Your chances in a post-apocalyptic world

[GPSGuided]

Outdoors types like to pride themselves on their connection with nature, their ability to navigate the land and to adapt to the land. As such, demonstration of survival skills comes high on the list, from gun toting American hikers to our Bushtucker Man and Harry Butler types, with an Akubra hat on top.

So the question is, how would you rate yourself in a post-apocolyptic world where online stores are gone, no more UL gear supplies and no more GPS signals and SAR on call? Where you'll need to hunt for your food, water purification filters have permanently clogged and iodine tablets have run out. What's your chances of survival for 5 years (assuming there's no nuclear radiation or other health harming chemical fallouts)?

To start, I don't particularly like mine.

[perfectlydark]

Me neither I could last a little while but food will be the issue for me. Im a terrible fisherman but would likely have to rely on that as a main source. And of course if mad max style roving bandits are everywhere I guess it makes survival a little harder

[Scottyk]

The lucky ones that join a gang that have weapons will survive by raiding others etc. and may last the 5 years
for the rest of us if the raiders don't get you then the lack of clean water, sanitation and food will.
5 years is a long time when the toilet is overflowing, the tap doesn't flow and you have to hunt your own food. UL gear, GPS etc will just be fire wood in no time.
The fact that you have skills like putting up a tent in a storm and cooking freeze dried foods etc will be useless.

[Moondog55]

No-body no matter how well prepared will last 5 years solo. It simply isn't possible now much less a "Post Apocalyptic" world.
it is a nice topic for campfire discussion tho [ Maybe we should have a "Campfire" forum section for topics like this] and one of the regular subjects among some of my ex-military and hunting mates.
It depends on how much warning I get and what my finances were like in the lead-up. But as I would not leave my beloved on her own I figure a couple of months tops, on my own maybe a year at best. As part of a well organised neighborhood group with a good mix of skills, compassion and ruthlessness 5 years is highly possible

[GPSGuided]

No-body no matter how well prepared will last 5 years solo.

Not sure about that MD when strictly interpreted. Look at some of those WWII Japanese soldiers who survived solo in the Philippine jungles for a few decades. I recall there were quite a few of them found back in the 70s. Chances would be low but I find it hard to accept a categorical statement on it. How long did Robinson Crusoe hang around for? Or was that a fiction for kids?

[perfectlydark]

Interesting to see how far weve come.as a species where if our "society" collapses only the very ruthless, lucky or well prepared will survive..for.a while. I dont think anything like that will mean extinction but a very high (99%) cull would be very likely. And a difficult few decades for those that manage. Maybe organic farmers with a big gate and guns will be best off lol?

[GPSGuided]

... And I'll be looking for a hobby farm sized plot with naturally and easily defendable geographic contours. Start this weekend...

[Miyata610]

An interesting read from csiro....

http://www.csiro.au/files/files/plje.pdf

It's old.... 2008. But it should lead the reader to look at other newer and older papers.

For those of us young enough to be still here mid century, we might just get to find out.

I'd like to say lol, but I won't.

[Moondog55]

No-body no matter how well prepared will last 5 years solo.

Not sure about that MD when strictly interpreted. Look at some of those WWII Japanese soldiers who survived solo in the Philippine jungles for a few decades. I recall there were quite a few of them found back in the 70s. Chances would be low but I find it hard to accept a categorical statement on it. How long did Robinson Crusoe hang around for? Or was that a fiction for kids?

OK In this you are right, I revise to statement to read "Very few" but I envisage a "Post Apocalyptic" world to be much harder to get by in. Robinson Crusoe was based on a real character and I think it was 8 years but not sure

[perfectlydark]

Lol gps ive already found my "bug out" spot, however without ample supplies especially for the family im probably screwed anyway

[GPSGuided]

The fact that you have skills like putting up a tent in a storm and cooking freeze dried foods etc will be useless.

When read in the context of our popular forum threads and discussions... You just caused me to spill my coffee!

[Scottyk]

The fact that you have skills like putting up a tent in a storm and cooking freeze dried foods etc will be useless.

When read in the context of our popular forum threads and discussions... You just caused me to spill my coffee!

yep, it might be more a matter of who has the best gun rather than who has the lightest stove setup

I watch those shows about doomsday preparations, bunkers etc and I can't help but think all those preparations will be worth very little when the first gang of hungry people with weapons come nocking at your door. A "bug out" location would seem to be just delaying the inevitable.
I don't own any guns but I could see that in the end of the world situation they could be a big help.

[perfectlydark]

Your best defence would be wariness..trust noone

[GPSGuided]

Many survival stories out there. I believe that some will resort to violence while many others will develop other strategies to survive. At some point, they will run out of bullets.... Maybe not, if they have access to one of the US military storage dumps. Fortunately they can't get across the Pacific by that stage.

[perfectlydark]

Or they could go darryl walking dead style and crowsbow you with an apparently imexhaustable number of arrows! Or machete..id rather avoid them lol. Dont give them a reason to come find you. Stay well hidden

[perfectlydark]

I suppose gotta say this genre is one of my favorite movie genres. A good one is The Road, which is heartwarming and heartbreaking all in one. Good movie

[neilmny]

My choice would be to not survive the apocalypse.

[GPSGuided]

My choice would be to not survive the apocalypse.

There's an option for you in the survey too, last option.

[perfectlydark]

Depends on the apocalypse. Nuclear? Rather be dead. Zombies? Rather not be eaten alive

[GPSGuided]

Depends on the apocalypse. Nuclear? Rather be dead. Zombies? Rather not be eaten alive

You worry too much!

As earlier, no nuclear nor no chemical. I suspect our apocalypse will be more likely to be one of environmental (per earlier PDF report posted by Phil) or a meteorite strike.

[Swampy460]

Just watched WORLD WAR Z, so if there are Zombies we will all have to be vewy vewy quiet when we are hunting wabbits

Oh and that is 2hrs of my life that I wont get back (crap movie)

Swampy

[Drifting]

I'm fat, asthmatic and I have a gimpy knee. I'd be like the first person to go, no matter which form the apocalypse took.

Unless it was the Staypuft Marshmallow Man. I could probably take him.

[Grabeach]

Next to none, even without the Triffids!

[Onestepmore]

I think pretty low.
Ancharcy, violence, gang warfare, monopolisation of resources, survival of the fittest etc
i think I read too many of this genre of books as a teenager!
And yes I think The Road was a good movie - less bleak than the book though
Look what happened in some of the shelters and 'refuges' in the USA after Hurricane Katrina - intmidation, rape, theft, coersion
It didn't take long for things to disintegrate - BUT Aussies do have a bit of a different phsche than the Yanks
It woul be nice to think people would band together and cooperate to create a supportive society....but I'm a cynic (reallist?) and suspect that wouldn't happen

[Genesis]

Depends on the type of apocalypse?

[MichaelJ]

Well, I'm going to go the optimistic route; despite everything, as a species I think we will work things out eventually and there won't be an apocalypse. It's an interesting thread, GPSG, and I will admit that years ago I used to hoard rice and bullets - but the older I get, the more I realize that I will never need them.

[GPSGuided]

Look what happened in some of the shelters and 'refuges' in the USA after Hurricane Katrina - intmidation, rape, theft, coersion... It didn't take long for things to disintegrate - BUT Aussies do have a bit of a different phsche than the Yanks

I would agree that the US society will have to take some blame there. As some say, the US is the poorest rich country. A very polarised society with its lack of basic social safety net and a us vs you gun culture. A counter example would be the Japanese earthquake and Fukushima tsunami, also the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. The devastation and deaths were far greater but social order was maintained. The question here is, is our Australian society more akin to the US or to those East Asian countries when it comes to disasters? I would say the later. Queensland flood is one positive example.

[GPSGuided]

Depends on the type of apocalypse?

As said, no nuke, no chemical. So think along the line of a meteor strike, sudden return of a mini ice age etc. Although I doubt a mini ice age can evolve suddenly.

[GPSGuided]

Well, I'm going to go the optimistic route; despite everything, as a species I think we will work things out eventually and there won't be an apocalypse. It's an interesting thread, GPSG, and I will admit that years ago I used to horde rice and bullets - but the older I get, the more I realize that I will never need them.

You hoarded just rice and bullets?

You actually touched on my next line of comments in this thread (was going to wait till next week to collect more poll results), so might as well get it out...

Given what we have in the poll, only 1 out of 19 rated their chance in the 81-100% band while there's a skewed curve down to the lowest category. Isn't that interesting? What we do know in terms of the key traits to survival include: Think outside the box, flexible, optimism, physical abilities amongst others. And what our poll has demonstrated is that most of us fall way behind in our optimism. Given the nature of our group, we should have way more bush/outdoor skills than most in the society and given our level of optimism, what hope will there be for the rest of the society? Something to think about isn't it? Maybe we should be more optimistic of our chances...

BTW, who was the optimistic one? You should be congratulated by all here!

[perfectlydark]

Well if its a meteor strike, an ELE style one then I dont think any amount of prep will get you through. Even if you survive the bombardment there will be nothing left anyway. Same goes for any other cosmic event.
environmental id say is a lot easier to survive, even with massive sea level changes survivability wouldnt be so hard however society would be different, and yes there would be food shortages.
if I can find am article ill link it later, it was of unexpected potential apocalypse events which were quite out there