Preparations for Potential Societal Collapse

[pileus]

So what happens if some new fungus comes along and wipes out all the acorns?  Then what?

[OrganicSu]

So what happens if some new fungus comes along and wipes out all the acorns?  Then what?

Something will probably take away your Walmart/Tesco long before a fungus takes away all varieties of Oak trees. What are you going to eat?

[pileus]

So what happens if some new fungus comes along and wipes out all the acorns?  Then what?

Something will probably take away your Walmart/Tesco long before a fungus takes away all varieties of Oak trees. What are you going to eat?

If it gets to the point where acorns and pigs are the primary sources of sustenance, I'm going to pursue a life of excellence for a bit and then expire with all the other victims.  Doing my part to leave acorns to the hardy folks that want to persist in a world where the human species has ruined the biosphere for most other flora and fauna.

Most that remain would spend the vast majority of the time defending their acorn stash from heavily armed starving people that want to take their acorns.

Life is already sad and full of suffering.  Who wants to live in a violent hellscape with boring food?

[SteveMDFP]

. . .

Most that remain would spend the vast majority of the time defending their acorn stash from heavily armed starving people that want to take their acorns.

Life is already sad and full of suffering.  Who wants to live in a violent hellscape with boring food?

Even with palatable food, I'd find the scenario less agreeable than not being alive any more.

[budmantis]

. . .

Most that remain would spend the vast majority of the time defending their acorn stash from heavily armed starving people that want to take their acorns.

Life is already sad and full of suffering.  Who wants to live in a violent hellscape with boring food?

Even with palatable food, I'd find the scenario less agreeable than not being alive any more.

I definitely agree with the sentiment, but don't underestimate the will to survive. I've often thought that when I'm on the verge of losing my faculties and the next step is the nursing home that I would end my life on my own terms. I wonder if I'll have the guts to do it? Doubtful at best.

[Bruce Steele]

Pileus, re. "persist in a world where the human species has ruined the biosphere for most other fauna and flora. ". Maybe we wouldn't have " ruined the biosphere " if we would have been satisfied with acorns and a few pigs to get us through winter.... Never satisfied 
 

[pileus]

Pileus, re. "persist in a world where the human species has ruined the biosphere for most other fauna and flora. ". Maybe we wouldn't have " ruined the biosphere " if we would have been satisfied with acorns and a few pigs to get us through winter.... Never satisfied

I get your drift but it's always been unusual for a critical mass of Homo sapiens to exercise restraint in an environment of plentiful and varied resources.  Most people can't and won't  control the urge to consume, given the choice.  Why eat acorns when you can have that juicy prime rib?

Just sayin maybe it's a strong signal humans are intended for extinction if we don't have the cognitive skills to avoid behaviors that drive the cryosphere and other earth systems to collapse. 

Personally I love nuts just not the idea of 24/7 acorns, and I don't consume pork nor beef.

[Bruce Steele]

Pileus, I think the notion that collapse is instantaneous or brutally violent are the beginning of the problems with the straw dog you have built . Our collapse might rather be a slow grind agains't ones savings and abilities to stay financially solvent. At least on an individual level. It seems to me there are not just a few people who might be advantaged by walking back their expectations. How long until the next hard recession or depression hits?
 Retirement, savings, social security ?  Youth unemployment .
 So controlling the urge to consume might be driven by everyday constraints of an individual's circumstances. It only becomes societal collapse when enough people decide something's gotta change or food won't be on the table tomorrow.
 Suicide isn't an answer to abject poverty .Acorns are only one part of an alternative diet , one ingredient, so if you are ever stuck without options and there happen to be acorns falling try eating some before you decide to check out. They can actually be quite good tasting if prepared properly.

[OrganicSu]

I'm going to pursue a life of excellence for a bit..... a world where the human species has ruined the biosphere for most other flora and fauna.

Do you mean - you are going to continue to destroy this beautiful planet, our only home, while being fully aware that that is what you are doing? An appalling way of thinking.

I've eaten 50 various plants, fruit, nuts etc in the past 22 days. It's been mostly more tasty than what I usually cook. This morning I had a real physical craving - for Sorrell/Dock leaves. A craving completely different to the mental cravings at the beginning for toast etc. My body needs this food, wants this food and has started to direct my menu. My wife and I have both noticed over the past days that the veg and fruit displayed outside our local shop does not appeal anymore. It lacks energy.

The best defence against those who might want to take my food stocks is to have no food stocks. Most of what I've eaten today has been picked fresh and are the wild things that grow all around here.

As Magnamentus said - don't underestimate your and everyone else's survival instinct.
As Bruce said we will grind lower for a while.
But, IMHO, eventually, the general electricity supply will stop, and a few days later absolute carnage will ensue. It's not good or bad, it's just nature, the will to survive played out.

What part will you play until then? Will you continue to help make sure that that is our destiny?
What part will you play when it happens? The unprepared, doing everything you can to survive? Commit suicide? Almost no-one will play that role. The will to survive is too strong.

[pileus]

Pileus, I think the notion that collapse is instantaneous or brutally violent are the beginning of the problems with the straw dog you have built . Our collapse might rather be a slow grind agains't ones savings and abilities to stay financially solvent. At least on an individual level. It seems to me there are not just a few people who might be advantaged by walking back their expectations. How long until the next hard recession or depression hits?
 Retirement, savings, social security ?  Youth unemployment .
 So controlling the urge to consume might be driven by everyday constraints of an individual's circumstances. It only becomes societal collapse when enough people decide something's gotta change or food won't be on the table tomorrow.
 Suicide isn't an answer to abject poverty .Acorns are only one part of an alternative diet , one ingredient, so if you are ever stuck without options and there happen to be acorns falling try eating some before you decide to check out. They can actually be quite good tasting if prepared properly.

Reasonable stuff, by my hypothesis is that in today's interconnected and "always on" society, collapse may be gradual at first but it will be readily apparent to most people that are tuned in.  There really is no information curve anymore.  A generation or two ago something like this would take a great number of people by surprise, but now it would be televised and carried on line live as it happened.  This is turn would create shocks and panics, and drive human behavior.  Therefore expecting people to ratchet down consumption and exercise constraint may be a "straw dog" in and of itself.  A recession is one thing, but it it appears we are heading towards collapse, large numbers of humans are likely to react in aggressive and selfish ways, not with moderation.

If "food on the table tomorrow" or even in a few months becomes a real threat, along with the hyper-dramatic media and context free and reactive social media platforms that dominate the flow of information, it would be surprising to see society act as a unified and determined body.  More than likely it quickly falls into chaos and people simply acting to provide for themselves and closest relations.

[pileus]

Do you mean - you are going to continue to destroy this beautiful planet, our only home, while being fully aware that that is what you are doing? An appalling way of thinking.

If I'm unable to rouse a band of like-minded hearty men to clear cut a patch of forest, build a sea worthy vessel by hand, and then navigate by star chart to the Arctic in order to slaughter and dine on the remaining emaciated polar bears, my fall back plan would be to spend time with loved ones, and watch as many waterside sunrises and sunsets as possible.  When faced with societal collapse, a Guy needs to do what he thinks is right.

 

[misanthroptimist]

I'm already on it. Within eighteen months I should be ready to "flip the switch" and go self-sufficient at a moment's notice. I hope things hold together that long. The area I'll be in is isolated, defendable, and very, very productive with plenty of food and water.

I will be able to bring in a limited number of refugees, no more than a dozen or so. If things go south and you are in the US, you can contact me and I may be able to help you if you can get to me. That offer applies only to those who regularly post on this board. (I rarely post here, but I read ASIF 5-7 days a week.