What Does It Mean To Be A Survivalist?
31 Comments »by Giordano Bruno
Neithercorp Press - 10/1/2009
We’ve all seen the stereotypes depicted in TV and film; a lonely, semi-frustrated man with a knack for carpentry, BBQ, and ammo reloading. He stockpiles guns and food in his secret log cabin in the hills near his home and waits, even “anxiously anticipates”, the inevitable “end of the world.” He believes only he will survive, because everyone else is an idiot. Oh, and he’s “crazy.” They all are…
But is this stereotype in any way honest? Does one have to take on all these cumbersome character qualities in order to be a survivalist, or does one choose to become a survivalist, and is suddenly stricken with angry redneck’s disease?
Three years ago I became a survivalist, and I can say without a doubt, one does not have to live the stereotype.
Survivalism is not about taking on a new identity, it is about being prepared. It is not about paranoia and fear. It is about awareness, responsibility, and common sense. The average American today is often so disconnected from his own survival and self defense that when confronted with the idea of “preparedness” he becomes incredulous, as if the entire concept is so fantastical it should be buried in a book of folklore along with faeries and unicorns. The fact of the matter is, true survival will soon be the first thing on many people’s minds in this country, instead of the last, and every man, whether he be a farmer in the country or a yuppie office jockey in the suburbs, will have to decide NOW what he is going to do, mentally above all else, to be ready for what is coming.
Taking Responsibility For Your Own Life
A survivalist understands that until we are self-reliant, we cannot help others. Our life is our own, and if we fail in protecting it then it is only we who are to blame. No survivalist “expects” others to save him from peril, and this includes the government. No true survivalist will find himself after an inflationary collapse of the dollar crying on a street corner demanding free food and a job. He knows that he will not get it anyway, and anything he does get will only be through his own struggle and sacrifice. Being truly free is a double edged sword; while the possibilities of life become endless, one must be capably independent in order to make use of those possibilities freedom presents. This means taking one’s destiny into one’s own hands. It means hardship and heartbreak. It means striving, never stopping, always moving forward through any obstacle regardless of how seemingly impassable. It means having the will to fight back against oppression that appears insurmountable. Your world begins and ends with you, and the same goes for your problems. You are the maker of your own epoch.
Independence Is Not The Same As Selfishness
While it is impossible to be a survivalist without breaking free of our dependence on society, this does not mean we leave society in the dust. Survivalists are very aware, very insightful people, and when confronted with the ignorance of the average person, we often reel in horror and disgust. We can become jaded and uncaring for those who do not see the trouble coming, taking on an attitude of complacency when confronted with the plight of those we tried to warn. The cold Darwinian mantle “Survival of the Fittest” can take hold of us and make us lose our humanity. Some of us may even stop trying to warn people.
“Let them find out the hard way,” we think, “What’s the point, if they haven’t figured it out by now, they never will.”
But this is pure rationality, not wisdom, and there is a very big difference. While the survivalist movement is often linked with the “objectivist” philosophies of Ayn Rand, and such philosophies lean towards the “every man for himself attitude,” wisdom dictates that this is simply not practical. It is, at the very least, an exaggeration of the truth. Human beings have an inborn sense of individualism. Cultivating this is at the very core of survivalism. However, we also have an incredibly strong inborn sense of compassion and connectivity to our fellow man. It is a part of our conscience, and it is something we cannot escape. It is in the nature of those who are aware of danger to try to protect those who are not.
The survivalist is not an island, and there is something much greater at work in the universe than the narrow mechanics of pure logic. The human heart must be heeded, lest we face the dire consequences, and the heart tells us that all life has a meaning, even the life of a stupid useless man.
Why We Fight
Saving our own lives and the lives of our family is, of course, of optimum importance, but this alone is not enough. What is worth living for? What is worth dying for? What is the point of it all?
Do I personally feel a great sense of “admiration” for the large part of humanity? Certainly not! Nine out of ten people I meet on a daily basis are earth shatteringly ignorant, self-absorbed, egotistical, self-centered, socially backwards products of the pop-culture sewage pit.
But do we condemn them to death for this? No, we do not… instead, we fight for them, every day.
We do not fight because of what humanity is. Most of us despise what humanity is. We fight for what it COULD BE. We fight for the very real possibility of something far better that what we now know; a world where individualism is the norm, where elite minorities of men bent on dominion are given no ground, no foothold, no quarter. A world where original thought is encouraged instead of crushed, logic and emotion are given equal importance instead of generically separated and compartmentalized, honesty and courage are rewarded instead of mocked, and the love of our fellow man is natural and real, instead of fabricated and forced for the sake of appearances.
We fight for a world we may never live to see, not because it is “reasonable,” but because every impulse at our very core tells us it is right. It is necessary. It is one of the reasons we are here, now. The survivalist is not just a self-reliant and insightful man of resolve, he is the levy upon which the ripping torrential waters of history collide. He is the wall that stays the tide. If the survivalist collapses, then nothing can hold, but if he remains, solid as stone, then there is a chance for everyone.
Whether we like it or not, in times of pain the world turns to those men who have either the conviction and great strength of an honorable soul, or those who are clever and evil enough to fake it. By becoming a survivalist in such times, one also inadvertently becomes a symbol to others. By breaking free of the masses, ironically, we also in a sense become partly responsible for them. The example we set could determine the very direction of the future. The way of the survivalist becomes a steadfast light in the darkness, until finally, all men can see.
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Mr. Bruno i could not have said it better myself. Bill stofer survivalist talk radio.
hi, can you tell me where i can learn more about how to get the things i did and what might help me prepare for what might be ahead of us in the near future, thx
randy:
There are many websites that provide this info, but actually, we recently started a series of survival videos on You Tube. You can watch the first episode here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SApaNC_FOVw&feature=channel_page
Hope it helps!
What? Three comments on this brilliant piece! The author nailed it. Over and over did he nail it. More people need to know: This is who we are! Sometimes we’re in that secluded cabin. Sometimes we’re squirreling food away in a couple totes under our bed. Sometimes we own firearms. Sometimes were martial arts experts. Sometimes we’re IT guys. Sometimes we’re nurses. But, we’re all going to be the last people to perish. Even if we can’t get to our food, guns or other supplies. Survivalists are not just nutty, we survive when 90% of the population go crazy. …and, we’ll stop and help you if we can.
Utterly awesome description and delivery of the essentials and depth. I, with your permission, plan to use this essay to enlighten and educate. If not for the masses, then at least starting with my family and friends. This is the most concise and thoughtful representation of what I have felt for years that I have seen to date. Thank you.
Mel:
Thank you, and you can absolutely use any article or video here on Neithercorp to open a dialogue with your friends or anyone else for that matter. We want to share our thoughts with those in the movement, but in the end, we most want to inform those people who have not yet had a chance to hear the truth. All our work is here for you to use to that end. Hopefully, all of us educating the masses at once will help to turn the tide.
I love your guys site, keep it up
Nice. You said a lot in a relatively small space. Sad it seemed necessary to add the part about selfishness, but that seems to be the argument that comes up first when one speaks about survival with others.
Bookmarked and will be going out with the next e mail!
Thanks!
I have been searching for the right words to finally speak to my wife about the many months and endless hours of quite research spent on our computer (sometimes until dawn).
God bless you! I hope you don’t mind if I borrow most of your well spoken and straightforward explanation of preparing for the inevitable. You did nail it. Your candid comments and your compassion come through loud and clear. How could anyone read these words and not get it? If they think you and the rest of us are crazy, then God help us all. Your site is a blessing. One question: Anyone have information on possible Bank Holiday this month? Guesstimates on time to prep? Thank you all!!
Very well written i share those same thoughts but probably could not have explained them so well. Thank you R.A.
Well said. A very well thought out essay that goes to the heart of what I believe. Thank you. I’ve bookmarked and will share this fine explanation of what a survivalist/prepper is, and ISN’T.
Hey I’m new to this site. I surfed in from a link on Alex Jones’ Infowars. Great stuff and I’ll be bookmarking it. But I respectfully disagree with your characterization of Ayn Rand’s philosophy. She is not about “every man for himself”. She celebrates the triumph of the individual human spirit and the greatness he can achieve. These are not the same concepts.
That said, I’ve found a great site that has some very common sense ideas of modern survivalism in case the SHTF. But they aren’t so “out there” that you’re buying a years’ supply of MRE. Hope you find it as informative as I do.
http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/
Unconquered:
Thanks for visiting us and we’re glad you like the site!
I think my disagreement on the Ayn Rand subject is more in terms of how people INTERPRET her philosophy, than what she actually writes, and people seem to interpret it as an “every man for himself” philosophy.
I think the problem is that she rarely if ever stresses the need for people to care about one another, especially when faced with the loss of our freedom.
I agree with her enthusiastic defense of the individual, but its a two way street. If we only care about our own freedom and not the freedom of those around us, then eventually, we will all lose. I think a large portion of survivalists interpret Rand’s neglect of this fact as a support for selfishness, and thats what we were trying to address.
Thanks again for coming to our site, and we hope to have you back soon.
Wow. Just came across your site today. What a blessing. Its great to see a site that wrestles with the ethical dilemmas inherent to self reliance.
For example, here is a question I’ve been wrestling with:
How far? Near means needing to defend my stash of stuff. Far means I will rarely get the opportunity to show compassion or share truth. Thoughts?
vilano:
Could you reword the question? I want to answer but I’m not quite sure what direction you’re coming from. Are you asking how far you should go in helping others? Or how far you should go in defending yourself? If you could help me out here, I’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Great article. It’s not all about guns and ammo or MRE’s. It’s a way of life and a way of living. Glad to help, but we can’t help if we are not surviving to help…
I prefer the term provident living to survivalist, but they are synonymous in practice.
Just tuned into your website today, thanks to a “fellow traveler” (if I may use that term in an updated and more positive sense!).
I have been a “survivalist” since the early 70′s, perhaps even before then without realizing it. Over the years, that mindset has pulled me, and others I was with, out of a lot of jams in both military and civilian situations.
Your articles are astoundingly well-written,timely,and well-documented.
Many thanks for sharing so much good information.
I enjoyed reading this, though I will probably finish it later. This is the thing, many people will die, prepared or not, because of nuclear war, biological warfare, persecution for their faith, etc. Without a spiritual preparation and a reliance upon God, all our preparation is useless. We have to get ready for Jesus to come and tell others to get ready. At the same time we have to be “wise and serpents and harmless as doves.” You are on the right track and I am not saying you are not spiritual but we need to prepare others spiritually. Food is not enough because a lot of people will die and they have to be prepared for that or prepared to lose friends and/or loved ones. Thanks for sharing this.
If you want to make yourself rich find out what people want then give it to them in exchange for thier land.Grow food on it and make the people work for you in exchange for food because they will be hungry. Put them to work growing thier own food on what used to be thier land and charge them rent. Payable by more labor building you something luxurious and enjoyable. Afterwards put a price on that further expanding thier debt to you and putting thier kids to work as well until finally you have an entire country trading labor to the master among themselves happily chasing servitude.
Fear only he who can make your life a living hell he is god. Serve him.
IN 1974 I BUILT A TEEOE AND LIVED OFF THE LAND FOR 2AND 1/2 YEARS. THINKING THE END WAS NEAR I LEARNED MANY THINGS, NOW THE END IS NEAR…IM READY, ARE YOU? I LIVE IN A REMOTE AREA IN A LOG HOME I BUILT AND HAVE A GARDEN THRER IS A RIVER BELO MY CABIN, ALL THIS AND MORE BUT KNOW IM READY BECOUSE I HAVE YASHUA AND THAT IS MY SALVATION….LOVE THE REAL MOUNTAIN MAN………
Excellent article that deserves to be nailed on telegraph poles everywhere, rather than hiding here like a jewel in cave seen only by those who already “get it”
Ayn Rand’s ‘Atlas Shrugged’ is another gem, but perhaps flawed in parts.
She lost a few points with me over a speech she gave once about how the USA was doing such good work for the planet by fighting wars in Vietnam etc.
Very Noble Words, but I’m not buying it. Any of you that are true survivalists just think about your own character for a bit. Chances are you have been independent from childhood. Your complete trust in others was nullified by events where family and/or friends betrayed your trust. While you may still trust anyone you never fully depend on them and you always have an alternate plan should you be betrayed again. You value your family as your prime possession and protecting them is the only thing that might supercede your own personal safety. You are not going to risk the safety of your loved ones or yourself to help another human being unless there is some immediate tangible reward for that risk. Let’s not be so humanitarian here.
Rambo:
Sorry, but I’m going to have to call you out on that view. That may be how YOU view the world, but its not how most survivalists I know see it. Its also a self defeating philosophy in the long term. For the NWO to be stopped, we will eventually have to work together, and we will have to care about something beyond our immediate personal situation. Liberty for all, perhaps? What good is surviving if you and the rest of the country are enslaved?
If everyone thought the way you do, then there would be no point in survival because there would be nothing worth living for. Either I am free, and my neighbor is free, or we are both serfs. There is no imaginary in-between world where you alone are able to somehow duck the NWO and leave the rest of humanity in the dust.
I’ll say it again. In this fight, either we ALL win, or we ALL lose. You’ll understand the reality of this soon enough.
Rambo, food for thought there.
I like to think that we will all be there to help others rather than just our families, but I guess it is something we each do not fully know until we actually meet a dire situation head on.
Happy New Year
HI Bluebird,
“We have to get ready for Jesus to come and tell others to get ready.”
I think we have take responsibility for this mess, get ready and help others get ready and if Jesus wants in, fair enough. No one could blame him for no showing. It is not his fault.
I agree it will take more than food. It will take a lot of resolve .
“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism” TJ
Just discovered this site via Alex Jones also. Enjoy reading intelligent writing amongst the ranting out there! Amazed (I guess I shouldn’t be) that many people obviously “feel” something bad is coming down the pike as I do, something spiritual, I guess is the only way to explain it. I had to log on to defend Rambo here, as I tend to agree with his thoughts. Ever since I saw so-called civilized humans shooting each other over the food drops in the Serbian “conflict”, I’ve realized that a starving human is a dangerous creature, so it’s possible that trying to help anyone you don’t totally trust after the SHTF may result in your own death over a simple food stockpile. At this point in the game, I consider “helping” to mean that I try to impress upon family & friends the need to prepare for the coming economic collapse via food stockpiling, etc., because I don’t want to have to “bail them out” when my own children will take priority. This may sound selfish to some, and it’s a spiritual battle I fight, since it seems to contadict my Christian beliefs, but as Jesus himself said, “children will turn against their parents, fathers against their sons…” (or something to that effect).
On a somewhat related note, Christians should be prepared to expect the Rapture much later than current church teachings (before the Tribulation). I don’t have room here to list the many scriptures to support this, I’ll just leave you with one from 2 Timothy: “In the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian”…
I think what Rambo and Plane guy are saying here in condensed form is that until things settle down in a SHTF situation (ala a Serbia as the example showed) to where one can figure out who’s who and who’s not, you don’t take reckless chances with your family in helping out every Tom, Dick, or Harriet.
You have to be very selective here and yes that selectivity will involve a ‘selfishness’. I will endeavor to help those in such a situation who have demonstrated that they have already helped themselves and who most importantly will reciprocate my generosity for my family’s behalf in like fashion. No ifs, ands, or buts. Either you have something to offer in return or forget it. You had your chance to prepare being that you were able-bodied to do so to begin with. You didn’t do so and that means it’s not my problem then and it’s not my problem now. My family is my problem now. If that means you’re going to suffer for lack of foresight then so be it.
OTOH, now as for those who are truly helpless, (the infirm, the elderly, children without guardians) I will try and be there for them. But again, not at undue risk to myself or to my family. Putting myself at risk in effect puts my family at risk. The two of course therefore are inseparatable in importance. My family comes first. Everybody else will have to take a number when and if I’m willing to dole them out. But I cannot save everyone from their folly and I am under no obligation to do so at the risk of my family’s security.
This is the meaning of what ‘survival’ means to me. You either pony up and pitch in or you will go away hungry. And God help you if you betray me.
RH
Although I like the art used in this post, it leaves a far different feel than the text did. To be a survivalist must a person also be a warrior or knight? Survival in combat is only one of many possibilities and due to Hollywood, most Americans think that’s what surviving the future will always require.
I guess it’s hard to escape the imagery.
Rick:
I think that is what we are trying to imply here. No one expects you to give hand outs while your family is at risk. The point is, there will come a time when helping others or working with others will be necessary in order to end the dangerous situation we have been forcefully put into. I think some people believe they will be able to go it alone forever, and maybe they can, but a mass of unconnected survivalists unconcerned for anyone but themselves will never stop the Globalists, and that’s a fact.
GardenSerf:
You don’t have to be a “warrior”, but you’ll have to have endurance and courage to survive. The images are meant to convey those qualities. Those who cannot control their fear and who cannot overcome their personal weaknesses will not come out of this situation well.
Excellent Article – as usual. I have been a ‘survivalist’ for 20+ years but have not thought of myself as such. It used to be that everyone ‘stocked up’ for winter and a ‘rainy day’.
I would just like to add something to the survivalist article – the Rule of Three.
In other words, under each ‘heading’ have 3 levels of preparedness. Example: Under shelter, you have your home, your car (or RV), and your tent. Under Water, you have your home, hand well (if in the country), jugs of water, and a water filter. Under food, you have your pantry/fridge/freezer, longer term pantry with cans,etc…, and long term freeze-dried foods with the ability to hunt/fish. And so on… All aspects of survival preparation should focus on 3 levels of preparedness so there is always something to fall back on. Thanks so much for the article – Neithercorp is the First place I check everymorning for my News fix.