Some time ago, I learned about a work of fiction that dealt with survival during a full-scale socioeconomic collapse… in America. Intrigued, I picked up James Wesley, Rawles’ Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse
last weekend. Some of you may have already heard of Rawles, who is also the editor of SurvivalBlog.com, the Internet’s most popular blog on family preparedness. I’m still working on the book (about to begin Chapter 20), but if asked what I thought about it so far, I would say “frightening.” So much so, that the day after I began reading the book, I sat around thinking to myself, if the kind of scenario which Rawles conjures up ever materializes, we are screwed. With a capital S. What scenario is that, you might ask? From the back cover:
Not much of a stretch, considering the “progress” we’ve already made in bringing about something like this.
Even though the book is scary, it’s also gripping, hard to put down, and incredibly-detailed, especially when it comes to survival equipment and techniques.
As the recession lingers, some Phoenix-area residents are shifting attention from their financial troubles, including falling home values and shrinking retirement savings, to stockpiling food and ammo.
They worry the economic turmoil could lead to skyrocketing inflation, food scarcity, even violence. To prepare, they are forming social-networking groups to discuss how to store grains, purify water, plant gardens and, if needed, shoot guns.
“Most of us feel that if things do get better, it will be a long way out,” said Jeff Rodriguez, a 26-year-old software engineer from Glendale. “I want to have some preparations in place.”
The economy has him thinking a lot more about things like where his food comes from, how much cheap oil is left in the world and how people in the blazing-hot Valley would survive a major economic failure.
He has carefully prepared a 12-row, 384-square-foot garden, stores a ton and a half of grain in his home, and is considering buying pygmy goats or chickens.
He also has researched solar electricity and a rainwater-collection system.
He is far from alone. Rodriguez belongs to a local network of like-minded people who include retirees, young mothers and successful professionals.
These people are joining thousands nationwide who are studying survival tactics far from the backwoods bunkers associated with “survivalists.”
At least two survival-related groups have formed in since December, and groups with varying outlooks and politics have sprouted nationally from Kentucky to New York.
Of course, it’s not unheard of for mainstream groups to prepare for emergencies. The Mormon Church, which reports 13.5 million members worldwide, has long counseled self-sufficiency and encourages families to keep a prudent supply of food on hand.
Disasters such as hurricanes and 9/11, and even perceived troubles like the Y2K bug, always increase interest in survivalism. The men behind the counters at U.S. Surplus Corp. in Phoenix see a crush of new customers every time tragedy strikes.
The newbies stand out from the military personnel and outdoor enthusiasts who stop in for rugged clothing, rations or canteens.
“They are the ones trying to fix up a cave to live in,” store manager Gary Pickering said. “They are asking a lot of questions and buying things they normally wouldn’t, like water purification tablets.”
Sales at the store haven’t slid with the rest of the economy, officials said. Preparing for a disaster makes sense only if people actually know how to use the equipment they are buying, said Cody Lundin, who runs a survival-skills school in Prescott and authored two books on the subject.
He says people should learn to care for themselves in case of emergency whether a disaster is pending or the economy is tanking.
Last year was among the best ever for his school, although it’s not always clear what motivates people to sign up.
“I’m seeing an influx of people simply calling to inquire what I think about stuff,” Lundin said. “They are probing the waters because they are getting freaked out.”
Professional counselor Rita Archambault said her East Valley clinic is treating more people with anxiety over the economy.
“I have not seen so much concern about the economy in my entire life,” she said.
If planting a garden, raising poultry or stockpiling ammunition makes people feel better about their situation, good for them, she said.
“If you are not hurting anybody and you are reducing your anxiety, what harm is there?” Archambault said.
The only danger is if people get so obsessed that they neglect their job or family, she said.
It’s not surprising that many of the people preparing for tough times are educated professionals, said Heidi Wayment, a social-psychology professor at Northern Arizona University who has researched disasters and anxiety.
“To understand the huge potential crisis that could come from economic collapse, you have to be educated,” Wayment said. “I wouldn’t say these people are crazy – far from it.”
