Soft and Unprepared

                A large swath of the American population will not survive a global catastrophe.  This is the thought that goes through my head as I look at the news with all of the protests and marches and people being “offended”.  The culturally enlightened liberal Left has become so soft that they are doomed should any real apocalyptic scenario strike.  Sans government and the protections provided by such, what on Earth would they do?  Without the Constitution to protect their fragile sensitivities, how could they function?  Most seem to feel that society and civilization are immortal and will always be there to protect them.  The culture of the “preppers” holds the antithesis of that opinion.  They believe that society is doomed to fail and they are getting ready for the collapse.

               

I’m not saying that everyone should become a prepper.  However, I do believe that everyone should consider the possibility of a collapse or major disaster and at least have a plan.  Everyone should ask themselves how they would respond to different situations they may run into in such a scenario.  In a lawless world, human beings can turn rather savage.  Encounters with strangers in such a world can turn deadly in the blink of an eye.  Hunger, thirst, medical needs, warmth, shelter; these are all things that will not be readily available once it all goes belly up.  These are also things that can get taken from you by others.  Everyone, especially the feel good Left, would expect humans to treat each other with some humanity and respect.  That all goes out the window when someone hasn’t eaten for days and you have food.  Would you trust a stranger not to harm your wife and kids, especially in the morally inverse society we live in today?

                People are selfish.  By nature, self-preservation is the strongest of all emotions.  Now, we have a society that is coddling everyone and embracing everyone’s feelings as law.  How does that behavior evolve once we remove civilization?  Those same “snowflakes” now feel that you having too much food isn’t fair.  You need to share or they will make you share.  Your success at survival offends them so you need to take care of them.  Lack of ability necessitates adaptation.  Do they adapt into doers (hunters, gatherers, farmers) or takers (bandits, looters)?  Don’t count on kindness to trump starvation. 

                How many people in urban America actually know how to survive without grocery stores and drive thru windows?  Do they know what they can eat from the wild?  How to find animals to kill for meat?  How to purify water before drinking?  How to start a fire or build a shelter?  You don’t need to be a “prepper” or “survivalist” to learn how to do these things.  A quick Google search and a little bit of practice and you will at least have some rudimentary knowledge of how to not die quickly.  You may, in fact, learn that you actually like this stuff.  Then you can delve into primitive trap-making and other advanced disciplines.  Being prepared doesn’t mean you are some weirdo hoping for the end to society; it just means you are ready in case it actually happens.

                Everyone needs to pull up their big gender-neutral pants and toughen up a little.  Every time someone “offends” you, it doesn’t mean you need to break out the picket signs and call in sick to work.  Every time something on the news makes you sad, don’t block the interstate preventing adults from going to work.  When the power grid goes down and you can’t get your tofu burger and double soy latte, don’t think anybody is going to save you but you.