwillyhaaa (Jan 6, 2011)

i personally have yet to grasp what i think about it happening (whatever "it" is) all i know, which scares me a little when i find myself thinking of it, is that something is going to happen very soon. i have yet to experience all the things i want, and worry all those things will seize to exsist. so i have no real preparations for the fact that i know that whatever happens is supposed to happen... whether i survive or not, is not much of a concern to me. empires rise and fall... its imminent and also very natural. the need to survive is also.... so im sure ill be more than ready just doing what i feel is right when the moment arrises. zombies tho... all you have to do is get a gun, some partners, stay sober and aware, and be able to run faster than a brain-dead almost dead human with missing limbs (unless of course they learn how to use guns and swords... ninja zombies?)


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## wildboy860 (Jan 6, 2011)

When the Apocalypse starts, I'm gonna play the Iron Maiden song "Run to the Hills"


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## Pheonix (Jan 6, 2011)

in a post-apocalyptic situation, the first thing I would do is gather a militia. second thing I would do is strategically scout a location in the country but near a crossroads of several supply routes. kill the farmer and his family that are living in my new HQ and start robbing supply trucks and other heavily supplied traffic in the area. then take the earnings back to HQ and divide amongst the soldiers and their families and use what we can to fortify the place in case another militia tries to invade. maybe even invade some other militias and communes for their supplies and women, killing the soldiers and enslaving the weak to build great monuments in my honor.


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## CardBoardBox (Jan 7, 2011)

pheonix said:


> in a post-apocalyptic situation, the first thing I would do is gather a militia. second thing I would do is strategically scout a location in the country but near a crossroads of several supply routes. kill the farmer and his family that are living in my new HQ and start robbing supply trucks and other heavily supplied traffic in the area. then take the earnings back to HQ and divide amongst the soldiers and their families and use what we can to fortify the place in case another militia tries to invade. maybe even invade some other militias and communes for their supplies and women, killing the soldiers and enslaving the weak to build great monuments in my honor.




almost sounds like you took this idea out of the Walking Dead Comics.  cause thats preeeettty much what goes down.


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## Diagaro (Jan 7, 2011)

Fuck yea pheonix! you lead, I'll follow!


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## finn (Jan 7, 2011)

I'll be the one trying to get the hell away from major cities, since I don't particularly like desperate people.


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## Nemo (Jan 9, 2011)

I've collected E-books over the years dealing with survival skills, primitive skills, construction, gardening etc. etc. 
Assuming we will run out of fossil fuels... I have a solar battery charger for the ebook reader that I have. I also practice certain skills from the books that interest me slowly over the course of time in case this were to happen. Which I think it will. We live in a closing society, in my opinion there is no doubt about it.

However I do not concern myself heavily on the issue as that can bring a halt in life. I roll with waves and if one day something major happens, I'll continue to go to the flow and continue surviving just as I always have and will. 
Seeing this post, I think I'll share a torrent with my EBook collection on the subject..

-NEMO


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## lowerarchy (Jan 10, 2011)

You know what I'm going to do when the shit goes down? Exactly what I'm doing right now, which is pretty much getting to know my neighbours better and trying new things. It's not the capacity to defend yourself and your food cache against hordes of ravenous outsiders, it's about working with your community to feed ravenous outsiders. That's really the only thing you can do. Because all fantasies about getting a bunch of guns and running a tiny slice of the world with an iron fist just aren't very realistic, and the reason for that is when you're out in the country in the middle of nowhere and you need something, you need to ask your neighbors. Might not think much of them when you're shooting at the from your fortified castle but you'll be sorry you pissed them off when you need a blacksmith or a vet or just some bodies to help you get a project done. You just can't be self-sufficient forever and have no contact with the outside world. It's impossible.

So yeah, my plan for the apocalypse is to get a hammer and an anvil and as soon as the mushroom clouds blow away I'm making some fucking horseshoes and trading them for fish. 

Ok, end general rant about survivalists. Sorry about that.



Nemo said:


> I
> Seeing this post, I think I'll share a torrent with my EBook collection on the subject..
> 
> -NEMO


 
Dude you should totally do that.


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## Pheonix (Jan 10, 2011)

I can understand how you think that the fall of society would be a good thing for your happy-go-hippy community. but your not understanding what other people will do. with no laws and no cops to enforce them it will be a free-for-all with militias popping up all over the place. all fighting for land and power, and the only way your friendly community can survive is to defend yourselves or pay taxes to your local dictator.

and in them taxes, I will not only take your horseshoes but I'll take the horses too.


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## nivoldoog (Jan 11, 2011)

I think what most of us do everyday prepares us for that, sleeping outside, scavenging, group stuff. Other then that, guns, booze, bud, and Solar and wind energy


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## lowerarchy (Jan 12, 2011)

pheonix said:


> I can understand how you think that the fall of society would be a good thing for your happy-go-hippy community. but your not understanding what other people will do. with no laws and no cops to enforce them it will be a free-for-all with militias popping up all over the place. all fighting for land and power, and the only way your friendly community can survive is to defend yourselves or pay taxes to your local dictator.
> 
> and in them taxes, I will not only take your horseshoes but I'll take the horses too.



You're from Somalia or the north korean demilitarized zone, I assume. You obviously have a lot of experience with lawless societies.


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## Pheonix (Jan 12, 2011)

close enough, I'm one of them americans who doesn't care much for the laws and can't wait till they are no longer holding me back. if I lived in Somalia or Northern Korea I would have already started my rein of terror.


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## Nemo (Jan 12, 2011)

I enjoyed your response lowerarchy; Sounds like that of a nice dream. I'll be friendly, care for as many as I can, help as many as I can and so forth and so on. But you have to realize.... there will be blood just as pheonix says so we'll all have to be a little weary of one another. If this did in fact happen I'd like to build a commune like Harrison Ford does in the South American jungle in the movie 'Mosquito Coast'. 

I'd have three laws: No cheating, no lying, and no stealing.



lowerarchy said:


> Dude you should totally do that.



I will, just going to have to give me a little time, it's been a while since I've uploaded a torrent via TPB. 600+ books on living frugally! I'll let you know when I post them on the site lower.


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## Deleted member 2626 (Jan 12, 2011)

Everyone said pretty much how I've "been preparing" sleeping underneath the stars on the ground, practicing primitive skills, spending time outside to become used to elements, partying cuz ya got to have fun incase shit does go sour and life turns to shit atleazt ya can remember good times


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## Nemo (Jan 12, 2011)

Tatanka said:


> partying cuz ya got to have fun incase shit does go sour and life turns to shit atleazt ya can remember good times



Right on, well said!


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## lowerarchy (Jan 12, 2011)

pheonix said:


> close enough, I'm one of them americans who doesn't care much for the laws and can't wait till they are no longer holding me back. if I lived in Somalia or Northern Korea I would have already started my rein of terror.


 
Just do it now then. The more conflict we have now the closer we get to apocalypse and the closer you get to your dream.


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## Diagaro (Jan 13, 2011)

Yea go ahead and start some shit, you'll disapear into a black hood like people did in V for vendetta.
though its in the american constituion the right to remove government that we are unhappy with if you oppose the man you will be gotten rid of and called a terrorist.
FMA!


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## Pheonix (Jan 13, 2011)

lowerarchy said:


> Just do it now then. The more conflict we have now the closer we get to apocalypse and the closer you get to your dream.


 
that's a stupid idea. the chance of success is incredibly higher after the fall of society, when there are no police or military defending this country. and lets face it, right now it's Mexico thats ripe for the picking, I'd stand a better chances against the drug cartels then the US military. witch is another thing you don't understand if the US government falls apart the Mexican drug lords will try to invade and conquer the US.

I applaud your non-violence, but non-violence works much better with a society that is designed to suppress violent acts. but when it happens I'm afraid that it will only be a couple of years of fighting and then a new society will emerge. unfortunately this new society will be pretty damn close to the one we got right now for the simple fact that it's what most people know and are comfortable with. after all that you non-violent people will never again be longing for the collapse of society when you realize just how much bloodshed that entails. if anything the fall of society will only cause a shift in the political hierarchy of the region (and that might not be in the peoples best interest) 

I believe that if society falls then I'm going to take measures to influence the next society. if you are giving the chance to change society for the better and go live in the woods instead then whats to stop the new society from treating all you dirty, homeless, hippies much the same way as they do now? whats to stop them from passing sit/lie laws again and making it illegal to be poor?

I hope your not one of them people that complains about how the politics of our society need to change for the better, when you just admitted that if given the opportunity to change the society for the better you will choose to do nothing. 

I believe that in times of anarchy if you choose not to defend yourself then you are choosing to die.


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## Diagaro (Jan 13, 2011)

Well I tell ya what, wile were being serious about this dystopian survival scenario. so far as people have shown I would band together with nobody and hold up somewhere with months worth of collected Improvised munitions, Assault weapons, and IED's (+ food and water) on the most treacherous lands I could get a salvaged military Humvee into. Pitfall/caltrop/pendulum trap the whole perimeter, and anything that moves gets blown the fuck away. Look for my flag in the woods, If you see it turn back - You would never get a chance to strike at me Not even a 1000 man militia would make it past the first perimeter defense to even fathom the nature of the secondary defense perimeter nor have a direction to fire weapons in last ditch effort to hit me with a stray bullet, Im talkin rambo/McGyver/_Wolverines_ from the movie Red dawn all in one - Bitches don't know about my guerrilla warfare tactics!


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## lowerarchy (Jan 14, 2011)

pheonix said:


> that's a stupid idea. the chance of success is incredibly higher after the fall of society, when there are no police or military defending this country. and lets face it, right now it's Mexico thats ripe for the picking, I'd stand a better chances against the drug cartels then the US military. witch is another thing you don't understand if the US government falls apart the Mexican drug lords will try to invade and conquer the US.



I guess that depends on the specific conditions of the apocalypse. 

I doubt the cartels would be in business anymore if the US was suddenly an anarchy. After all, their whole business model is based on the idea that the Gov't will enforce prohibition. 



> I applaud your non-violence, but non-violence works much better with a society that is designed to suppress violent acts. but when it happens I'm afraid that it will only be a couple of years of fighting and then a new society will emerge. unfortunately this new society will be pretty damn close to the one we got right now for the simple fact that it's what most people know and are comfortable with. after all that you non-violent people will never again be longing for the collapse of society when you realize just how much bloodshed that entails.



I'm not a pacifist. Of course I'd fight if I had to. I just think the survivalist mentality is unrealistic. Look at Somalia - the vast majority of those people just go about their days as if it was a normal state. The tiny minority are warlords. Even the pirates try not to kill people if they can avoid it. Most people are doing exactly what I said I'd be doing. Granted, they're not post-apocalyptic, they're just without a functioning government, but the principle is the same.




> I hope your not one of them people that complains about how the politics of our society need to change for the better, when you just admitted that if given the opportunity to change the society for the better you will choose to do nothing.



I'm not sure how you got that from what I said. If anything, you're the one choosing to withdraw into hermidom with your militia and your walled compound farm thing. I said I'd try to stay in a community of people and work with them. It seems to me that what you'd be trying to do is replicate exactly the same kind of abusive kleptocracy that we are currently living under but with you as the master - hardly a change for the better. 

And come to think of it if you're located at such a good spot and you're robbing trucks and fucking with everyone, doesn't it stand to reason that the people who are sending/receiving those trucks are going to automatically have more resources than you do? They are the ones that have enough economic strength to fill trucks, after all. And that they'll use some of these resources to defend their stuff or come get you?


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## lowerarchy (Jan 14, 2011)

Diagaro said:


> Well I tell ya what, wile were being serious about this dystopian survival scenario. so far as people have shown I would band together with nobody and hold up somewhere with months worth of collected Improvised munitions, Assault weapons, and IED's (+ food and water) on the most treacherous lands I could get a salvaged military Humvee into. Pitfall/caltrop/pendulum trap the whole perimeter, and anything that moves gets blown the fuck away. Look for my flag in the woods, If you see it turn back - You would never get a chance to strike at me Not even a 1000 man militia would make it past the first perimeter defense to even fathom the nature of the secondary defense perimeter nor have a direction to fire weapons in last ditch effort to hit me with a stray bullet, Im talkin rambo/McGyver/_Wolverines_ from the movie Red dawn all in one - Bitches don't know about my guerrilla warfare tactics!



No offense, dude, but this is exactly the scenario that I think wouldn't work. What about the people that live in the area? Don't you think they'd have something to say about that? And they do live there, some of them for their whole lives, and they'd know the terrain much better than you will, so they'd probably be able to find their way past your traps and stuff (which, if the land is so treacherous, how will you get earth-moving equipment in there? Airlift? If you can drive it in then an armored vehicle can drive in too.) and take all your shit?
They're pretty much forced to attack you if they're farming food because they know you must have only a certain amount of supplies and when that runs out it's logical to assume you'll come attack them.


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## Pheonix (Jan 15, 2011)

lowerarchy said:


> And come to think of it if you're located at such a good spot and you're robbing trucks and fucking with everyone, doesn't it stand to reason that the people who are sending/receiving those trucks are going to automatically have more resources than you do? They are the ones that have enough economic strength to fill trucks, after all. And that they'll use some of these resources to defend their stuff or come get you?


 
actually cutting off a community's resources is a very successful military strategy. example, when Genghis Khan made it to the walled city of Beijing he couldn't get past the wall so instead he robbed all the supply trucks. when everyone in the city started starving to death many left the city and joined Khan just to get some food. Khan feed them and put them on the front lines so that if the Chinamen fight back against their invaders they will just be killing other Chinamen not the Mongolian horde. after some time the starving Chinamen rebelled against their own Emperor and gave the city to Khan. 

I guess they finally realized taxes were better then death, I think a post-apocalyptic community will quickly realize the same. for me, preparing for the collapse of society means learning military strategy.


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## lowerarchy (Jan 15, 2011)

pheonix said:


> actually cutting off a community's resources is a very successful military strategy. example, when Genghis Khan made it to the walled city of Beijing he couldn't get past the wall so instead he robbed all the supply trucks. when everyone in the city started starving to death many left the city and joined Khan just to get some food. Khan feed them and put them on the front lines so that if the Chinamen fight back against their invaders they will just be killing other Chinamen not the Mongolian horde. after some time the starving Chinamen rebelled against their own Emperor and gave the city to Khan.


 
That makes sense in the context of monarchies and functioning societies. I can't imagine what apocalypse would leave cities populated and functioning (one or the other but not both for any significant period of time) for anyone to lay siege to. In all likelihood a warlord is going to be on the receiving end of that strategy. Reason being that everyone in the neighborhood knows where you are ("yeah, they're up on that hilltop with all the floodlights and vehicles and turrets and shit by the crossroads") but you won't really know where they are, plus you're dependent on a lot more stuff than they will be, typical guerilla warfare scenario. Typical modern-day United States fortified embassy scenario, come to think of it.

Yeah, I'm just going to set up a blacksmiths/machinists shop down by where two rivers meet. I get attacked by barbarian hordes, I get attacked by barbarian hordes. Hopefully the locals will help me out in exchange for bending metal and making knives. Hopefully we'll be able to put it out there that we don't really have anything so when the barbarian hordes ask "what's down there by the river?" people will tell them "nothing, it's a bunch of inbred hicks. You should check out the compound on the hill instead." Not wishing you any ill-luck in your PA lifestyle Pheonix, just taking a strategic stand. 

Another question: what are you going to do when all your shit breaks down as it eventually will? Me, I'll be spending my time working out ways of doing things that I don't need a factory and a bunch of engineers to manufacture spare parts and materials for all my stuff, like horses and simple machinery. When your humvee breaks and there aren't any around to salvage from, then you're fucked if that's an inherent part of your plan.


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## Pheonix (Jan 16, 2011)

I can't imagine what apocalypse would leave cities populated and functioning? why does it have to be both? why can't someone move into the city after everyone dies? only anarchists want to destroy cities and I honestly believe that anarchists won't have anything to do with the events of the collapse. many very powerful governments have created bombs that will kill all life forms in a certain radius from ground zero but not harm any of the inanimate objects (like buildings and bridges) the reasoning for this is so the cities can once again be used.

I'm not offended by your strategy of sending people after me, but if you are going to try to tell people that there's nothing of value in your little camp then you shouldn't have mentioned the river (ain't water the most important of resources). if a thirsty traveler comes and asks for a drink from the river or to fetch a pail of water will you turn them away or offer some help? would you let them enter your camp? now here's the kicker, what if that traveler was me or one of my soldiers doing some recon work on your camp.

I'm not trying to be an asshole, I'm just trying to help everyone better prepare for the collapse. a lot of people seem to think that when the collapse happens the worst will be behind us, but I doubt that will be the case cause once the leaders lose their power then someone else will try to become the new leader. in order to gain such power they will undoubtedly use war-like tactics against anyone that opposes them. in our little scenario you might think of me as the enemy but the scenario might change and we might even team up to defend ourselves against a powerful oppressor.

my point in arguing is that many people may think the collapse will bring peace and good will towards man, but the odds are much higher that it will be a gruesome bloodbath. I'm just saying you can hope for peace but you still need to be prepared for war. as for your question about how am I going to fix my shit? truthfully you question confuses me a little as I don't understand how it would really be affected (maybe a little) by the collapse. it's not society that fixes cars and machines it's people with the skill to do so. I doubt the collapse will kill off all engineers and mechanics and I also doubt that all the billions and billions of cars will just disappear from the roads, parking lots, and junkyards. honestly I don't think it will be that hard to find a mechanic and a spare part. as for the supply robbing strategy not working in the post-collapse era. that strategy is not only effective against walled communities but also effective against communities that are too powerful for a straight up invasion. you might not think your little camp is a city but it doesn't matter. the strategy is not to attack cities but to attack communities they just call it an attack on the city but its really an attack on the community that lives in the city. thus your camp, my camp and everyone's camp is a potential target.


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## lowerarchy (Jan 16, 2011)

Fuck it let's just move to detroit.


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## Scotty (Jan 20, 2011)

If I ain't in Alaska I'll just be part of a thieving cannibal man hunting caveman crew. That is.. if I can survive the first wave of whatever.


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## freakstorm (Jan 21, 2011)

oooh, this thread has turned into a very exciting read. thanks folks.


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## outskirts (Feb 18, 2011)

I think almost everyone on this site is already far more prepared than most people.
When civilization finally collapses... and it will, us "have nots" will be the ones to
survive not the "haves". The haves will be so at a loss mentally and hoarded 
supplies will only last them so long, water, food, ammo, etc. They not being as
skilled as us at surviving... will be the ones to eat each other!


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## Onemanbandit (Feb 19, 2011)

Anyone considered like, nuclear fallout? Say someone drops a nuke somewhere inbettween seattle and california, then you've gotradiation in the sky getting caught by air patterns, in the ocean being caught by currents. I've seen a couple documentaries on what it would be like and I guess that means we're all fucked. Is there even a way to filter radiation out of water? marijuana filters out radiation when it grows naturally, they planted it all over Chernobyl. I guess I'd just get as many likeminded people as I could and get a bunch of boats and go to some island somewhere, build shelters, farm, livestock, fishing and whatnot. Boat raids would be a good time. It all depends on the level of crisis I guess.


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## Onemanbandit (Feb 19, 2011)

get a yacht and go to disneyland.


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