I think that defining categories within the "survival" spectrum could use a little work. Thinking back, I have had a survival streak in me for a long time, since early on in my life, especially at the start of my career, I was working in isolated conditions where self sufficiency was a real good idea. In my first permanent job, I was forty-five miles from town, and provisions, especially dates, were not easy to procure. Stashing food and other necessities was just being sensible.

SAR experience got me attuned to responding quickly to emergency situations, reasonably well equipped for unforeseen conditions. Moving to California, I was impressed with the well documented history of earthquakes and wild fires, two contingencies for which I specifically continue to prepare.

I do think that a lot of the concern for end of the world, total societal collapse, and all that is paranoid fantasy. Hey, I am an archaeologist, making my career studying collapsed, bygone societies, and the bottom line is that they end with a whimper, not a bang.

I'll bet a lot of hubbies are justifying their gear purchases on the basis of utility in emergencies. Of course, I would never do that....