The future of the world...

[cryingfreeman]

The subject of going it alone versus groups is important because if you get it wrong, you really will be in a survival situation in grid-down.

1. The Rawlesian way (i.e. that espoused and promoted by JW Rawles of survivalblog.com) advocates living in a self-sufficient isolated retreat with room for a minimum of 2 other families, all udner the same roof. The logic is that one man or one family alone cannot guard and defend such a setup and hence extra manpower is needed. So this is a kind of group methodology, but one which critics say is founded in rose-tinted idealism. For example, it takes no account of the weaknesses in human nature at the best of times, never mind under the prolonged duress of a total collapse scenario. Wives are bitchy even in good times, kids get bored and lose discipline, libidos start to stir (a real problem where part of the plan is to have young, unattached males in the compound), petty jealousies / arguments flare up, and of course, as my good friend FerFal (Argentinian survivalist guy) points out, a team of bad guys will show up sooner or later in with more manpower and firepower than can be withstood.

2. The Lone Wolf way. This is predicated on one person - plus possibly wife and kids - roughing it out on their own, again usually in a remote, isolated area. In Alaska, guys like this are known as "Sourdoughs" and then to be loners by nature anyway with the kind of bushcraft capabilities of someone like Ray Mears and possibly with a large part of their plan factoring in caching and mobility by foot / kayak i.e. under their own steam. It's fine if you're well trained, in good shape, know your terrain inside out and don't have any drag anchors, i.e., slow-mo wife or young children. But you're in trouble if you fall ill, break a leg, etc. Even pre grid-down, you're in trouble in that setup, much as you might be in a Rawles setup if you slip and fall in, for example, a blizzard. No helicopters, no ambulances, nothing.

3. Self-reliant community. My personal - but reluctant - preference. People need their own space (sorry Rawles, but it's true) so this setup sees a hamlet / village in a rural area, where everyone is used to maybe going shopping once a month (think remoter parts of the Highlands) and thus are used to a degree of hoarding by default and many of whom know how to grow their own veg, farm a few chickens, etc. It's not ideal unless everyone in the village is a switched-on ex SAS member with extensive farming and medical skills, but I think it probably offers the best solution in terms of defensibility against marauders as a village watch can be set up.

Just my thoughts in brief for now...