These days, as I get older and into my mid-60's, I look at preparing to survive for a few months as reasonable. If something happens that is longer term than that, with no real hope for betterment - I'm not so sure I'd want to survive it. Stockpiling a couple years worth of MRE's or Mountain House buckets would be folly IMHO (but a few months worth is reasonable). Some people may want to live in a long term situation of desolation and despair, but I wouldn't. I'd just donate my body to the cause, and the rest of my neighborhood would be well fed for a month.