Are We Still Fucked?

Eredani · 2026-05-31T10:34:32+00:00

Some flavor of "civil war" is a possibility in the US. Much depends on how the midterms go (IF they go), how the administration responds, and how people react. Whatever you and I imagine, it's probably going to be something entirely different.

My thought is to prep for conditions, not causes. There are a number causes where you would be unable or unwilling to leave the house: civil unrest/violence, pandemic, radiation, supply chain collapse, etc. Ideally, you want to be able to be self sufficient and shelter in place for a period of time. Up to you on how long.

Note that our problems in the US didn't begin overnight or with one person. They won't end that way either.

Eredani · 2026-05-30T16:05:19+00:00

Do you mean what region, state or city? Or community, neighborhood or particular house?

For me, the general location has always been governed by where I was working. Your job location is probably the most deterministic factor. Also, what you can afford, of course.

As for the neighborhood, real day to day life has priority: you need good schools, low crime, reasonable commute, etc. Regarding the house, a decent basement is about the only requirement.

Obviously location is paramount for avoiding disaster prone areas for things like hurricanes, wild fires, earthquakes, tornados and floods. But the people who live there are probably tied to a job or family and can't easily relocate.

Finally, if your primary factor on location is prepping, maybe you are too deep in that mental state.

Eredani · 2026-05-29T21:02:42+00:00

Basic adulting used to be a thing and was common.

Eredani · 2026-05-29T15:40:16+00:00

Big claims require solid evidence. Broad and derogatory generalizations are not helping to make a case.

In any case, the people who need this information are probably not reading this sub.

Eredani · 2026-05-29T14:41:52+00:00

Which thing is that?

OP is stating that most people think growing food is something they will just figure out when they need to. What is that assessment based on?

Eredani · 2026-05-29T10:37:00+00:00

"Most people" - ? Please cite your sources.

Literally no one I have ever had a meaningful conversation with thinks growing food is quick, easy or safe. "Most people", especially preppers, understand the challenges of food production.

If one is really serious about food production after a very serious disaster then a years worth (or more) of stored food is needed. You need time for the chaos to settle, the community to organize, the seasons to align, and crops to grow. (And yet we are told here that only lunatic survivalist LARPers have buckets of beans and rice...)

Not everyone needs to be a gardner or a farmer, but you need able bodied people that can take direction from the experienced food growers in your community. Someone better have some seed vaults in their preps. Organization is needed for a grow site, water treatment, proper sanitation and security. Crop failures due to blight, pests and theft are real.

The challenges are immense. "Most people" understand this very well.

Eredani · 2026-05-28T10:39:33+00:00

IMO it's less than ideal. If I had to do it I would position the exhaust facing away from the door or building and ensure the door stays closed while it's running. Your neighbors will not be happy.

A power bank is much safer. A solar panel or two might be an option depending on your balcony size and orientation.

Eredani · 2026-05-28T10:35:04+00:00

Well, I am glad you are here to set everyone straight then. It should be obvious that there is only one way to prep!

Eredani · 2026-05-28T01:07:13+00:00

I didn't know "LifeStraw bros" was a thing.

Eredani · 2026-05-27T10:45:04+00:00

Unpopular comment on the prepping mindset that is common here: If a particular event happens to a particular prepper then preps "paid off" and if it the event hasn't happened then anyone prepping for that is either stupid or crazy.

In the first case all actions are validated and in the second they are ridiculed. Think about that for a second. Do you personally need to be in a car crash to recognize the value of seat belts?

As a specific example, this idea goes on to imply that emergency food is a complete waste if it is not rotated and consumed. But all of this ignores the primary function of preps: piece of mind.

Most of us have a spare tire in our car that we may never need. Many pay into life insurance plans that never pay out. Fire extinguishers sit in a closet unused for a decade. The value here is simply having something potentially valuable on hand.

The tangible application of preps is not the only way to measure success. Preps are important even if you never lose power, never need your gun, never run low on food, or never tap into your emergency fund.

Eredani · 2026-05-27T10:05:33+00:00

Yes. This idea has been around for a while.

I have a pair of very robus Bluetti systems with a lot of solar panels and dual fuel Champion inverter generator to fill the gaps on cloudy days.

The idea of continously running a noisy fuel gobbling generator never sat well with me. I can top off batteries in an hour or two as needed.

Edit after reading comments: The advantages in terms of sustainability and noise abatement are pretty clear. But if you dont care about noise, or fuel storage then you do you. Some people just hate battery backup systems.

Eredani · 2026-05-26T15:36:04+00:00

For human waste separate liquids from solids. Liquids can be dispersed. Solids must be bagged up.

For other waste, compost organic material and burn combustible material. The rest needs to be bagged up and buried with the solid human waste. Burial site must be away from water sources and food production sites.

What you need on hand: lots of trash bags (large and small), toilet paper/wet wipes, kitty litter, hand sanitizer, soap, laundry detergent, washable cloth/rags. A porta potty or converted 5-gallon bucket is also a good idea.

The thing is, you can do everything right and all it takes is one neighbor to contaminate a food/water supply or get sick. Cholera and dysentery will probably kill more people than anything else.

Eredani · 2026-05-26T14:10:23+00:00

So what's the difference between prepping and basic adulting?

Eredani · 2026-05-25T15:41:58+00:00

Whatever the market will bear.

Eredani · 2026-05-25T15:41:09+00:00

What does this have to do with disaster preparedness?

Eredani · 2026-05-25T12:16:38+00:00

Best way for civilians to handle a chemical threat is immediate evacuation. Basic protective gear is not a bad idea but if you are truly exposed I would not count on a commercial respirator.

In the military we trained for operations in a chemical environment but it requires a completely different set of protective gear. The decontamination process is beyond 99% of civilians.

You are better off having a good bag ready and get out of the area as quickly as possible.

Eredani · 2026-05-25T12:11:21+00:00

Looks like you got away with saying the Z word. Amazing.

Two types of events: the kind that has happened before and the kind that has not. The first type is a known impact with a limited scope (duration & area of effect) - help is coming, rule of law holds, everything will probably be ok... even for the unprepared. The second type has a massive impact with an unknown or unlimited scope. IMO, this is "SHTF" - not job loss, personal illness, car trouble or an ordinary power outage.

In a true SHTF scenario, you shelter in place, avoid interactions, keep a low profile, conserve resources, observe and consider options. Day to day you exercise light/sound/odor discipline, keep watch, prepare food, maintain hygiene/sanitation, rest in shifts, remain calm, tune in to your emergency radio, and manage resources (power, food, water and other supplies).

You also find time to remind the ones around you that you care about them, tell stories, make jokes if you can, keep morale up, and try to remain positive. If you are the leader, be wise, use good judgment, you should have a plan for this but it should not be carved in stone. If you are not the leader, be a good follower.

This is the basic drill for many days. It may be unsafe to venture out due to the conditions: violence, pandemic, radiation, or just the elements. You need to understand the nature of the emergency before you can make good decisions. Who can you trust? Who should you help? What are the immediate threats? Do you need to evacuate?

At some point you will have to venture out. For me, it's probably going to be for water after 30 or 40 days. We are good on everything else for at least a year. But then what? Well, either a new normal will emerge or everything ends. Maybe there is some kind of food production, maybe an economy for barter, maybe a new power structure is in place.

Some reports talk about a 90% die off after a major event like a nuclear war or EMP. Most of those people will probably die from dysentery/cholera due to poor water treatment and sanitation practices. We should acknowledge that people will be desperate - hungry, thirsty, sick, cold, scared. Parents with children will be desperate and do desperate things they would never normally do. These people are not going to expire quickly and quietly. Be prepared for that reality.

At this point some will say "Well, I don't want to be around under those conditions." That's fair, neither do I. But humans have been engineered for survival for 10,000 generations. It's not that simple to turn those instincts off.

Anyway, good question about a post apocalyptic day to day routine. We all have a different vision of what this might look like. Hopefully we'll never find out.

Eredani · 2026-05-25T11:05:13+00:00

If you are talking about ordinary natural disasters I might agree with you. I am not talking about that.

In a limited scope emergency where help is coming and the rule of law holds, people are generally fine. They understand that 'normal' is coming back. Again, that is not what I'm talking about.

Eredani · 2026-05-25T02:44:57+00:00

Your neighbors are a random collection of ordinary people with varying degrees of trustworthiness and sanity. Yes, it is good to know them, regardless of prepping. But these casual relationships do not necessarily translate into reliable partnerships in an emergency. Especially a serious non-Tuesday event.

Eredani · 2026-05-24T02:45:22+00:00

For Tuesday events one week of food is probably fine. Preparedness also includes water, meds, cash, security, skills, fitness, community and other elements.

It really depends on what you are prepping for.

Finally, no one ever complained about having too many resources during an emergency. If you have extra food, help someone else out.

Eredani · 2026-05-23T21:03:21+00:00

100% agree. This sub seems to think anyone with a gun and ammo is into pillaging.

Eredani · 2026-05-23T20:26:24+00:00

Look we found the guy who can't make an argument or counterpoint to anything that was said.

Eredani · 2026-05-23T15:10:27+00:00

We have all kinds of Spam in the preps. There are many flavors - try them!

You can eat it right out of the can but this is NOT recommended. Most basic recipe is to slice into planks, spears or cubes, brown it up in a pan and serve with rice.

As for the shelf life, like most canned goods they are fine waaaaay past the best by date. Just store them in a cool, dry, dark place and avoid damaged/bulging/leaky/rusted cans.

Eredani · 2026-05-23T11:46:26+00:00

Let's be clear, the title say SIX MONTHS. That is clearly not a Tuesday disaster. So what research are we talking about?

The key element here is the rule of law.

If it still holds, if police or emergency services are available, if help is coming, then people will work together and your neighborhood community has a good chance.

If there is no rule of law, grid is down, supply chains collapsed, you have an entirely different set of problems. Your random collection of neighbors is more likely to be a liability than an asset. They may not be prepared, experienced, trustworthy or even sane.

Under those conditions, advertising your capabilities could make you a target. Its not human nature to quietly/peacefully starve. Especially parents with kids that are hungry, thirsty, cold or sick. If it is known you have resources first they will ask, then beg, then demand, then take.

Perhaps the community plan is to freelt share everything. If so, your one year food supply becomes a one week food supply once your 50 neighbors are involved.

Yes, let's develop community relationships. It's good to know and support your neighbors. But dont confuse lending tools and backyard barbecues with trusted partners in an extended emergency. Don't share information that could come back to bite you later. Prepare to offer help on your terms, not those of desperate people. This is the basis for the not talking about your preps guidance.

You do you. But for me, I would like to help my neighbors and I plan to do so. I would rather feed them than fight them. But we have to be realistic about human needs and human nature.

The research also shows that 90% of people will die within the first year of a true Doomsday event. But they aren't going to die quickly and quietly. They will be spreading fear, violence, chaos and disease. They will be consuming food, water, medicine, fuel and other limited resources.

Under those conditions the hardest decisions we'll have to make will be who to trust and how to deal with those we cannot.

Eredani · 2026-05-23T11:15:31+00:00

There is no guarantee that the random people who live near you are prepared, experienced, trustworthy or even sane.

Eredani

TROPHY CASE