Just as Hanks is inflating the raft, the stow bag gets caught on something and then the line breaks and he floats to the surface. I assume the raft stow bag had a survival kit in it and that is why the writers had to figure out a way for him to lose it.

One of the points the writers of the script were trying to make is that man, with little or no tools or training to survive, can adapt and learn from his mistakes and live to tell his story. Hanks' character evolves physically as well as emotionally. The most telling scene for this is when he sees the port-potty door and within seconds, sees the true potential of this otherwise piece of trash.

He also undergoes a form a spiritual transformation, a willingness to release himself from his former, controlling-self, to a more free thinking- willing to throw himself to the winds of fate and see if they take him off his island. He is no longer bent on constructing his future from a preconceived notion with an attached time table, but rather live his life in a principle/ spiritual ideal driven manner.

Are our PSK's an attempt to control our lives to the smallest detail, even the times of our lives that we don't plan on happening, but we want to control in the event they do? Or are they a simple manifestation of our drive to survive and have a future to live? Or somewhere in the middle?

Wow neuronboy,

That's some pretty deep stuff there. I never looked at the movie Cast Away that way.

I was very upset with the distribution company that made the trailers for the movie. In one trailer Tom Hanks is sitting in a private jet and his friend says, "You were gone for 3 years." WERE. Meaning... He was no longer on the island. Meaning... I already know the ending. Meaning... Why should I go watch this movie if the whole reason to watch a movie like this is to see if he survives until rescued?

As far as Tom Hanks goes:
Did you know is now a spokes person for CC Radios? You know the windup or solar charged radios? Too bad he didn't have one of those on the island heh.

As far as why I have kits: CONTROLING or SURVIVING. I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. But I lean more towards surviving. I want to be able to survive with as many others as possible, but I want to be able to (control) do it in the quickest and most convienent ways possible. When the events of 9/11 were unfolding I felt as if all control had been taken away from me. I was a new father and no longer had contol of my fate or my newly blessed family's fate. It was a very frightening place to be. I promised myself I would never be in that place again. And that is why I continue to learn and share at this forum.

For me it´s somewhere in the middle. Having the kit certainly helps to enjoy drifting as I can make it drift my way if neccessary. Maybe it´s even the manifestation of an evolution.

>>Are our PSK's an attempt to control our lives to the smallest detail, even the times of our lives that we don't plan on happening, but we want to control in the event they do?<<

I don't think they can be that.

I think a true "control freak" would never acknowledge the component of the "unknown" in the future by explicitly preparing for it, could not accept the possibility, or the inevitability, of the unexpected. By the minimal preparation of the PSK, we're embracing the reality of the "unknown", and preparing for it... an open acknowledgement that we may NOT be in control. When the Tom Hanks character was (by your analysis) a "control freak", he did not prepare- it would have been out of character.

Some would even claim that the PSKs are evidence that we fear the future. There might be a grain of truth in that, but I prefer to think of it as just wanting to see as much of it as possible. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Wayneburg, I think you have hit on the point, this life is an Odyssey, much like the one Odysseus had on the way back from the Trojan war in Homer's tale. We have many little adventures along the way, several of which make us feel like we have no control but throughout it all we can remain grounded and centered. Some have religious faith, other have faith and family, while others adhere to a set of self-derived principles.

I feel my PSK is a manifestation of my desire to survive the physical so that I can enjoy the metaphysical/spiritual aspects of life. It is a tool for controlling the future(s) and simultaneously a symbol of my surrender to the idea that the future is uncertain -and that I must prepare for it. One can never be completely prepared for every possible contingency. I don't think being prepared is the end of the journey- preparing is the journey. It just may be that we learn more through preparation than we do from a proving event.

The PSK is a layer in my preparedness onion. I also, have food storage, fuel storage, clothing, a rainy day fund, exercise, education, prayer, meditation, etc. Each aspect of preparation leads to goal of being self-reliant and physically, emotionally, and spiritually balanced and fulfilled. It's a lifelong journey. Recognize the PSK for what it is- a small part (albeit a very important part if it keeps you alive) of this preparedness continuum(s).

What a fabulous phrase!
"preparedness onion"
It somehow sums everything up....our different opinions, our different lives, asperations and goals, and above all our level of preparedness
I have never heard such a silly phrase mean so much!

Fear is often based on hard learned experience . It's what you do with it that makes the difference. Bill

"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience come from bad judgment." I don't know who said that first, but I have found it to be true more often than not!

While it is true, that fear can be the result of some personal experience; it can also be the result of the lack of that particular experience. How often, when confronted by the potential of a new experience do individuals create fear and panic in their minds due the expectation of what the event will result in? How often do we fear that doctor’s visit, the trip to a new place, a new school, moving to a new locality and a host of events we may have never previously experienced or even if we had, the experience was not particularly bad. I believe we tend to fear those events and situations where we feel unprepared or lack the appropriate information to make a rational mental image of how the event will turn out. As it has been stated in several posts, the process of assembling items which may result in a positive outcome for any particular event, forces us to consider or brain storm on how we would like to respond to a particular event. For many, it is the journey that it is important, the means to an end not the end itself, that makes us want to explore the creation of these kits. Pete

I Enjoyed and have been Inspired by his Phrase "Preparedness Onion" Too! I Think I'd Read something about "a Part of my....",or "Another Layer of my,-Preparedness Onion" What a Great Way to Sum That Up and Put It! I'm a Words and Phrases Guy,-and I Immeadiately Made a Mental Jot,-to Make That One of my Own,-as Well! I'm New,-and Havn't Gotten Round Yet to Saying Hi, and Introducing myself,-though I've been Kicking Around the Tires on This,-in my Thots and Offline. So Far also've Been Busy Reading Much on This Really Quality Site!,-and These Forums. I've Had to Pre Respond,Contribute,and Chime In on a Few. My Intro shall Come in Due Course,-Hopefully Soon. This Site has Recently Become a Great Addition to my Own Preparedness Onion! -Till the Next Time,-ScottRezaLogan [color:"black"] [/color] [email]joblot[/email]