Research Question

[rebelsaint]

Hey everyone! My name is Stephen Roberts, and I'm an undergrad student at the University of North Texas. I'm currently working on a research project about survivalist culture. It seems like everyone on this site is very helpful, and I really like the format and layout compared to some of the other sites I've found. Hopefully you guys can help me!

A little bit about myself: I've been trekking on something like a survivalist path over the last few months. I recently bought a gun and learned to shoot (from the same guy that told me about this site), learned to ride a motorcycle, and started storing water. I'm very much a rookie, but I'm learning as much as I can on how to prepare.

I have a lot of questions I'm looking forward to asking, but I'll start with something basic: what do you think is the most important thing for a rookie like me to know about survivalism?

Nice to meet everyone, and I look forward to your answers. (Note: although I may use your answers in my research project, all usernames and/or real names will be completely confidential. Nothing will be used that could identify you! Also, you may feel free to ask me any questions you like.)

[Trapper]

first thing to learn is try to stay calm in an emergency and the rest will come in time

[Oscar Wilde]

[I'm an undergrad student at the University of North Texas.]

What did you learn in your government classes....any research relative to our government's total disregard for our Constitution?

[I'm currently working on a research project about survivalist culture.]

There really isn't a survivalist culture ....I believe what your referring to is an evolving American phenomena ..... people who are intelligent, resourceful and self reliant who refuse to be manipulated into relying on an inept, corrupt system, driven by the actions of criminal, treasonous government "officials".

[I have a lot of questions I'm looking forward to asking, but I'll start with something basic: what do you think is the most important thing for a rookie like me to know about survivalism?]

First, ask yourself what single event has given you cause to pause and ponder the rapidly changing / deteriorating social structure you grew up believing was the norm. Understanding why your doing something will help you determine you first step. The desire to continue to live as a free thinking, unfettered human being was my first concern. Good luck to you and welcome to the forum.
O.W.

[unswydd]

[I'm an undergrad student at the University of North Texas.]

What did you learn in your government classes....any research relative to our government's total disregard for our Constitution?

[I'm currently working on a research project about survivalist culture.]

There really isn't a survivalist culture ....I believe what your referring to is an evolving American phenomena ..... people who are intelligent, resourceful and self reliant who refuse to be manipulated into relying on an inept, corrupt system, driven by the actions of criminal, treasonous government "officials".

[I have a lot of questions I'm looking forward to asking, but I'll start with something basic: what do you think is the most important thing for a rookie like me to know about survivalism?]

First, ask yourself what single event has given you cause to pause and ponder they rapidly changing / deteriorating social structure you grew up believing was the norm. Understanding why your doing something will help you determine you first step. The desire to continue to live as a free thinking, unfettered human being was my first concern. Good luck to you and welcome to the forum.
O.W.

Ditto, what he said. :p

[JerryPt2]

"I have a lot of questions I'm looking forward to asking, but I'll start with something basic: what do you think is the most important thing for a rookie like me to know about survivalism?" yourself. what you know, and what you can do in a survival situation, is important...so start doing!!! use your head and there will be many questions answered

[unswydd]

"I have a lot of questions I'm looking forward to asking, but I'll start with something basic: what do you think is the most important thing for a rookie like me to know about survivalism?" yourself. what you know, and what you can do in a survival situation, is important...so start doing!!! use your head and there will be many questions answered

Most important question for me is, "Are you willing to make this a lifestyle or is it just a hobby"? For me it has become a lifestyle. I'm not serious enough about hobbies.
I know that what I can do in a survival situation (depending on the circumstance) I can look out for me. I can educate myself on these boards and learn all I can from others that have started doing this long before I did.
Wilderness survival for me is paramount. I will have to get out of dodge and being able to live off the land for somethings I need to know what plants are edible and what are not. I have learned a ton of information from local groups, like Herb Clubs and classes i've taken in Horticulture.
Survival of the fittest means I need to be in top physical shape. I walk 4 to 6 miles a day, depending on the day. I do stair climbing every day to keep my legs tight. I eat right and keep my mental state in order. I have to have a survial mindset if I am going to be emotionally stable when tshtf!!!

[rebelsaint]

What did you learn in your government classes....any research relative to our government's total disregard for our Constitution?

Not that I can remember, but I'm an anthropology major, and we talk about how the elite structure society to fit their needs all the time. I'm very interested in power structures and abuses of power.

There really isn't a survivalist culture ....I believe what your referring to is an evolving American phenomena ..... people who are intelligent, resourceful and self reliant who refuse to be manipulated into relying on an inept, corrupt system, driven by the actions of criminal, treasonous government "officials".

That is a really, really good explanation, and it describes what I'm seeing as well. I can see why Unswydd said "Ditto." What drives me crazy is how we are constantly inundated with images of disaster and social collapse in our media and popular culture, yet the people who prepare for it tend to be stigmatized by society at large. Why do you think that is?

[Skyowl's Wife]

That is a really, really good explanation, and it describes what I'm seeing as well. I can see why Unswydd said "Ditto." What drives me crazy is how we are constantly inundated with images of disaster and social collapse in our media and popular culture, yet the people who prepare for it tend to be stigmatized by society at large. Why do you think that is?

Because, way deep down, the gimme-people know we are right, but doing the same thing would take.... WORK.

Welcome to the forum, have a cup of coffee!

[Oscar Wilde]

[I'm an anthropology major, and we talk about how the elite structure society to fit their needs all the time. I'm very interested in power structures and abuses of power.]

Much historical literature has painted a rosy picture of how our society evolved from the poor religiously oppressed to the present day free spirit .... well thats all nonsense from the first sentence. There are multitudes of documents, many are personal journals describing what truly was and how things came to be.

[That is a really, really good explanation, and it describes what I'm seeing as well. I can see why Unswydd said "Ditto." What drives me crazy is how we are constantly inundated with images of disaster and social collapse in our media and popular culture, yet the people who prepare for it tend to be stigmatized by society at large. Why do you think that is?]

Propaganda .... do you recall when you were in grade school ....or high school ....some one said something unpleasant and most likely untrue about someone else and then suddenly many of your fellow students either believed it and / or repeated so that it became common knowledge throughout the school ..... it worked on adolescents ....it works on adults . Apparently weak mindedness is genetic. The entity .... the driving force behind the calamity, is counting on our desire to remain ignorant .... many of us are too lazy .... or too afraid to seek out the truth for ourselves as we might appear to others that we are non conformists ..... abnormal ..... and will no longer fit in ..... I realized a long , long time ago that not only didn't I "fit in" but that I had no desire to belong .... you have a choice to make .... you can accept without question what you are told or you can question everything you are told ..... just as you did with your parents..... only they had your best interests in mind. Good luck and again welcome to the fold.
O.W.

[rebelsaint]

Most important question for me is, "Are you willing to make this a lifestyle or is it just a hobby"? For me it has become a lifestyle. I'm not serious enough about hobbies.

I have too many hobbies lol. I am looking at extending my research project over at least the next year, and I really want to learn the skills and become prepared myself. So I guess I'm looking for a change of lifestyle as well. My wife and I are about to purchase a house, and I want to know what to outfit it with in case of emergency. I want to be able to take care of us if disaster strikes. That's one of the things that drew me to this research project, and this forum.

I guess that leads me to another question: what prompted you to join this community? How do you feel being a part of it? Again, anyone can answer.

[rebelsaint]

Because, way deep down, the gimme-people know we are right, but doing the same thing would take.... WORK.

Can you tell me more about the gimme-people? (I know that question sounds ridiculous, but I can't think of another way to phrase it lol)

Welcome to the forum, have a cup of coffee!

Thanks!

[rebelsaint]

...or too afraid to seek out the truth for ourselves as we might appear to others that we are non conformists ..... abnormal ..... and will no longer fit in ..... I realized a long , long time ago that not only didn't I "fit in" but that I had no desire to belong .... you have a choice to make .... you can accept without question what you are told or you can question everything you are told ..... just as you did with your parents..... only they had your best interests in mind. Good luck and again welcome to the fold.
O.W.

Amen to that. I don't like feeling like I have to rationalize preparatory activities to others. The people and social structures that create the norms, what do you think they try to define survivalists as? What kinds of labels do you think survivalists have?

[Oscar Wilde]

[My wife and I are about to purchase a house, and I want to know what to outfit it with in case of emergency. I want to be able to take care of us if disaster strikes.]

Water ....and means to defend /keep it ...... food .... again ....a means to defend and keep it ...... Items/equipment, seeds, methods for processing, producing and procuring more food and water ...... and a means to defend and keep it ...... clothing.
Oh ..... you may wish to obtain equipment to defend yourselves, your home and supplies. Imagine yourself in the most extreme of environments ..... in the cold you've gotten wet .... in the heat , there's no shade, no water .....envision yourself here and do what is necessary to prevent this from occurring. I almost forgot to mention .... its highly probable that you'll need a weapon of some sort to defend yourself as there may be marauders ..... worse, there may be organized, uniformed types coming to "save you from yourself" that you might want to try to fend off. What they have in store for you ..... you won't want any of that.
O.W.

[Skyowl's Wife]

Can you tell me more about the gimme-people? (I know that question sounds ridiculous, but I can't think of another way to phrase it lol)

People who think they are oppressed in this, the freest country in the history of the world. People who ...

...think they had a bad start, so we should be forced to help them
...think they don't have enough STUFF, so we should be forced give them ours
...can't find a job, so we should be forced to house and feed them
...think YOU earn too much money, so you should GIVE them some of yours
...believe food is a RIGHT, and we should GIVE it to them
...have too many children and think we don't GIVE them enough to feed them all
...think "the man" is keeping them down and they spend ALL their time griping about it instead of trying to claw their way up
...are still complaining almost 4 years after a hurricane, that the government didn't do enough for them
...think they are owed a paycheck but aren't willing to work for it
...think your house is bigger/nicer than theirs, so you should GIVE them one as big/nice
...believe that robbing you at gunpoint is justified because of any of the above
...think that socialized medicine is free

I hope you get the idea. Cliff's Notes version, those who have no concept of personal responsibility. They come in all ages, sexes, sizes, colors, and religions.

[Skyowl]

Can you tell me more about the gimme-people? (I know that question sounds ridiculous, but I can't think of another way to phrase it lol)



Thanks!

Wife has given you the best answer. I would only add...

ENTITLEMENTS. They think they are entitled to everything you and I have had to work for years to get. I and Wife have been at this for over 40 years. They are not entitled to any of mine/ours. PERIOD!