I’ve been reading books for a very long time, since I could read in fact, and I’ve always enjoyed the stories and the visuals you play in your mind. In many respects books are better than the films for that as you can imagine much more than they can reasonably display although special effects are getting much better.
The big issue I have with films is that to make the story exciting the facts are thrown out. Every film has examples of situations that are either impossible or unlikely in real life. Guns with 2000 round magazines, infallible decisions on who is telling the truth, the list is endless. There are websites out there for most films picking holes in the continuity or facts of the case. Still, I can put that down to artistic license and ignore as much as I can.
When it comes to books though they can be a bit better, they can describe so many things that it can take a dozen pages to describe a second in time at a scene. Although, they also have these supermen that can kill by looking at people. Although I must confess the stories they tell are great. Artistic license again. Factual books tend to be boring.
So when I talk to preppers it isn’t long before they are recommending films and books. Many of which I have watched or read. Although I enjoy the films and get some pointers out of them I’m reluctant to take the infomation provided as gospel. Like all fiction there are gaping holes in the stories although they are not so obvious because they are not scenes that we have experience of.
For arguments sake unless you have used a type of gun you don’t now how many rounds it holds with that magazine type. In the film it doesn’t matter but if as preppers we are to base our gun purchase on that we would be sadly disappointed when we discovered that our .22 single shot pistol you bought off that drug dealer doesn’t blow the bad guys brains out at 50 yards. Not having no way to test on any bad guys, well legally anyway, it’s brain removing power on.
Another bit that is in most of the films and books is that there is no problem gaining access to fuel. Cars are cannabalised for parts, planes built from lawn mower parts but fuel is readibly available. Same with guns, everyone has one and plenty of ammo. Many shortages are pointed out and impact on the characters but in reality the actors go home and have good meals so look healthy and the characters in books don’t need fed at all.
In reality things will not be so easy. We know that but the film makers and the book writers are trying to entertain so they do. Other writers are trying to set realistic scenarios but not having experience of a post nuclear war they have to guess where it will lead and what the situation will be. They could have it right, they are more likely to get it close but wrong in critical areas.
In our prepping though we should read everything and then weight it up with what we think is going to happen in our situation. In my case it is usually worse than the writers envisage and I then plan accordingly. After all if they get it wrong it is only a story. In my case it is life or death.
Think things through. You know how people react, you know how you will react and armed with other people views you have to work out what it means for you in your situation. We may get it wrong, it may result in our deaths but regardless I’m always of the view that prepping improves your chances of survival. Just by stocking a pantry your chances improve, by protecting that pantry even more. By hiding it your chances improve again.
Plan ahead as much as you can. Every percentage point is worth it for you and your family as small but important amounts add up. However, make sure that you make your own assumptions and not just slavishly follow someone elses view because they are famous and have written a book on a post apocalyptic world. HG Wells did and his version is wildly different from Alan Dean Forsters.
Watch the films, read the books, listen to other peoples views but think for yourself about what to believe and what to think further about. Then act on your own opinions. Only you know your situation so only you know what is suitable for your needs. Always remember that. Nobody else can do it.
Absolutely right SD! I agree with all that you say here. I gain a great deal of knowledge, in particular from forums, and constantly adjust plans, products or proceedures to my own needs. There is no absolute in terms of what will or won’t work, sure, there are tried and tested methods for some things like food preservation but each prepper has to make their own choices based on their own needs and local environment etc.
Half the fun of prepping for me is adapting things so that they work in the way in which I need them to work! Prepping is a bit of a pick ‘n’ mix in this regard and I alwYs chuckle when I see someone who has found something that works excellently for them prescribing ‘whatever it may be’ as the ONLY solution or way to go.
Being discerning about the implementation of plans, systems or products is crucial to becoming independent of others and the nanny state. There is no one right way of doing anything that applies to everyone if there was people would be selling it !
Good post 🙂
That’s right – you’d be better off getting info from prepper’s blogs, esp. the better ones.
I get most of my ideas and info from the forum here!
I will just use those 1000 round “unlimited” mini – mini gun from Deep rising if the world ends. It ejects what look like 5.56 casings so I’ve no idea where it holds the ammo. But I trust the film.