Survival UK Forums

This is likely to shake a few branches and rustle those feathers and leaves.

How many times have you seen a champion fail but then reclaim glory, on the big screen? In all Hollywood films the final victor is fortunate in that they always rise to the occasion. Lucky actors.

Has this perception started to influence the prepping scene?

We all know of William Tell, who shot the apple off his son's head. Do we know how many others failed that shot? What about the amazing Tom Hanks who rose to the occasion and survived on the desert island in Castaway?

The thing is, the more I read, the more I watch, and the more people I speak to, the more it seems to be utter Hollywood make-believe.

So far, the best way I have had it explained, is that we default to our level of practice. No practice means no skill. Our average day at the range, average day starting fire, and average day running the trails, is the best level we should expect to perform at.

So, with that in mind....When the poop hits the fan, how will you perform? How good are your fires? How well do you recognise plants? How far can you walk? How much weight can you carry? How much solitude can you endure? How well can you grow your crops? How well can you collect and purify water? How well can you cook on a fire? How well can you shoot your bow/gun? How well can you hunt, trap, and butcher? How well can you suture?

I'm not trying to have a go at anyone. I'm just trying to remind people that reading a book and watching a video do not constitute learning a skill. It will be the time you spend practicing that will save your life, not the time you spend reading or watching DVDs.

That is the question. Only when we are put to the test will we find out what we can do.many rise and accept the challenge. Many will fail. Only at that time will we truly know.

(2 October 2013, 23:23)Skean Dhude Wrote: [ -> ]That is the question. Only when we are put to the test will we find out what we can do.many rise and accept the challenge. Many will fail. Only at that time will we truly know.

As far as I can tell, very few actually do rise. That's the issue. There are more failed desert island 'rescues' than successful ones. Fisherman left in the wilderness that die, instead of being rescued. Even watching Naked and Afraid, you see people defaulting and not rising. The only person that seems to rise is the girl on the desert island, and the only reason she seems to rise is because she says it's what she does all the time, so is only just defaulting herself too, just to a very high level. You can even see it on Survive This (TV show) where kids have to survive. I know it's kids, but the principle is still the same. Again, they don't rise to the occasion, they default to their level of practice.

I always believed those Hollywood celluloid stories. It means I don't av to fink !!

Are you saying they are not true???

Noooooooooo......

I reckon the tv programs don't really represent....these people know they are in a controlled environment so quitting is quite a safe option....when you're out there for real no safety net i think people will develop a backbone,or then again i guess a fair few will just lay down and die.

My fire starting deffo needs work to be honest, i'm not as proficcient as i was when i was about 13, i could set fire to ANYTHING back then lol.

especially now the rain is back and everything is now soaked.

i need to find another way of gathering water though, i do have a few natural sources close by, but water is HEAVY.

i was fine with fire cooking, even if someone nicked the weber, i can comfortably cook in a pit, but C4's Blackout has raised some serious issues with cooking in an urban seting, next time the pound shop has gas for my "cooker in a case" i'll probably buy a lot of it.

(3 October 2013, 02:46)Midnitemo Wrote: [ -> ]I reckon the tv programs don't really represent....these people know they are in a controlled environment so quitting is quite a safe option....when you're out there for real no safety net i think people will develop a backbone,or then again i guess a fair few will just lay down and die.

There's a difference between having a backbone and knowing how to make and use a fire drill haha. But I get what you mean. Many people will step up, and as you said a fair few will just lay down and die. I think it'll be a very large number that take the latter option. No doubt there may well be some preppers who get caught off guard. If it's a nuclear event, every prepper without potassium iodide, for example.

Providing the post-event situation doesn't last too long, the basic bushcraft skills might not be too important. But if it does last a while, it'll take skill (which is only achieved through much practice) and a backbone to survive.

I realised that information from a book is great....entertainment. Unless practiced, it's very difficult to get it right first time.

Call me a quitter but i don't see a future for me or mine after a serious nuclear catastrophe.

In a way I'm Kind of hoping that a lot will fail, now please don't see me as heartless, but the way I see it the more that fall and the sooner they do that means the more supplies, food, firewood etc for for me and mine, and to be honest I think the world mite actually be a better place without the benefit generation, and by which I mean those that have never done anything or intend to do anything but expect everyone else to provide for them, and I'm sure there are none of those on here, I don't have a problem with those who claim benefits and deserve it such as our vets who fought for us and lost limbs etc, anyway rant over

Good post, Scythe, and unfortunately we will not find out until put in the position of having to, if you see what I mean. However, I am sure that a lot of people can put a tick beside your list of positive attributes, and even having some of those skills will be of help.

I'm not sure if the short term stuff or long term will be most useful. Lighting fires is a good skill to have, and having a nicely stocked larder will definitely be a plus, but growing food and having some knowledge of farming is only going to kick in in the long term. Let's all hope it doesn't get to that eh?