Sunday, May 25, 2008

"Survivalist"?

This article was FRONT PAGE LEAD STORY on msnbc.com yesterday.

I was less than impressed.  As I first started to read the article I thought, wow, brave journalist. By the time I finished the article I had the impression that the author was only slightly mocking these "survivalists".  Just using the perjorative "survivalist", meaning some nut living in a "bunker" in the woods with stores of rice, beans, and ammunition,  was meant to belittle these folks.  Still, the sad fact is there are now thousands of thoughtful (and some not so thoughtful) people across American that have begun to take responsibility for providing for themselves.

Can you imagine the politically correct backlash if the author were to treat the Amish or Mennonite communities as whack job "survivalists"?  After all, these folks shun most (but not all) of America's petroleum based convenience technology.  They grow their own food, make their own clothes, pay their bills, provide for their children, and refuse welfare, social security, food stamps.  What a bunch of whackos, huh?

We should all be so whacky,

Yours for a better world,


Mentatt (at) yahoo (d0t) com

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

They make it sound like surviving is a bad thing. Of course in a time when personal responsibility is no longer valued, when self reliance is considered a barbaric atavism what would you expect. We are supposed to rely on others to help us in time of the disaster? What if they are too busy trying to help themselves? What if they haven enough problems of their own?

Who could possibly laugh at people who just want to make sure their families are OK if things turn pear shaped? I tell you who. People who are not preparing for anything themselves. It is easier to make fun of others then to face up to being responsible for themselves. It is one thing to be cavalier about their own chances but if they have children their responsibility is nor just for themselves but for the kids also. It is simply criminal not to take reasonable preparations to insure the survival of those dependent on us.

I would like to encourage all who read this great Blog to take immediate steps to insure adequate food, water and minimum survival needs for their family. Simply go to US government sites that discuss preparedness for emergencies and natural disasters. Katrina is a great lesson as to what happens when people are unprepared and have to rely on the government to take care of them. During the post Peak Oil times the resources will be even more limited then they are now and help may simply never come.

Yours for survival,
Chuck H.

"Is "Survival" just another word for procrastination?" - Anonymous

Anonymous said...

Not just slightly mocking, imho. I like how the propagandist mentioned twice how these people gave up TV, and noted that even these 'survivalists' don't think the wheels will come off until 2012. I also like the choice of PeakOil.com as the link, a site that is kinda screwed in the signal to noise ratio compared to the sites like theoildrum.com (and the other sites listed on this blog's sidebar). However, I was heartened a little to note that many of these 'survivalists' wouldn't talk to this propagandist. I sure wouldn't-talking to corpwhores is more than just a waste of time! This is just another 'lookit the freaks' article that the Lamestream Media love to pump out there.

MonkeyMind

A Quaker in a Strange Land said...

Still, there is no bad publicity.

The author also forgot to mention or quote one James Woolsey, former director of an organization called the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (perhaps the author has heard of them). Mr. Woolsey has a self sufficient farm in rural Virginia.

By way of disclosure: I own a 14 acre organic farm in Middle Tennessee. I don't live there, but I spend some time in the spring and summer there and I have it for the purpose of "what if".

I have the means not to have to live there full time - but if I did not have the means, I WOULD live there, right now. And I am a Libertarian Republican, Wall Street, "Capitalist Pig out to Exploit the Masses" (well that is how an email described me) type. Hardly the kind of guy that would fit the quintessential "survivalist" or left wing environmentalist mold. And I know several other folks like me that are doing the same thing and taking action - Barton Biggs comes to mind - so the likely outcomes of our energy condition are certainly sinking in on some level.

I continue to call this era the "Age of Personal Responsibility". A very libertarian concept.

My best to you and yours!

Greg

Anonymous said...

A farmette is a great thing to have, but it kind of reminds me of my plans to ride a motorcycle to save gas. I don't know how to ride a motorcycle! I hope you are in better shape re: running a farmette. If not, there is still time to learn-but I don't know how much time. I hope your land is close to a water source.

Anyways, I am trying to tame a couple acres here in N GA to create sort of food production capabilities. I've been at it for about a year and a half and have learned much about farming here. Better to learn what works now rather than attempt this during a crisis!

I hope we muddle thru the coming decline in energy use without too much disruption, but I don't see it at a national level. We seem to be entering an era when ignorance becomes much more dangerous. Best hopes for real learning!

MonkeyMind

A Quaker in a Strange Land said...

We grow most of the food we consume. We arrive every spring for plannting season, putting up nearly an acre of garden.

We get all our vegies, potatoes, eggs, pork, beef, and milk from the farm, and I have put in a 20 tree orchid that is yeilding a little, but needs another 2 years.

I have a blog:

almostselfsufficient.blogspot.com
chronicaling this (mis)adventure.

Anonymous said...

The article, although clearly intended as a demeaning 'look at the freaks' jab, surprised and encouraged my wife (who gets most of her info either from me, or through the lamestream media) and actually moved her further along towards my viewpoint.
The reason?
We're not as prepared as people featured. In short, we've got more work to do.
Further, from her perspective, it clearly showed that others were moving in the same direction. We are not alone.
Nothing encourages like illustrated examples.