As you prepare, do you think about (maybe plan for) the possibility of social breakdown? Now I’m NOT a “survivalist, and I tend to have (what I consider great) faith in people, but I’ve been very surprised, heartened and inspired that recent catastrophes haven’t seen large meltdowns in societies. Before 9/11 I would have predicted that an event like that would have plunged New York into chaos. It did just the opposite; the city seemed to be galvanized by it. The same happened in South East Asia after the Tsunami. Long-standing grudges were set aside (or at least postponed) for the greater good. Even with all the looting after the Iraqi invasion, average people didn’t start killing one another. Then again, I vividly remember the L.A. riots after the Rodney King trial. Even that however was relativity short lived.
Do you think about the possibility of social collapse in your emergency preparation? What scenarios do you think could lead to it? What are some ways to prepare for it? How can we keep it from happening?

Wow, I write like a college essay question…Sorry.
I think about social unrest a lot. But with recent events in mind, it’s more of a mental exercise for me than a probable scenario to plan for. I still think a massive outbreak or widespread food shortage could lead to some collapse. I imagine small-scale breakdowns will continue from time to time in various places throughout the world forever. The only way I think one can prepare for it (apart from a heavily armed well stocked place in the mountains) is the same thing to do to keep it form happening: befriend your neighbors. Become an active part of your community.

It's easier to predict a natural disaster than it is to predict what human beings will do! The same fools that will take a section of city apart and set it on fire because their team lost a game can be the same ones catching a pregnant woman falling out of a burning building by using a blanket as a net.

Different situation, different reactions. Same problem, different place, different reactions. Same problem, same place, different day, different reactions.

Sue

When you put it in perspective like that you basically point out that we as people are more difficult to predict than the weather. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

http://www.focazio.com/equipped/matrix.htm