Soft paywall - archive.ph link
Excerpt:
In a world shaped by war, a pandemic and extreme weather, more Americans are getting ready for crisis — whether it’s to fight a tyrannical government, repel an invading army or respond to a natural disaster.
They are known as prepared or professional citizens, part of a growing number of gun owners who are adapting their mind-set to uncertain and polarized times. And rather than being part of more fringe “prepper” culture, they are growing more mainstream, catered to by companies ready to offer them the tools and training to be ready.
The traditional aspects of gun ownership — such as simple target shooting — are increasingly being shelved in favor of topics like radio and medical training, night-vision shooting, drone reconnaissance, homesteading and military tactics.
“We are looking at a growing number of companies who are broadening the appeal and normalizing self preparedness and the tools needed to enable it,” said Kareem Shaya, the co-founder of Open Source Defense, a startup working to normalize gun culture in the United States and invest in new companies in the civilian defense industry. “Five or 10 years ago, we couldn’t have done what we’re doing because there just weren’t enough startups in the space. We’re seeing it accelerate in real time.”
Prepared citizenry and the more familiar practice of “prepping” share some characteristics, though preppers are more focused on getting ready for long-term self-sufficiency — keeping chickens, growing a vegetable garden and storing supplies in bulk. Prepared citizens want to be ready for sudden calamity.
Someone posted about surviving an actual war zone that struck me. The preppers had water, food, and electricity for awhile longer than the rest of the population, like a couple weeks. They didnt share their supplies with neighbors in need. The ones who owned guns didn’t really use them. In the end, everyone was in the same boat, the preppers were just slightly more comfortable for just a slightly longer time.
Long long time ago someone wrote on Reddit that the best post-apocalyptic place to stay would just be a small town. With a dentist, a doctor, farmers and builders. Where everybody knows each other. The interdependence of skill and need for cooperation would keep the peace.
Now you get the appeal of Stardew Valley
I now want want a post-apocalypse stardew valley mod and it’s your fault
Isn’t that just basically My Time in Portia?
when things collapse at a country/state level, things fall back to village/family scale.
That sharing part is a mistake. My mother has chickens and a rooster, I can’t imagine shed have any trouble parting with excess eggs/chicks.
Building up your neighbors helps build the network that keeps everyone alive.
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This one? https://www.metafilter.com/78669/What-if-things-just-keep-getting-worse#2430771
That’s the one.
I always joke about the idea of bomb shelters.
Like what’s the long-term plan here?