Survivalism 101
When was the last time you imagined a doomsday scenario in your head? Movies, television, and even books and comics foreshadow what a post-apocalyptic world might look like.
However, as we all know, reality can throw all sorts of curveballs our way. Our media-fueled education on dystopias doesn’t always carry over to knowing how to survive.
Situations that call for survival skills and the mindset to prep don’t always need to be as outlandish as portrayed in pop culture. Think about wars, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, ice storms, and earthquakes for examples of more realistic situations that require some survival know-how.
More recently, we’ve had to be careful and creative to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as the world is beginning to open up, some of us are feeling traumatized.
The trauma is a wake-up call. It’s a call to action to acquire the mindset to prep for the worst situations to produce the best outcomes for survival.
Survivalism is now more important than ever. But, what is it? What skills do we need in pursuit of improving our chances of survival? Read on to learn the answers to these questions and more!
What Is Survivalism?
Survivalism’s definitions are as numerous as the number of edible plants in the wild (this part is good news). For the purposes of our discussion here, we’ll go with the one provided by Wikipedia.
According to Wikipedia, survivalism is a social movement. It is one wherein individuals or groups of people take steps to prepare for emergencies. These emergencies can look like:
- Natural disasters
- Economic crashes
- Political upheavals or instabilities
- The collapse of all social structures or social order
- Pandemics
- Wars
Basically, survivalism is when people prepare for anything Purge-esque, if you’re comfortable with the reference. Survivalism has given rise to a recent phenomenon: prepping.
People who “prep” are called preppers. And, if you’re reading this, you’re likely interested in becoming one yourself.
Another way to think of survivalism is as a mindset. To paraphrase Merriam-Webster, survivalism refers to the mindset or attitude characterized by the prioritization of survival. For the survivalist or prepper, survival can mean:
- Physical survival
- Biological survival
- Psychological survival
The Principles of Survivalism
Survivalism may seem straightforward. I used to think so. I used to think along the lines of:
“When social order collapses, grab your rifle and rucksack, and go!”
Granted, this may encapsulate a survivalist mentality, at least in a nutshell. However, knowing the “why” behind certain things can add clarity to actions in survivalism.
Understanding the principles of survival can help us understand why we need to pick up certain skills and learn to forego certain creature comforts.
Let’s go over the foundations of survivalism, beginning with the method behind our so-called “madness” that is prepping:
Survival Principle #1: Purpose Decides What To Do and How To Do It
Ultimately, the principles of our social systems can be subject to consistent questioning. In other words, we can keep asking the probing “why” to all of these principles. And, each answer will lead us to another one which we can question.
This points to one disturbing truth that we all may have faced at some point — what determines the stability of our social order is, in the end, arbitrary. The concepts of love, liberty, and property are all words thrown around in an ethics class. Their purpose flies out the window once the apocalypse comes.
They are purposeless, yet they guide how we act in society. This is why rethinking the “why” behind our actions will benefit our survival. Our purpose must be survival for its own sake. And, this is what should determine the trajectories of our lives and actions.
This brings us conveniently to the next principle — what our purpose should be.
Survival Principle #2: Survival Is the “Why”
If something has no purpose, we put it on the back burner, but if it does, we give it our full effort and attention. And, there’s nothing else worth our effort and attention more than survival.
Now, there might be a part of you that’s thinking:
“Isn’t survival for its own sake pointless?” Well, maybe it is. But, let me ask you this. Would you rather be alive, fed, and healthy? Or, would you rather be hungry in a ditch somewhere close to your demise?
I don’t know about you, but I believe the former trumps the latter.
Survival must be your fundamental purpose if you intend to do anything else with your life. It doesn’t get any simpler than that. Your actions will be more deliberate and resourceful to your goals when you understand this principle and the first.
Survival Principle #3: Surviving for as Long as Possible Is the Ultimate Goal
Surviving for a day is an accomplishment in and of itself. However, there’s a reason I learned how to tie knots for a shelter. There’s also a reason I trained myself to fight without burning off too much energy. There’s a reason we desire economy and efficiency in all that we do.
And, that reason is our ultimate goal — surviving for as long as possible. Judging your efforts based on this idea will reveal whether what you’re doing will benefit your long-term survival.
Look at your efforts with this goal in mind, and you’ll perform with more efficiency and mindfulness of your resources.
Survival Principle #4: Biological Needs Come First
As human beings, it’s natural for us to want and need many things. The sheer multitude of the things we strive for can cloud what should be prioritized in a survival situation.
Prioritization is key in survivalism. For me, no other psychological model of prioritization is as clear-cut as the one Abraham Maslow created.
According to Maslow, you can think of different needs as belonging to certain categories. Each one is assigned a certain place within a hierarchy of needs. In other words, some needs are more important than others and need to be addressed earlier than others.
Physiological needs are at the bottom of the pyramid. These are biological needs that must be satisfied before anything else. This holds in life and even more so in survival situations.
Satisfying biological needs takes priority as you make your preparations. Right off the bat, satisfying your biological needs requires:
- Food
- Water
- Shelter
- Means of protection from danger, illness, or injury
What Are Some Necessary Skills for Becoming a Survivalist?
Preparation is key for any survival situation. One way to prepare is to develop survival skills. Developing the right set of skills will help you handle any survival situation.
There are many different skills you can learn. However, I’ll leave you with a few that have the biggest carryover. You can also learn these quickly.
#1. Self-Defense
In a survival situation, knowing how to protect yourself can mean the difference between life or death. This is why you’ll need to invest some time in learning how to fight.
I’m not going to single any martial art or combative system out. Just pick a discipline that allows you to neutralize an attacker at close range.
#2. Fire Starting
A fire can help you cook, disinfect, light up a room, and ward off animals. For this reason, knowing how to make one and sustain it will be a crucial survival skill.
Learn how to build a fire with minimal tools or equipment. After all, the mantra of the survivalist is preparing for the worst. And, the worst-case scenario is not having any tools.
#3. Foraging / Hunting / Fishing / Trapping
You can’t rely on your prepared rations alone. You should either forage or hunt. Either way, you’ll be ensuring that you have something to eat.
Foraging will require you to know how to identify edible plants. When it comes to harvesting fish or game, the most challenging part is knowing how to process and store the meat and other resources you can gain.
#4. Tying Knots
Tying things together will carry over to other tasks like building a weapon or making shelter. Knowing how to tie a variety of knots well will also help in splinting and first aid.
#5. Creating Water That’s Safe To Drink
I don’t care how clear a stream or brook looks. You can never be too careful. If you want to avoid picking up parasites and bacteria from drinking unsafe water, you’ll have to learn how to make water potable.
You can boil water. Or, you can filter it. If you want to get crafty, look into how to make a solar still.
Final Thoughts
I can sum up survivalism in the following words:
“Keep yourself alive for as long as you can.”
This simple tip captures what survivalism is and what it’s about in a nutshell. Keep this in mind, and you’ll have a simple guiding principle for what skills you need and what you need to prepare.
I am a Survivalist Blogger since 2018. I currently reside in South West Florida when I’m not out on the road.