True, and I did say that having laid aside provisions is rather important. In fact, to survive many situations, I'd say it's critical to have those supplies. But for the most part shelter, food, water, rudimentary sanitation and medical attention are what's neeeded in an immediate survival sitaution. As we move into LTS and "household supplies" dwindle, it's important. And like I said, in an EOTW situation even if you have a full lifetime family-sized supply with extra emergency stashes in various areas, you could use your knowledge and skill to produce yet MORE of those for consumption and trade. I'm thinking anyone with medical skills and access to medicine and anyone who has food and fuel surpluses will be the focus of those trades.

I think it's fair to say it's a sort of parallel to the gear vs. skill philosophy, but as I think many here would agree, the more gear you have the easier it is to make a go of things, but the more skill you have, the longer you can get along without that gear. :-)