Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
People change. Just think about the people you knew in 2019. How many of those people are the same in 2023? If a pandemic and a police shooting changed people that much, just imagine what people will be like when the world falls apart.
What will people be like when they turn on the tap and nothing comes out, when they go to the pantry and see they have about 3 days of food left? You might think you know someone, but survival changes us all. Only those who are prepared will have the luxury of holding onto some of what they were before.
All of that said, you know better than to take on the apocalypse alone. So, what kinds of people do you avoid in the collapse?
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Your ETHOS
What do you believe? What will you not tolerate? When considering who to avoid in a collapse you must first understand yourself. You must know what you believe and that will create an easy list of characteristics that you will not allow in your presence. There is a good chance you have developed that already.
If you have a group, then you need them to at least understand your ethos. It is much better if you all get behind it. It doesn’t have to be revolutionary. I think the 10 commandments would be a great start! If you have someone in your group that cannot wrap their head around don’t steal and don’t kill, then you need to have a talk with them anyhow.
A strong and well communicated ethos is one of the best tools to surround yourself with the right people. That said, you need to establish that now while the world is still working. Here is the reason why…
EVERYONE WILL LIE TO SURVIVE
In articles like these you often get a dry list that includes things like murder, addiction, pedophilia, and the like. Truth is, when it comes down to survival most people are going to lie to gain the favor of a group that will better their chances.
Suspicion is a very important part of every conversation or interaction you have in a collapsed world. In the old card game Conflicted one scenario puts a mother and two children at your front door begging for food and shelter. On the face of it we all want to help but we must also understand that they could be the recon for a group scouting for resources.
Truth is you cannot know but you must assume that people will do almost anything to survive.
The Unknown
The risks are just too high in a collapse scenario to develop a relationship with people that you do not know. Remember what we talked about above. If you even, consider dealing with an unknown party then you need some kind of vetting system.
Now is the time to decide on if/how you will approach people you don’t know in the collapse. It will happen. Avoiding them may not be an option. Also, you might miss out on a good people that are known by people you trust.
No matter what you decide on I think it is good advice to keep your circle small in a collapse.
The Problematic
Your life is going to change, radically. In a collapse everything that used to matter will no longer and you will have a new list of daily duties that need your attention. If you plan on living with any kind of security at all then much of your time will be spent on some kind of security detail.
There will either be people who help with all that needs to get done or people who do not. People who complain, people who are lazy or constantly question your leadership are all just going to continue to be a problem.
The Sick
Another harsh reality of this fallen world is that a sick person could be such a massive risk to your family. Do you have emergency antibiotics? You can get them from The Wellness Company.Without them a simple infection can turn into a death sentence in a world without doctors.
Sick people are a serious problem because they are going to require resources. They are going to require medicine, water, probably some light food until they start to recover. Sick people will take up space in your home.
Most importantly, sick people can spread illness to one or many of your own group. So, either establish the preps and locations needed to help the sick and needy or avoid them.
The Offering
Why would someone offer you something in a collapse situation? If someone is selling, bartering, or offering something to you out of nowhere then they are not to be trusted. Even in the here and now you would be suspect of someone just coming up and offering you something for nothing.
This could be a luring tactic. It could also be a way for them to claim you stole from them or that you “owe” them because you took something for free. Much like the aggressive window washers of NYC who just show up and wash your windows at a red light and then spit on your car if you don’t tip them.
People walking around offering free things are also a big danger to kids. Avoid these people and make sure they don’t show up in your neighborhood.
The Uniformed
In a world without rule of law we will see the police disband. That is a given. Once things get too far out of control police officers are going to hang up the hats to protect their own families or maybe even create survival groups of their own.
Should you notice uniformed individuals post collapse you should be very leery of who they are and what they claim to be. It is popular among preppers to talk about NATO showing up on American soil to do one thing or another in a domestic collapse. I don’t see it happening.
A group of people all in the same uniform, in a collapse are looking for some kind of control. Without the constraints of the law or the constitution they can exact that control with whatever barbarism they see fit.
The Punisher
People are killed in this nation every day. Good guys kill bad guys and bad guys kill good guys. You may run into people who are just a little too enthused about dolling out this kind of justice. If you have a group or a community, then you need a plan for dealing with people who happen into area of operation.
You have to be very careful about the person who is always looking to shoot someone or use violence as the first solution. That person could be very valuable in certain situations, but you also have to make sure they don’t become a despot.
Conclusion
In a true collapse of society everything changes, dramatically. The alliances, the institutions, the world at large all change. You must first recognize that large scale change before you can zoom in to the personal level.
As a prepper you may not experience the full brunt of that change because you have prepared to endure it. However, there will be plenty of people who, frankly, reach desperation in a matter of days. Imagine running into someone who has been surviving in a fallen world for weeks, months. While you have been locked up in your home or bugout location and eating well.
We will all have to be very careful about who we interact with and who we welcome amongst us in the fallen world. It will be the difference between life and death.
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