The Survival Mindset: A Two-Decade Retrospective
Introduction
SurvivalBlog is now in its 20th calendar year. I began posting the blog in August, 2005. That was just a few weeks before Hurricane Katrina. Over the past two decades, I’ve had many opportunities to write about what I generally term The Survival Mindset. The following is a mashup and updates to four brief blog essays that I wrote and posted in SurvivalBlog in November, 2005 and in April, 2006:
Prepper Angst
Many of my recent consulting clients have mentioned the same feeling of unease about the coming years. Perhaps it is just the general predisposition of my consulting clientele, but they nearly all say things to the effect of “I’ve always been well prepared, but now I consider myself under-prepared, because I feel like something big is coming.” One American client summed it up best when he told me, “I get the impression that I’m living in September of 1929 or November of 1941. Something macro scale is approaching, and I want to be in the right place and to be well-provisioned when it happens.”
Certainly, recent international events (Iran’s posturing and threats, sectarian strife in Iraq, etc.) are cause for alarm, as is the mountain of debt (both public and private) that is looming. Gold is seen as a refuge in times of war or currency chaos, and the fact that gold and other commodities are soaring is indicative that a growing number of savvy investors see trouble coming–especially for the dollar as a currency unit.
[Update for 2025: When I wrote that in April, 2006, the spot price of gold was around $582 per Troy ounce. As I’m writing this, spot gold is at $3,388.50.]
Whether it will be just another economic head cold or whether it will be double pneumonia remains to be seen. Similarly, wars and major terrorist attacks are difficult to presage. I can’t in good conscience make unfounded predictions. In fact, I cannot say anything with certainty other than that tomorrow will not be like today. We are living in turbulent times, so it is prudent to prepare.
CONEXes, Not Rolexes
In person at gun shows. at public speaking engagements, in consulting phone calls, as well as in e-mail, I often have folks mention some of the odd, if not bizarre things that they have purchased for their survival preparations. They run the gamut:
Ostentatious: The reader who blew virtually his entire preparation budget on a brand new BMW 4×4 SUV.
Impractical: The gent who said that he owns just one firearm: An AR-15 with five 100-round Beta C-MAGs, a rail-mounted white flashlight, a rail-mounted IR flashlight, PAQ-4 laser target designator, a Gen 3 PVS-4 starlight scope, bipod, and a pseudo-M203 (37mm) flare launcher.
Underachieving: The man who had a whopping two cases of MREs (24 meals) en toto as his family’s food storage supply. Not to worry. He said that he was “planning to get at least one more case.”
Hypochondriacal: The lady who purchased more than $3,000 worth of vitamins and medications for herself and her husband–far more than can be used before the end of their useful shelf lives. Her stockpile includes “heart medicine, in case either of us ever develop a heart condition.”
Absurd: The reader who had accumulated hundreds of rolls of toilet paper, but complained: “I lack room in my garage and my storage space for much storage food.”
Clueless: The man with more than 2,000 pounds of hard red winter wheat, but that didn’t own a wheat grinder.
I suggest a practical, well-balanced approach to preparedness. Here is my preparedness philosophy in a nutshell: You want to buy quality. You want things that will last. But why pay $5,000 for a Rolex Submariner watch, when an O&W Swiss watch that is built just as well will do the same thing, for far less than half as much money? The inverse corollary is just as important: Why buy a cheap set of low-grade “Made in China” tools that will break the first time that they are used instead of buying a set of Craftsman or Snap-On tools that will last a lifetime? You need to be realistic and strike a commonsense middle ground. Being a truly prepared individual takes wisdom, discernment, and dedication. Learn to objectively judge both the things that you buy and the people that you associate with. You will have to depend on both your logistics and your survival team When the Schumer Hits The Fan (WTSHTF). Make plans and stick to them. Don’t develop a plan that is so grand that you never get started. Start small and build on that success. Prioritize your purchases. Don’t go overboard in one area (such as firearms/accessories or commo gear) to the detriment of other important preparations. Rid yourself of non-essentials — like your Jet-Skis and your big screen plasma television.
Concentrate on things that work. Concentrate on friends who work–not those who just talk. Buy in bulk. Buy without a paper trail. Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Pre-position key logistics at your retreat. Don’t scrimp on protecting what you’ve bought from rust, rot, moths, and critters. (This means getting proper airtight storage containers, a locking CONEX, a gun vault, Golden Rod Dehumidifiers, 02 absorbing packets, diatomaceous earth, et cetera.) Buy extra for barter and more importantly for charity. Be circumspect about your preparations. (The whole town doesn’t need to know that you have a three-year food supply and 100K rounds of ammo.) Recognize potential threats, but don’t panic. Instead, plan methodically. Most importantly: pray first, then prepare, and always live by The Golden Rule.
Peace of Mind in Turbulent Times
When I meet new folks, they typically ask what I do for a living. I mention SurvivalBlog and then the topic of survivalism inevitably comes up. A few ask: “How can you sleep at night, worrying about all of that?” My reply is: ” I sleep very well, knowing that I have done my best to ensure the nourishment, health, and safety of my family. I would only lose sleep if I went to bed knowing that I was under-prepared.” I am tempted ask them in turn (but being diplomatic in polite society, I generally refrain): “How can you sleep well at night, with at most a week or two food in your pantry, minimal first aid supplies, no stored fuel or backup method to heat your home, no communications gear, no alternative lighting method beyond candles to last a day or two, no method to transport or treat water from a nearby pond, and no means to defend your life and property?”
Being animis opibusque parati (prepared in mind and resources) is not a source of anxiety. Rather, effective preparedness relieves anxiety. Just don’t make the mistake of dwelling constantly on every potential cataclysm. That is a trap that will indeed cause you to lose sleep. Here is my outlook/approach in a nutshell: Trust in God. Prepare the best that your resources allow. Carry on with your normal day-to-day life. You’ll sleep well.
TEOTWAWKI and the Life Events Stress Scale
I have recently been pondering the far-reaching implications of a grid-down economic collapse situation–commonly called The End of the World as We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) in survivalist circles. One of the under-emphasized implications of TEOTWAWKI will be the psychological stress of the situation–both upon you and upon your neighbors. For many years, psychologists have used the Holmes-Rahe Social Adjustment Scale (also commonly called the “Life Events Stress Scale”) to gauge the level of stress that their patients are experiencing.
I can foresee that a TEOTWAWKI situation will be off the scale for any of your neighbors that are not prepared. In short, a lot of them are going to come unglued. If you live in a city or suburb, expect to see a lot of your neighbors become so profoundly stressed that they will develop manias, phobias, and compulsions. You can also expect a good portion of them to commit irrational and criminal acts. With both the landline and cellular phone systems down, even if the police are still on duty, they will not know where to respond. I anticipate that the stress level will be lower in rural areas, but still profound. Just the loss of access to the mass media and a functioning cell phone will cause stress in lots of individuals. Think back to the emotional trauma that the survivors of Hurricane Katrina went through. Now imagine a nationwide crisis, with no relief in sight. It will be “YOYO” (You’re on Your Own) time, and it won’t be pretty.
The Life Events Stress Scale is a useful tool for characterizing the stress that an individual is experiencing. You’ve probably seen this scale presented in a high school or college course. Looking at this scale, can you imagine the cumulative level of stress that you will feel when the power grid goes down and the 18-wheelers stop rolling? Now picture yourself as one of your “Joe Sixpack” neighbors. Typically, he has: no food storage plan, no alternative home heating plan, no alternative power system, no stored fuel for his vehicles, no method for treating pond water (when water stops miraculously pouring from the faucet.) Talk about stress!
| Life Events – Scale of Impact | Score |
| Death of spouse | 100 |
| Divorce | 73 |
| Marital separation from mate | 65 |
| Detention in jail, other institution | 63 |
| Death of a close family member | 63 |
| Major personal injury or illness | 53 |
| Marriage | 50 |
| Fired from work | 47 |
| Marital reconciliation | 45 |
| Retirement | 45 |
| Major change in the health or behavior of a family member | 44 |
| Pregnancy | 40 |
| Sexual difficulties | 39 |
| Gaining a new family member (e.g., through birth, adoption, oldster moving, etc.) | 39 |
| Major business re-adjustment (e.g., merger, reorganization, bankruptcy) | 39 |
| Major change in financial status | 38 |
| Death of close friend | 37 |
| Change to different line of work | 36 |
| Major change in the number of arguments with spouse | 35 |
| Taking out a mortgage or loan for a major purchase | 31 |
| Foreclosure on a mortgage or loan | 30 |
| Major change in responsibilities at work | 29 |
| Son or daughter leaving home (e.g., marriage, attending college) | 29 |
| Trouble with In-laws | 29 |
| Outstanding personal achievement | 28 |
| Spouse beginning or ceasing to work outside the home | 26 |
| Beginning or ceasing formal schooling | 26 |
| Major change in living conditions | 25 |
| Revision of personal habits (dress, manners, associations, etc.) | 24 |
| Trouble with boss | 23 |
| Major change in working hours or conditions | 20 |
| Change in residence | 20 |
| Change to a new school | 20 |
| Major change in usual type and/or amount of recreation | 19 |
| Major change in church activities (a lot more or less than usual) | 19 |
| Major change in social activities (clubs, dancing, movies, visiting) | 18 |
| Taking out a mortgage or loan for a lesser purchase (e.g., for a car, TV, freezer, etc.) | 17 |
| Major change in sleeping habits | 16 |
| Major change in the number of family get-togethers | 15 |
| Major change in eating habits | 15 |
| Vacation | 13 |
| Christmas season | 12 |
| Minor violations of the law (e.g. traffic tickets, etc. ) | 11 |
This scale was first developed in the mid-1960s. In my estimation, it is not useful as a tool for gauging cumulative stress levels, so don’t attempt to “add up” your stress level. Just consider it a tool in generalities. Also, parts of this scale are most likely outdated. For example, consider the category: “Taking out a mortgage or loan for a lesser purchase“. Our society has become so debt-addicted that additional debt is no longer considered stressful. (Perhaps it will be when mass unemployment makes paying those debts impossible.)
The scale also does not reflect the modern-day reliance on communications systems such as cell phones, e-mail, and instant messaging/text messaging. These days, “server crash”, “hard disk drive failure”, and “unexpected deletion of e-mail archives” should be added to the list. More importantly, the scale does it address the potential psychological impact of the loss of infrastructure that would be concomitant with TEOTWAWKI. For some, transitioning to life without electricity and indoor plumbing might rate as high as the death of spouse.
Looking at this scale and comparing it with the potential psychological effects of a grid-down economic collapse situation, you can see why I often emphasize:
1.) The importance of living at your intended retreat before times get bad. Moving by itself is quite stressful. Can you imagine the stress of moving under duress? How about the stress of having to leave the majority of your possessions behind? Make the move now and you will obviate that stress.
2.) Communications– consider the stress of being out of contact with loved ones in the event of TEOTWAWKI. Invest in a HF ham radio transceiver. Someday you may be glad that you did.
3.) Food storage. If you have lots of food stored, then you won’t have to worry about whether or not you can eat, or the stress of seeing your children go hungry.
4.) Storing extra for charity. Obviously, you cannot store enough food to feed all of your neighbors. This is why moving to a rural agricultural area makes sense. Odds are that you will be living in an area where the majority of your neighbors already have a vegetable garden and do home canning. Many will already have livestock. So it will just be a minority that will have no stored food at all. If you have extra wheat, rice, beans, and gardening seed to distribute, then you will be doing your Christian duty, and you will probably be building valuable friendships in the process.
5.) Addictions. What will life for your family be like without cigarettes, alcohol, junk food, and television? The more addictions that you can eliminate now, will equate to less stress after the onset of TEOTWAWKI. The side benefits will be that your family will be healthier and able to withstand the other stresses without succumbing to disease.
6.) Alternative power and heat. Having no power will be a huge stress. You can judge how stressful it will be to your family by their present-day reactions to local short-term power failures. How will you cook without power for the stove, oven, or microwave? How will you keep warm? Lights? What about recreation? Our kids are bookworms but the vast majority of children and teenagers we know de-stress by watching DVDs, playing electronic games, and listening to their music. Can you supply alternative power for electronic de-stressing devices?
[Update for 2025: All of those activities and distractions are now available via Internet-connected smartphones. Social media has become a huge time sink and the centerpiece of many people’s lives. What will life be like for young people without a fully-connected iPhone? Assuming that you do own at least a modest PV power system, it would probably be wise to stockpile some Old School backup devices for your kids and teenagers. Used iPod Classics can be found on eBay for less than $50. Used Kindle e-book readers can be found on eBay for less than $75. And standalone compact portable DVD players (with built-in screens) can be found on eBay for less than $100. You can buy dozens of DVDs for just a few dollars on Craigslist or at thrift stores. One good option for these is repurposing one of the once-ubiquitous and quite sturdy Minivan “seat-back” DVD players that were designed for 12-Volt DC power sources.]
7.) Long-term “house guests.” Odds are that you will have relatives arrive on your doorstep on TEOTWAWKI+1. (You are the member of the family that they tease for being “over-prepared.” But guess where they will go when the Schumer hits the fan? Your house. Think in terms of storing extra gardening tools, gloves, bedding, linens–and even more blankets or tarps to improvise privacy screens, et cetera. Think this through, folks.
8.) Life without television. We only owned a TV for two years of our 18 years of marriage. We sold it before our last move because we concluded that it was a huge waste of time. There is an old saying: “It’s easy to get along with what you’ve never had.” [Update for 2025: My first wife. Linda (“The Memsahib”) passed in 2009, away, after 22 years of marriage. By God’s grace, I remarried less than a year later, to Avalanche Lily. (Linda very kindly picked out Lily for me, before she passed away.) Lily and I have now been married for nearly 15 years. And all of those years have been without a television.]
In addition to the major sources of stress that I mentioned, ponder the umpteen minor stressers that will come with TEOTWAWKI. Do your best to eliminate as many sources of stress as possible, in advance.
Reference: “Social Readjustment Rating Scale” – Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe. Published in Journal of Psychosomatic Research,1967, Vol. II, p. 214.
In Closing
To close out this mashup, I must say that my viewpoint on The Survival Mindset hasn’t changed much. If anything, the past 20 years have confirmed and solidified my position.
The bottom line is that it takes faith, friends, and a level head, to survive. – JWR
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