Survivalism
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225849521
2008-07-15T18:08:47Z
Donnie Love
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{{Otheruses}}
'''Survivalism''' is a commonly used (and often mis-used) term for the preparedness strategy and subculture of individuals or groups anticipating and making preparations for future possible disruptions in local, regional or worldwide social or political order. Survivalists often prepare for this anticipated disruption by learning skills (e.g., emergency medical training), stockpiling food and water, preparing for self-defense and [[self-sufficiency]], and/or building structures that will help them to survive or "disappear" (e.g., a [[Retreat (survivalism)|survival retreat]] or [[air-raid shelter|underground shelter]]).
The specific preparations made by survivalists depend on the nature of the anticipated disruption(s), some of the most common scenarios being:
# [[Natural disaster]] clusters, and patterns of apocalyptic planetary crises or [[Earth changes]], such as [[Climate Change]] bringing on [[tornado]]es, [[hurricane]]s, [[earthquake]]s, [[blizzard]]s, and severe [[thunderstorm]]s, etc.
# A disaster brought about by the activities of mankind: [[chemical]] spills, release of [[radioactive]] materials, [[war]], or an oppressive government.
# General collapse of society, resulting from the unavailability of electricity, fuel, food, and water.
# Monetary disruption or [[Economic collapse]], stemming from monetary manipulation, [[hyperinflation]] or world-wide depression.
# Widespread chaos, or some other unexplained [[apocalypse|apocalyptic]] event.
==History==
The roots of the modern survivalist movement in the United States and Britain can be traced to several sources, including government policies, threats of [[nuclear warfare]], religious beliefs, writers warning of social or economic collapse, [[apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction]] and [[climate change]].
[[Image:Bert2.png|right|frame|A Duck & Cover movie poster]]
[[Image:SurvivalUnderAtomicAttack.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|A copy of [[Survival Under Atomic Attack]], a [[Civil Defense]] publication]]
The Cold War era government [[Civil Defense]] programs promoted public atomic bomb shelters, personal [[fallout shelter]], and training for children, such as the [[Duck and cover|Duck and Cover]] films. [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] has long directed its members to store a year's worth of food for themselves and their families in preparation for such possibilities.<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=25fa2f2324d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____ Food Storage] info from LDS Gospel Library</ref> Also, the [[Scouting|Scout movement]] lives by the motto: "Be Prepared!
The [[Great Depression]] that is associated with the [[stock market crash]] on [[October 29, 1929]] is often cited by survivalists as an example of the need to be prepared." And new sayings such as "The Next Great Depression" have sprung up on blogs[http://io9.com/378581/12-ways-to-prepare-for-the-next-great-depression][http://io9.com/tag/next-great-depression/]due to bad economic conditions circa 2007 and 2008.
===1960s===
With the increasing inflation of the 1960s and the impending US monetary [[Devaluation]] (predicted by [[Harry Browne]] in his 1970 book ''How You Can Profit from the Coming Devaluation''), as well as the continuing concern with a possible nuclear exchange between the US and the Soviet Union, and the increasing vulnerability of urban centers to supply shortages and other systems failures, a number of primarily conservative and [[Libertarian]] thinkers began suggesting that individual preparations would be wise. Browne began offering seminars on how to survive a monetary collapse in 1967, with [[Don Stephens]], an architect, providing input on how to build and equip a remote [[Survival retreat]]. He provided a copy of his original ''Retreater's Bibliography'' for each seminar participant.
Articles on the subject appeared in such small-distribution Libertarian publications as ''The Innovator'' and ''Atlantis Quarterly''. It was also from this period that Robert D. Kephart began publishing ''Inflation Survival Letter'' <ref>[http://www.interesting.com/Robert-Kephart/ Robert D. Kephart (1934-2004)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>(later renamed ''Personal Finance''). The newsletter included a continuing section on personal preparedness by Stephens for several years. It promoted expensive seminars around the US on the same cautionary topics. Stephens participated, along with James McKeever and other defensive investing, "hard money" advocates.
===1970s===
In the next decade [[Howard Ruff]] also warned about socio-economic collapse in his 1974 book ''Famine and Survival in America''. Ruff's book was published during a period of rampant [[inflation]] in the wake of the [[1973 oil crisis]]. Most of the elements of survivalism can be found there, including advice on storage of food. The book also championed the claim that precious metals, such as [[gold]] (such as South African [[Krugerrand]]s) and [[silver]], have an intrinsic worth that makes them more usable in the event of a socioeconomic collapse than [[fiat currency]]. Ruff later published milder variations on the same themes, such as ''How to Prosper During the Coming Bad Years'', a best-seller in 1979.
Newsletters and books on the topic of survival followed the publication of Ruff's first book. In 1975, [[Kurt Saxon]] began publishing a tabloid-size newsletter called ''The Survivor'', which combined Saxon's editorials with reprints of 19th century and early 20th century writings on various [[settler|pioneer]] skills and old technologies. Kurt Saxon used the term "survivalist" to describe the movement, and he claims to have coined the term.<ref>http://www.textfiles.com/survival/whatsurv</ref>
In the previous decade, preparedness consultant, survival bookseller and author [[Don Stephens]] from [[California]], had popularized the term "retreater" to describe those in the movement, referring to preparations to leave the cities for a remote place of haven or [[Retreat (survivalism)|survival retreat]] when/if society breaks down. In 1976, before moving to the [[Inland Northwest]], he and his wife authored and published ''The Survivor's Primer & Up-dated Retreater's Bibliography''.
For a time in the 1970s, the terms "survivalist" and "retreater" were used interchangeably. While the term "retreater" eventually "fell below the public radar", many who subscribed to it saw "retreating" as the more rational, conflict-avoidance, remote "invisibility" approach. "Survivalism", on the other hand, tended to take on a more media-sensationalized, combative, "shoot-it-out-with-the-looters" image. <ref>[http://www.aussurvivalist.com/whatissurvivalismsaxon.htm AusSurvivalist - What is Survivalism?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Another important newsletter in the 1970s was the ''Personal Survival Letter'' published by [[Mel Tappan]], who also authored the books ''Survival Guns'' and ''Tappan on Survival''. Newsletters functioned as important networking tools for the survivalist movement before the information age.
In 1980, [[John Pugsley]] published the book ''The Alpha Strategy''. It was on the [[New York Times]] bestseller list for nine weeks in 1981.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,950566,00.html?promoid=googlep</ref><ref>http://www.biorationalinstitute.com/zcontent/alpha_strategy.pdf</ref> Even after 28 years in circulation, ''The Alpha Strategy'' is considered a standard reference on stocking up on food and household supplies as a hedge against [[inflation]] and future shortages. This has made the book popular with [[survivalist]]s.<ref>http://www.survivalblog.com/2008/04/time_for_retreat_logistics_sta.html</ref><ref>http://www.survivalblog.com/2007/12/coping_with_inflationsome_stra.html</ref>
In addition to hard copy newsletters, in the 1970s survivalists got their first online presence with [[BBS]]<ref>[http://www.survivalbill.ca Survival Bill<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and [[Usenet]] forums dedicated to survivalism and survival retreats.
===1980s===
Interest in the first wave of the survivalist movement peaked in the early 1980s, on the momentum of Ruff's ''How to Prosper During the Coming Bad Years'' and the publication in 1980 of the book ''Life After Doomsday'' by [[Bruce D. Clayton]]. Clayton's book, coinciding with a renewed [[nuclear arms race|arms race]] between the [[United States]] and [[Soviet Union]], marked a shift in emphasis in preparations made by survivalists away from economic collapse, famine, and energy shortages which were concerns in the 1970s, to [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear war]]. Also in the early 1980s, science fiction writer [[Jerry Pournelle]] was an editor and columnist for ''Survive'', a [[survivalist]] magazine, and he was considered influential in the survivalist movement.<ref>[http://jerrypournelle.com/reports/jerryp/Survive1.html Notes from a Survival Sage<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Ragnar Benson]]'s 1982 book ''Live Off The Land In The City And Country'' suggested rural [[Retreat (survivalism)|survival retreats]] as both a preparedness measure and as a conscious change of lifestyle.
===1990s===
Interest in the movement peaked again in 1999 in its second wave, triggered by fears of the [[Y2K computer bug]]. Although extensive efforts were made to rewrite computer programming code in response, some writers such as [[Gary North]] nonetheless anticipated widespread power outages, food and gasoline shortages, and other emergencies to occur. While a range of authors responded to this wave of concern, two of the most survival-focused offerings were ''Boston on Y2K'' (1998) by [[Boston T. Party]], and ''The Hippy Survival Guide to Y2K'' by Mike Oehler. The latter is an [[Underground living]] advocate, who also authored ''The $50 and Up Underground House Book''.
===2000-present===
The third and most recent wave of the Survivalist movement began after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center]] in [[New York]] in 2001 and similar attacks in [[2002 Bali bombings|Bali]], [[11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings|Spain]], and [[7 July 2005 London bombings|London]]. This resurgence of interest in survivalism appears to be as strong as the first wave in the 1970s. The fear of a war or [[jihad]] against the West, combined with an increase in awareness of [[environmental disaster]]s and global [[climate change]], energy shortages resulting from [[peak oil]], coupled with the vulnerability of humanity after the 2004 [[tsunami]] in the [[Indian Ocean]] and [[Hurricane Katrina]] on the U.S. [[Gulf Coast]] and [[avian influenza]] has once again made survivalism popular. Preparedness is once more paramount in the concerns of many people, who now seek to stockpile or cache supplies, gain useful skills, develop contacts with others of similar outlooks and gather as much advice and information as possible.
Many books have been published in the past few years offering survival advice for various potential disasters, ranging from an energy shortage and crash to nuclear or biological terrorism. In addition to reading the 1970s-era books on survivalism, [[blog]]s (such as SurvivalBlog) and Internet forums are popular ways of disseminating survivalism information. Online survival websites and blogs discuss survival vehicles, [[Retreat (survivalism)|survival retreats]] and emerging threats, and list survivalist groups.<ref>[http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=survivalist&submit=Search Yahoo! Groups : Search Results<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Economic troubles emerging from the credit collapse triggered by the 2007 US subprime mortgage lending fiasco and global grain shortages<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/04/20/survival.feat/</ref><ref>http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/28/2228908.htm</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/fashion/06survival.html?_r=1&oref=slogin</ref><ref>http://www2.nysun.com/article/74994</ref> have prompted a wider cross-section of the populace to get prepared.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/fashion/06survival.html</ref> [[James Wesley Rawles]], the editor of SurvivalBlog was quoted by the ''New York Times'' in April of 2008 that "interest in the survivalist movement 'is experiencing its largest growth since the late 1970s'”.
==Common preparations==
Common preparations sometimes include preparing a clandestine or defensible '[[Retreat (survivalism)|retreat]]' or 'safe place' (Bug Out Location or BOL) and stockpiling non-perishable food, water, water-purification equipment, clothing, seed, defensive weapons, ammunition, and agricultural equipment. Some survivalists do not make such extensive preparations but instead incorporate a "[[Be Prepared]]" outlook into their everyday life.
Many survivalists also have a bag of gear that is often referred to as a [[Bug out bag|Bug Out Bag]] (BOB) or Get Out of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) kit<ref>http://www.survivalblog.com/glossary.html#G.O.O.D.</ref>, holding basic necessities and useful items weighing anywhere up to as much as the owner can carry.
Survivalists aim to remain [[autarky|self-sufficient]] for the duration of the breakdown of social order, or perhaps indefinitely if the breakdown is predicted to be permanent (a "Third Dark Age"), a possibility popularized in the 1960s by Roberto Vacca of the [[Club of Rome]]. Survivalists allow for the contingency that they cannot prevent this breakdown, and prepare to survive in small communal groups ("group retreats") or "covenant communities."
===Changing concerns and preparations===
Survivalists' concerns and preparations have changed over the years. During the 1970s, survivalists feared economic collapse, [[hyperinflation]], and [[famine]], and prepared by [[food storage| storing food]] and constructing [[Retreat (survivalism)|survival retreats]] in the country which could be farmed. Some survivalists stockpiled [[precious metals]] and [[barter]]able goods (such as common caliber ammunition) because they assumed that paper currency would become worthless. During the early 1980s, nuclear war became a common fear, and some survivalists constructed [[fallout shelter]]s.
In 1999, many people purchased electric generators, water purifiers, and several months or years worth of food in anticipation of widespread power outages because of the [[Y2K]] computer-bug. Instead of moving or making such preparations at home, many people also make plans to remain in their current locations until an actual breakdown occurs, when they will-in survivalist parlance- [[Bug-out vehicle|"bug out"]] or "get out of Dodge" to a safer location.
===Religious beliefs===
Other survivalists have more specialized concerns, often related to an adherence to [[apocalyptic]] religious beliefs. Some [[New Age]]rs anticipate a forthcoming arrival of catastrophic [[earth changes]] and prepare to survive them. Some [[evangelicalism|evangelical]] [[Christianity|Christians]] hold to an interpretation of [[Bible]] [[prophecy]] known as a [[Post Tribulation Rapture|post-tribulation rapture]], in which Christians will have to go through a seven-year period of war and global dictatorship known as the "[[Great Tribulation]]." Jim McKeever helped popularize survival preparations among this branch of evangelical Christians with his 1978 book ''Christians Will Go Through the Tribulation, and How To Prepare For It'' (ISBN 0-931608-02-3).
The [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] has an official policy of food storage for its members. This is more of a precaution for emergencies rather than in preparation for some apocalyptic event. Some very small religious sects have also been known for their belief in a coming apocalypse and the adoption of some survivalist practices. Among the best known of these groups are the [[Branch Davidian]]s, an offshoot of the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]].
And the [[Maya]] Doomsday prediction for December 21, 2012 has mystical/religious underpinnings. Promoted by [[The History Channel]] and various websites[http://www.themayanprophecy.com/][http://www.13moon.com/prophecy%20page.htm]has given rise to a mystical belief that the Mayans were able to predict cataclysmic events or even the end of the world at this date. December 21, 2012 is the end of the [[Mayan Long Count Calendar]].
===Mainstream emergency preparations===
People who are not part of survivalist groups or apocalyptic-oriented religious groups also make preparations for emergencies. This can include, depending on the location, preparing for earthquakes, [[floods]], [[power outage]]s, blizzards, [[avalanche]]s, [[wildfire]]s, [[nuclear power plant]] accidents, [[hazmat|hazardous material]] spills, tornadoes, and hurricanes. These preparations can be as simple as following [[Red Cross]] and [[FEMA]] recommendations by keeping a first aid kit, shovel, and extra clothes in the car, or maintaining a small kit of emergency supplies in the home and car, containing emergency food, water, a space blanket and other essentials.
Mainstream economist and financial adviser [[Barton Biggs]] is a proponent of preparedness. In his 2008 book ''Wealth, War and Wisdom'', Biggs has a gloomy outlook for the economic future, and suggests that investors take [[survivalist]] measures. In the book, Biggs recommends that his readers should “assume the possibility of a breakdown of the civilized infrastructure.” he goes so far as to recommend setting up [[Retreat (survivalism)|survival retreats]]: “Your safe haven must be self-sufficient and capable of growing some kind of food,” Mr. Biggs writes. “It should be well-stocked with seed, fertilizer, canned food, wine, medicine, clothes, etc. Think Swiss Family Robinson. Even in America and Europe there could be moments of riot and rebellion when law and order temporarily completely breaks down.”<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/fashion/06survival.html</ref>
==Extremist groups==
Some survivalists take a militaristic approach and have a strong concern about government involvement in their affairs, or simply a lack of confidence in government generally. This is most common (though still rare compared to the total population) in rural parts of the [[Western United States]], where a world view occasionally develops that growing interference from the [[Federal Government of the United States|Federal Government]] and the [[United Nations]] (perceived to be, or to be aiming for, a [[World Government]]), is best countered through distancing oneself from society, adopting a survivalist stance, and the acquisition of suitable small arms.
[[Kurt Saxon]], who besides publishing a survival newsletter is also the author of a book on improvised weapons, ''[[The Poor Man's James Bond]]'', is perhaps the best known proponent of this approach to survivalism. Saxon's writings on survival tend toward [[social Darwinism]], with survivalism defined by Saxon as "Looking out for #1" and a need to be sufficiently armed to defend one's refuge and belongings from hungry people who might demand that others share them if society breaks down.
The potential for [[Societal collapse]] is often cited as motivation for up-arming. Thus, some non-militaristic survivalists often have an unintended militaristic bent. Societal collapse has recurred throughout history and is an aspect of the human condition which may await all human societies. The modern day interest in survivalism is concerned in-part with preparing for the possible collapse of contemporary society.
In the event of such a collapse these pseudo-militaristic groups theorize that roaming hoards of robbers and/or organized [[gangs]] will unleash terror in competition for limited resources. And that government resources to control such events will be immediately overwhelmed and then further decline due to lack of tax funding. Thus being armed in this manner becomes an crucial aspect of their survival plan. After all it doesn’t matter how much food and/or supplies you have if you are only going to lose them or be killed. The need for firearms and indeed those of military caliber are often cited by survival websites[http://www.survivalistssite.com/~canuck/page16.html] and blogs, thus fueling an extremist or military perception of survivalism.
Such a militaristic approach is not shared by many survivalists, and is indeed condemned by many survivalists that envision a more peaceful transition in a survival event. Nevertheless, its prominence in popular depictions results in the term "survivalism" being sometimes used interchangeably with [[right-wing]] reactionarism. In particular, the mainstream media tends to loosely label many militants and miscellaneous extremists as "survivalists", whether or not they are actively preparing to survive.
== Government preparedness efforts and training ==
Some governments have encouraged citizens to prepare for emergency situations, including a situation which would result in breakdown of the infrastructure. The government of [[Switzerland]] with its long-standing [[militia]] system, mandatory construction of [[fallout shelter]]s in all newly-constructed multi-unit housing, and its network of [[reduit]] fortresses is one of the best prepared. An earlier [[civil defense]] effort in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s fell into disrepair by the 1970s. These included the designation of structures as official [[fallout shelter]]s, and [[duck and cover]] drills in schools. A booklet released by the office of the [[Executive Office of the President]] of the [[United States]] shortly after the start of the cold war called [[Survival Under Atomic Attack]] depicts the nature of the early civil defense initiatives.
The U.S. government civil defense program was minimal during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, despite efforts by a few including Christian Dominionist writer [[Gary North]] to lobby the government to resume civil defense efforts and build fallout shelters. Gary North co-wrote a book, ''Fighting Chance'' to advocate for the return of the civil defense program. A renewal of U.S. government interest in preparedness and training did not happen until after the [[September 11th attacks]] and [[Hurricane Katrina]]. This renewed interest is typified by [[Community Emergency Response Team]] (CERT) organizations.
Official government preparedness training has often been ridiculed or discounted by those in the survivalist movement. This goes in particular for the 1950s/1960s era duck and cover drills. One main tenet of the survivalist movement has been that people should prepare on their own or with like-minded people, not rely on the government to take care of them in emergencies. On the other hand, there is a growing body of thought in favor of community based efforts, widespread involvement in CERTs, and working together with [[first responder]]s. Many of those in favor of this approach reject the term "survivalist" <ref>[http://www.equipped.org/ EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE - Outdoors Gear, Survival Equipment Review & Survival Information<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> because they see preparing in conjunction with government agencies, and preparing completely apart from the government, as two separate things; also because they emphasize that they do not anticipate any permanent or long-term breakdown of society which they say survivalists do.
==Survivalism worldwide==
Survivalist groups and forums--both formal and informal--are popular worldwide, most visibly in Australia<ref>[http://www.aussurvivalist.com Australian Survivalist (Survivalism in the new millennium)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, Belgium<ref>http://healingweb.blogspot.com/</ref>, Canada<ref>[http://www.survivalbill.ca/ Survival Bill<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, France<ref>[http://le-projet-olduvai.kanak.fr/index.htm le-projet-olduvai]</ref>, Germany (often organized under the guise of "adventuresport" clubs)<ref>http://www.dmoz.org/World/Deutsch/Freizeit/Outdoor/Survival/</ref>, New Zealand<ref>http://hislink2.proboards53.com/index.cgi</ref>, Sweden<ref>[http://systemkollaps.wordpress.com/ Systemkollaps<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://swedishsurvivalist.egetforum.se/forum/index.php</ref>, and the United States<ref>[http://www.alpharubicon.com AlphaRubicon.com]</ref>.
==Other groups related to survivalism==
Adherents of the [[back-to-the-land movement]], which has been sporadically popular in the United States, especially in the 1930s inspired by [[Helen and Scott Nearing]], and more recently in the 1970s, as exemplified by ''[[The Mother Earth News]]'' magazine, share many of the same interests in self-sufficiency and preparedness with survivalists. They differ from most survivalists in that they have a greater interest in [[ecology]], and sometimes the [[counter-culture|counterculture]], than most survivalists do. ''The Mother Earth News'' was, as a result, widely read by survivalists as well as back-to-the-landers during that magazine's early years, and there was some overlap between the two movements.
==In fiction==
===Novels===
''[[Earth Abides]]'' by [[George R. Stewart]] (1949), deals with one man who finds most of civilization has been destroyed by a plague. Slowly a small community forms around him as he struggles to start a new civilization and preserve knowledge and learning.
[[John Wyndham]]'s 1951 novel ''[[The Day of the Triffids]]'' is the story of the survival of a small group of people in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by carnivorous plants.
[[Philip Wylie]]'s novel ''Tomorrow'' (1954) is the story of two American cities weathering a nuclear attack. One was prepared with an extensive civil defense plan while the other was not.
[[Robert A. Heinlein]] used survivalism as a theme in much of his science fiction. ''[[Tunnel in the Sky]]'' (1955) explores issues of survivalism and social interactions in an unfamiliar environment. ''[[Farnham's Freehold]]'' (1964) begins as a story of survivalism in a nuclear war. Heinlein also wrote essays such as ''How to be a Survivor'' <ref>[http://technohippie.com/archives/beasurvivor.html TechnoHippie.Com: How To Be a Survivor by Robert Heinlein<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> which provide advice on preparing for and surviving a nuclear war.
''[[Alas, Babylon]]'' by [[Pat Frank]] (1959) is a story dealing with life in Florida after a nuclear war with the USSR. Pat Frank also authored the non-fiction book ''How To Survive the H Bomb And Why''. (J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, 1962.)
''[[Malevil]]'' by [[France|French]] writer [[Robert Merle]] (1972) describes refurbishing a medieval castle, and its use as a survivalist stronghold in the aftermath of a full-scale nuclear war. The novel was adapted into a 1981 film directed by Christian de Chalonge and starring [[Michel Serrault]], [[Jacques Dutronc]], [[Jacques Villeret]] and [[Jean-Louis Trintignant]] [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082701/].
[[Ernest Callenbach]]'s 1975 novel ''[[Ecotopia]]'', about the secession of the [[Pacific Northwest]] from the United States to form a [[Cascadia (independence movement)|new country]] based on [[environmentalism]], named the political party governing the new country the Survivalist Party. However in his 1981 sequel to the book, ''Ecotopia Emerging'', he qualified that choice of name by having the party leader state that the name Survivalist referred to the survival of the planet's ecosystems, rather than to people who prepare for an economic or political collapse.
''[[Lucifer's Hammer]]'' by [[Jerry Pournelle]] and [[Larry Niven]] (1977) is about a cataclysmic comet hitting the Earth, and various groups of people struggling to survive the aftermath in southern California. Their similarly themed "[[Footfall]]" (1985) is about aliens bombarding Earth using controlled meteorite strikes to exterminate life.
[[Edward Abbey]]'s 1980 novel ''[[Good News (1980 novel)|Good News]]'' is about small bands of people in the Phoenix, Arizona area trying to fend off the rise of a military dictatorship after the collapse of the economy and government.
''[[The Survivalist]]'' is the title of a series of 29 paperback novels by [[Jerry Ahern]] first published between 1981 and 1993.
''[[The Postman]]'' by [[David Brin]] (1985) is set in a time after a massive plague and political fracture result in a complete collapse of society. It gives a very unflattering portrayal of survivalists as one of the causes behind the collapse. The quasi-survivalist "Holnist" characters are despised by the remaining population. The Holnists follow a totalitarian social theory idolizing the powerful who enforce their perceived right to oppress the weak. However later Brin stated that when he was writing the book survivalist was the best term to describe the militia movement.
''Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse'' by [[James Wesley Rawles]] (1998) is a novel about a full-scale socio-economic collapse and subsequent invasion of the US. The novel describes in detail how the lead characters establish a self-sufficient survival retreat in north-central [[Idaho]].
''[[Dies the Fire]]'', the first book in [[S. M. Stirling#The Emberverse series|the Emberverse Series]] of post-apocalyptic fiction by alternate history author [[S.M. Stirling]]. The story takes shape in a universe where electricity, guns, explosives, internal combustion engines, and steam power no longer work. More books follow in the series and flesh out the story-line in a survivalist post-Change world of agriculture, clan-based life and conflict.
"World Made By Hand" by [[James Howard Kunstler]] (2008) is a "cosy catastrophe" set in upstate New York. The time is the near future, and the novel depicts an America that has economically collapsed as a result of the combined impact of [[peak oil]], [[global warming]], [[influenza epidemic]], and [[nuclear terrorism]]. The characters struggle to reclaim lost skills, maintain order, and redevelop a pre-[[industrial revolution]] lifestyle in an [[agrarian]] village. In part, the novel explores the question of what happens when modern technology, based on electricity, is no longer available.
===Television programs===
Two made-for-TV movies made during the 1980s, ''[[The Day After]]'' in the US and ''[[Threads (television show)|Threads]]'' in the UK, portray a nuclear war and its aftermath of social chaos and economic collapse. Both movies were, at the time, among the most controversial ever made for television.
"[[24 (TV series)|24]]" is a TV series about a federal agent named [[Jack Bauer]] and his attempts foil terrorist plots in Los Angeles. During Season 2 Jack's daughter, [[Kim Bauer]], is on the run from the law and finds shelter with a survivalist.
''[[Jericho (TV series)|Jericho]]'' (2006) is a TV series that portrays a small town in [[Kansas]] after a series of nuclear explosions across the United States. In the series, the character [[Robert Hawkins (Jericho character)|Robert Hawkins]] uses his prior planning and survival skills in preparation of the attacks. Most of the episodes center around the sudden collapse of American society resulting in a six way split of the country. The town usually must fight an outside enemy in order to preserve their food and supplies.
''[[Lost (TV series)|Lost]]'', a group of crash survivors are stranded on an island with little food and only the remains of the aircraft and baggage to survive with. Over the course of the series, the survivors adapt to life on the jungle isle while some even welcome it. One of the main characters of the series, [[John Locke (Lost)|John Locke]], appears to be a survivalist even before the events of the crash, both carrying knives with him as baggage, hunting and [[tracking]] skills, and was part of a pseudo-survivalist commune earlier in life.
The BBC TV series [[Survivors]] from 1975–1977 suggested a UK view of survivalism with a small band of survivors emerging from a biological apocalypse. Following the success of the new series of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' the BBC are rumoured to be looking at Terry Nation's other works and are considering a remake of the show.<ref>[http://media.guardian.co.uk/site/story/0,,1816472,00.html BBC set to revive 70s sci-fi show | Media | MediaGuardian<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
''[[Survivor (TV series)|Survivor]]'' (2000-present) is a [[reality television]] [[game show]] which places a group of contestants in remote location and awards a prize to the one which lasts the longest. Generally, the game is structured such that a player's social skills are more important to winning than survival skills.
In the [[HBO]] TV series ''[[Six Feet Under (TV series)|Six Feet Under]]'', one of the characters' ([[Characters of Six Feet Under#George Sibley|George Sibley]]) delusions manifests itself as a form of survivalism, and he becomes terrified that a number of apocalyptic or damaging events, ranging from nuclear war and the disappearance of water to earthquakes, are imminent and takes precautions against it, much to the horror of his wife- who realizes that it is beyond cautious and is becoming obsessive.
''[[The Sarah Connor Chronicles|Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]'' (2008) is a [[science fiction]] show involving time travel with lead characters that take survivalist steps to prepare for, or possibly prevent, a future nuclear war.
===Films===
The 1962 movie ''[[Panic in Year Zero!]]'' starring [[Ray Milland]], [[Jean Hagen]], [[Frankie Avalon]] and Mary Mitchel portrays the Baldwin family's attempt to flee the Los Angeles area for a rural location after a nuclear war between the US and the USSR.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056331/ Panic in Year Zero! (1962)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
The 1970 movie ''No Blade of Grass'' starring [[Nigel Davenport]], based on the book by [[Samuel Youd|John Christopher]], features an apocalyptic scenario in England.<ref>[http://www.badmovieplanet.com/unknownmovies/reviews/rev268.html The Unknown Movies - unknownmovies.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
''[[Deliverance]]'', both the 1970 novel and the 1972 film adaptation, feature elements of survivalism, and one of the main characters, Lewis Medlock (played in the film by [[Burt Reynolds]]), is a self-proclaimed survivalist, who at one point briefly explains his apocalyptic worldview: "Machines are going to fail, and the system is going to fail. And then...survival. Who has the ability to survive. That's the game, survival."
In the 1983 made for TV movie ''Packin' it In'', the main character Gary Webber (Richard Benjamin) moves his family from suburban L.A. to the wilderness of Oregon. The family moves in to a small rural community where most of the residents are survivalists.
In the 1983 film ''The Survivors'', [[Robin Williams]] plays a man who becomes obsessed with the survivalist culture after being robbed. [[Walter Matthau]] costars as Williams' more level-headed companion.
The 1984 movie ''[[Red Dawn]]'' portrays [[Colorado]] high school students who take to the hills after a fictional invasion of the US by the Soviet Union. The students survive with supplies gathered at the beginning of the invasion, by hunting, and by ambushing Soviet [[patrol]]s and [[Materiel|supply]] [[convoy]]s.
In the ''[[Tremors (film)|Tremors]]'' film and television franchise the character Burt Gummer ([[Michael Gross (actor)|Michael Gross]]) is a self-admitted survivalist. In the first film he and his wife are preparing for social upheaval. Later in the series Burt shifts his focus towards the "graboids" that infest the soil of his home valley.
''[[The Postman (film)|The Postman]]'', a movie based upon the above mentioned novel, depicts a post-apocalyptical future in America in which a survivalist militia preys on weaker communities.
In [[Mad Max]], a global oil shortage causes a total socioeconomic collapse and depopulation. The few scattered survivors in the [[Australian Outback]] are depicted fighting for survival, with precious "guzzoline" as their main object.
In ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'' (1991) John Connor's mother, [[Sarah Connor (Terminator)|Sarah Connor]] stores weapons in an underground shelter in the desert, as instructed by [[Kyle Reese]], John's father, in preparation for an apocalypse precipitated by computerized machines.
===Games and other formats===
[[Fallout (computer game)|Fallout]] is a role-playing video game set in a post-nuclear apocalypse world, 70 years after a global nuclear war. The gameplay is centered around the character's own survival instinct and skills, and communities of survivalists.
In [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]], a mission involves stealing a harvester from a survivalist farm. The survivalists are portrayed as extremely violent and aggressive individuals.
In [[Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri]] the Spartan Federation faction is run by a survivalist.
The concept album ''[[Year Zero (album)|Year Zero]]'' by industrial rock group [[Nine Inch Nails]], is based around the theme of a hypothetical oppressive US government in the year 2022, and contains a single entitled "Survivalism" and a group named "Art is Resistance".
==See also==
*[[Retreat (survivalism)]]
*[[Self-sufficiency]]
*[[Survival kit]]s
*[[Intentional Community]]
*[[Blast shelter]]
*[[Fallout shelter]]
*[[Jeff Cooper (colonel)|Jeff Cooper]]
*[[Howard Ruff]]
*[[James Wesley Rawles]]
*[[Kurt Saxon]]
*[[Joel Skousen]]
*[[Mel Tappan]]
==Classic survival books==
The text of some classic survival books and other writings from the 1950s through the 1980s can be found online:
*[[Fallout Protection]] (1961)<ref>[http://www.sew-lexicon.com/Fallout%20Protection%20Book/TOC_for_H-6.htm Hyperlink TOC for H-6<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
*''[[Nuclear war survival skills|Nuclear War Survival Skills]]'' by [[Cresson Kearny]] (1979, updated 1987 version) <ref>[http://www.oism.org/nwss/index.htm Free online book - Nuclear War Survival Skills<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
*''Possum Living'' by Dolly Freed (1978) <ref>http://www.f4.ca/text/possumliving.htm</ref>
* PDF of ''The Alpha Strategy'' by [[John Pugsley]] (1980) <ref>[http://www.biorationalinstitute.com/zcontent/alpha_strategy.pdf]</ref>
*[[Survival Under Atomic Attack]] (1950) <ref>[http://www.schouwer-online.de/technik/zivilschutz_atomicattack.htm Survival Under Atomic Attack (1950)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
*''Tappan on Survival'' by [[Mel Tappan]] (1981) <ref>http://www.geocities.com/mark_l_anderson/faqs/tapp.txt</ref>
*Textfiles.com archive of articles that circulated online during the [[bulletin board system|BBS]] era, includes several Kurt Saxon articles from his old newsletter.<ref>[http://www.textfiles.com/survival/ T E X T F I L E S<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
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