Sunday, August 12, 2012


Meeting People in a Post Apocalyptic World
            So, you survived a nuclear war, are immune to a virus that killed billions, live at a high enough altitude that the flood didn’t drown you, or have yet to be eaten alive by the zombie horde or cannibals.
CONGRATULATIONS!
            Chances are that you have already covered many of your basic survival needs, such as food, water, shelter, and clothing. Now what? Well don’t just sit there, get out into the world and meet some new people! You’ve probably already met one or two people along the way, or perhaps you’re not alone, but in a small group of survivors. This guide has been designed to help you understand how to interact with the people you meet, whether they are old friends or new acquaintances in the post-apocalyptic world.
            Humans depending on one another is nothing new. Since the dawn of human kind groups of people have cooperated with one another to be more proficient hunter and for protection. The same can be said for a nuclear apocalypse when your survival hinges on those that surround you. But you can never be sure how a nuclear apocalypse will change a person for better or worse. Depending on other people is risky, but you will benefit from it socially and it could help ensure your safety.  Luckily, this isn’t the first apocalypse to devastate human kind; you’re not the first survivor to have to interact with strangers in the face of the apocalypse. Meeting new people is scary, so we at Apoc-N-You have created this manual to assist in your interact with human(oids). We have compiled examples from previous apocalypses on how to, and how not to engage with other humans.
            Index:
-          Someone I Use to Know (Assessing Friends  After the Apocalypse)
-          Howdy Stranger (Gaining New Allies)
-          You’re Not From Around Here (How to Deal with Hostile Threats)                       
           
Someone I Use to Know (Assessing Friends After the Apocalypse)
            If you’re lucky, perhaps you saw the apocalypse coming and were able to warn some of your friends and loved ones about the destruction of the world, so that they can prepare themselves for the apocalypse. But how do you determine what person  will benefit you and your survival? It’s no easy decision to deem certain friends or loved ones as expendable while others. Human sentimentality is strong, and while I would advise against completely losing your humanity, you must think in terms of absolute survival: If they are not helping you they are hindering you.
            In Pat Frank’s Alas, Babylon Randy Bragg balances a mix of humanity and survival instinct by determining who to tell, thus inviting them to his group, and who he would be better off without. It’s important to evaluate the potential group member socially as well as what they can contribute physically. Randy Bragg informs Dan Gunn, so that he can prepare himself for the apocalypse, “when you came in, Dan, I was about to tell Lib…that we are on the verge of war” (Frank 57). The reason he chose Dan was both professional as well as social. The obvious reason Randy chose Dan was because he is doctor and “if anybody should know about the coming apocalypse, it was a doctor” (540). The social reasons Randy chose Dan Gunn was because he is a good friend of Randy Bragg. He can provide valuable input as an adviser to Randy. Dan is also a good person, “a souring idealist,” who has only been held back by pre-war social and legal constraints (55). But more importantly Dan was chosen because doctors are bastions of civilization, a person to give hope and stability.
            It will be difficult to force yourself into a survival perspective and not try to save or protect everyone you know; humans are a sentimental species. The most important idea to remember here is that if a member cannot contribute to the group they are ultimately hindering it. And after the apocalypse any amount of hindering could result in death.           

Howdy Stranger (Gaining New Allies)
            Safety, safety, safety is essential when interacting with people after the apocalypse.  Under no circumstances should you compromise you or your group’s safety – whether its physical or the resources you’ve collected – by letting in an outsider. Spreading yourself beyond your possible means will be disastrous. It is highly recommend that you first observer whomever you plan on acclimating to your group so that you can see how they behave when they aren’t “trying out.”
            Despite the hazards of meeting new people, there are many benefits to making allies in the post apocalyptic world. Margret Atwood chronicled how Snowman interacted with the natives. Snowman, using a form of trickery, was able to convince the natives to bring him food. Once a week the women could be seen “carrying his weekly fish, grilled the way he’s taught them…” (99). The benefits here cannot be understated, Snowman has been able to gain allies, but he’s also able to gain sustenance from them; a weekly contribution he has been able to count on for survival.
            Another aspect of having good relations with outside individuals is how you present yourself to others. Acting aggressively towards outsiders can pose multiple risks including physical danger, as well as losing a potential ally. Walter Miller who spent time with Brother Francis details a situation where Brother Francis acted hostile towards a potential ally. The Wanderer offered Brother Francis some food, cheese and bread, without realizing that Francis was fasting. Brother Francis took offence to this offer and splashed the Wanderer with holy water while crying out in Latin. The potential for danger to Brother Francis was obvious, the Wanderer had a sharp spike on the bottom of his cane, and had he been able to injure Brother Francis, it could have been fatal.
            Though Brother Francis wasn’t injured the potential for disaster was apparent. Also, acting aggressively towards an individual could mean retribution from a larger group. Remember the 3 step process when dealing with outsiders.
1)      Observe
2)      Acclimate
3)      Passiveness
            Using these steps safely can provide your team with additional resources and sociability with the introduction of a new person.

You’re Not From Around Here (Dealing With Hostile Threats)
            Before you begin to think about ‘dealing’ with hostile threats ask yourself a couple of questions: Was this an isolated incident? How capable am I (are we) to deal with these hostile threats? What do I stand to gain from disposing of the threat? What do I risk losing? Only you can answer these questions truthfully, and you gain nothing by trying to be a hero or trying to impress others. Apocalyptic survival is about life or death, simply put. Any risky situations should be considered very carefully and with the utmost honesty. (You will not look like a hero dead on the side of the road). If you do decide that you must engage these hostile threats a solid plan, which minimizes dangers and with multiple angles thought through can be invaluable. Proper preparation could be the differences between life and death.
            I would like to start first with how not to engage a hostile threat.  Brother Francis finds himself again in a situation where he puts himself in harm’s way. While traveling down a dirt road Francis is cut off by a group of mutants (these mutants where humanoid, yours may be a bit more beastly). The mutants asked only for two documents that Francis was holding. Francis refused to relent the documents, and challenges the mutants to a fight so that God could intervene and he would retain his documents. “They squared off. Three seconds later, the monk lay groaning on the flat of his back under a short mountain of muscle” (99).   In this engagement Francis did everything wrong as described in the beginning of this section. It was an isolated incident, he was outmatched both in combat experience and also in number, he would have gained very little had he won, and he risked losing his life if he lost. His only plan was to allow the intervention of God. The fact that that Francis wasn’t murdered is inconsequential to the fact that he engaged in the battle in the first place.
            Other times however you are forced to engage the threats. In The Road a documentary about a father and his son during the apocalypse, the father is caught sleeping when some nearby hostiles traveled through. Thinking quickly, the man took his son, ran, and hid. However, they were discovered and the threat held the son captive. The father was forced to make a decision and killed the man holding his son hostage. It is important to note that not every time you encounter a hostile will you have time to plan, so thinking on your feet is crucial.
            Safety should always be you number one concern when dealing with hostile threats. If at any point you feel that your life is more likely to be compromised if you oppose these threats than if you just leave them be, do not play the part of a hero; there is no place for heroes during the apocalypse.
            Meeting people after the apocalypse can be a very beneficial both morally and resourcefully. The inclusion of a new member brings many opportunities to the group. But you must always remember that safety is your number one priority, because not everyone in the world is looking for friends.  And you must remain vigilant to protect yourselves and those you care about.













Copyright 2013 Apoc-N-You Corporation

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