The Message in Survivalism

Survivalism is a movement of individuals or groups (called survivalists or preppers) who are actively preparing for emergencies, including possible disruptions in social or political order, on scales from local to international. Survivalists often acquire emergency medical and self-defense training, stockpile food and water, prepare to become self-sufficient, and build structures (e.g., asurvival retreat or an underground shelter) that may help them survive a catastrophe- Wikipedia.

As the definition suggest it’s a pluralistic and an individualistic approach to survival. It promotes the basic primal instinct of self preservation on a personal and a much localized scale. The surge in media programs particularly in television and the World Wide Web promotes shows and literatures on survivalism that amounts to no more but a total endorsement of this concept towards acceptance by the public at large. Acceptance of the idea that a person can survive alone even under primitive condition. The fewer the better. Shows such as; Man vs. Wild, Survivor, Naked Survival, Mountain Men, Surviving Alaska, Man, Woman, Wild, Dual Survival and many more, that is similarly plotted were repeatedly shown in different major cable networks, all around the globe for the past years, suggesting that an idea is being fed and inculcated to deliberately alter certain traditional ways of thinking and response in a do or die situations. Innovations and the up in sales of survival equipment attest to a pervasive situation, that the idea is being recognized, accepted, and now, is becoming a permanent part of the subconscious, particularly those who watched the shows on a regular basis, not to mention the people these watchers may had influenced.

Don’t get this forum wrong, having the desired mindset and skills to survive in any situation is undoubtedly a practical knowledge that everyone should equip himself with. But the point in hand is the concept constantly fed by the media on survivalism when deeply ingrained could corrupt, supplant and replace the notions called patriotism and nationalism, and probably that is the whole idea. The subliminal message of survivalism is to survive on a personal level, not for culture, not for religion, not for country, not for the countryman, not for the constitution and not for anything else, but… for the self.  It fosters individualism more than collectivism in times of chaos and disorder. It plants mistrust that would discourage coordination and cooperation among individuals, groups or state that is confronted by a common problem and a common enemy. Those programs can only have one objective, and that is to divide the people and eventually trashing synergy. The continues barrage of the idea called survivalism is more of a strategy behind the survival methodology being imparted. It is a form of mind conditioning that survival is only possible in hermetic fashion. It attempts to demolished the greater idea, that on a grander scale, or through a national level cooperation, many will not only survive, but will also be capable of preserving their customary way of life. Survival is a basic instinct, it is inherent as evidenced by the fight or flight hormone, and will only need the skills to reinforce it, but let it not be omitted that there is more to the surge in survivalism shows than meets the eye,  and the eye is veering you away from it.