When you see storm clouds gathering, you know it’s a good idea to prepare for rain and wind. When you’ve a bill coming due at the end of the month, you begin making sure at the first of the month you’ll have money to pay it. Taking time to prepare, rather than get caught off guard, is almost always a really good idea.
There are times, though, when we don’t believe the clouds or the weather report. There are times when we are sure it’s not going to rain. And there are times when we are positive we have the money to pay that bill — but something happens that needs those funds even more. We might see the signs, but still not take action.
And it’s the same way with urban survival.
Signs of Collapse
In his book, The Five Stages of Collapse: Survivors’ Toolkit, Russian-born author Dmitry Orlov considers examples of countries and organizations that have collapsed in the past to identify five signs (or stages) one can expect to see during a particularly troubled time. Those of us who are concerned about being prepared should a collapse occur can use those signs to gauge where we are now and where we’re headed.
Here are the five stages Orlov identified:
- Financial Collapse
- Commercial Collapse
- Political Collapse
- Social Collapse
- Cultural Collapse
If Orlov’s theory is correct, you still have time to get your urban survival plan made and into action — even if banks continue to fail and more businesses are forced to shut their doors. Like dominoes falling, the stages of a collapse occur in sequence, not all at once. You may not have much time, but you do have some.
My advice: Get going.
How to Survive Collapse
The most three most important steps you can take towards surviving a collapse are to first believe collapse is possible, then to educate yourself on what might happen during a collapse, and finally … to prepare for collapse.
People who are prepared have less to fear. When the grocery store runs out of food the people who prepare in advance will still be able to eat. And when the city water stops flowing, people who are prepared will still have water to drink. And when social turmoil becomes riots in the streets and gangs breaking into homes — the people who are prepared will either be long gone or well protected.
And here’s the really good news: You don’t have to quit your job, close your bank accounts, and move out of the country to prepare for collapse. And once you are prepared you will realize that even if collapse doesn’t occur (and I hope it doesn’t), you still gained from your preparation. You are ready for any disaster, whether natural or human-caused. You no longer need to worry about finding the supplies you need when there’s a run on the stores, and you know your family can pull together and do whatever is needed to get by no matter what life throws at you.
Being prepared for collapse packs big benefits … even if a collapse doesn’t occur.
Here’s that book title again: The Five Stages of Collapse: Survivors’ Toolkit. It’s well worth the reading time and may even give you a mental boost. It is not only possible to survive a collapse, but even to grow personally and financially while a collapse is underway. Not THAT is welcome news.