The first step across the dividing line is always the hardest. When confronted with an uncomfortable situation, our instincts are to fight or flee. This is natural. In western society, and American society in particular, we are trained from birth to avoid unpleasantness if possible and to kick its ass if it won't leave us alone. Many of the people who find this website will read a post or two and click away in a) disgust/anger/annoyance, b) confusion, c) fear or d) apathy. That's to be expected because the ideas we're going to discuss here are not warm and cuddly - but I think they're important. So before we dig in, I'd like to give you a few tips on how to read my posts without feeling the urge to launch yourself off the nearest tall building.
Take a Deep Breath
If anything you read on these pages or the links I provide makes you feel terrified, depressed, violently angry, panicky or otherwise not well, please take a few minutes and move away from the computer. I realize that may sound absurd but understand that these subjects have the capacity to produce extreme emotional reactions, especially in people who are already upset about something else in their lives.
Here's the type of response I'm NOT hoping to receive:
Man sets himself on fire outside NH courthouse
Get Introspective
Know thyself. This is surprisingly tough for a lot of folks, but sometimes you'll need to take a walk inside your own brain to figure out why a certain topic is bothering you. In fact, it's something we should all do from time to time. So channel your inner Freud and ask yourself some probing questions like: "What scares me the most, and why?" "What am I most afraid of losing?" "Can I be happy if the world turns out to be drastically different than I had hoped?" etc... This quickly becomes a very personal exercise and I'll leave it mostly up to you, the reader, to figure out on your own. Just remember that everyone has hidden demons - don't be too startled if you find the answers to these questions to be even more disturbing than the posts on this site. After some practice it does get easier.
Find God
No, I'm not kidding. If you think you're going to handle the rapid decline of civilization (and all the violence, poverty and hunger you're likely to see around you) with a whistle and a song then it's you who's kidding yourself. You'll need faith in something greater than this world if you want to get through what's coming soon.
No Man is an Island
Don't let the fear, anger or sadness you're going to feel as you come to grips with these changes isolate you from friends or family. As we'll discuss in a later post, small communities are going to be hugely important during and after the collapse. Get a head start now and strengthen the relationships you already have or make new ones. Pretty soon real friends, especially those with useful skills, will be a hot commodity.
Prepare Now
One of the strongest medicines against anxiety is preparedness. If you don't have a plan yet, start making one. The bulk of the articles on this site will be dedicated to developing the skills and gathering the resources you'll need to live comfortably. Once you have a plan, put it into action. There's no point writing down a list of essential supplies and then waiting until tragedy strikes to go shopping. Be an early bird and avoid the long lines and shortages that will occur when most people decide it's time to stock up. This includes valuable knowledge - learn to be resourceful now so you don't have to learn when you're panicking later.
What Not to Do
As I mentioned before, suicide or violence to solve problems is not something I'll be recommending here. A few other bad ideas:
- Avoidance - Normally it's a good idea to minimize situations that stress you out too much. Unfortunately I believe this is an exception to the rule and something you can't afford to ignore.
- Obsession - Preparing for the bad times at the expense of today is no good either. Strive for balance if you want to keep your sanity and the sanity of those around you.
- Despair - It sounds ridiculous, but try to maintain a positive attitude about all this. Even when our society begins to crumble, the world will go on turning and the sun will rise every morning. Remind yourself that this will be one of the most important changes in all of human history, and you have the "good fortune" to be a part of it.
So What's Next?
Before we can talk about how to prepare, we need to review what we're preparing for and why it matters. Stay tuned for summaries of the biggest threats to civilization.
Reading List
How to Handle Stress
Building Your Faith
Maintaining Friendships
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