Lost, I understand your point exactly. There is a two volume work called THE MYTH OF THE MACHINE by Lewis Mumford ( about 700+ pages of text.) It was a favorite in college, mainly because I discovered it on my own and it irritated a certain teacher's aid. It is a massive work on the rise of technology and the social inventions which enabled it . To few "survival manuals" ask the reader to lower their comfort levels or to even find pleasure in the experience. If we could distill all the information, all the gadgets and strategies to "survival," the commonality of gear, the SIMPLICITY of whats needed would send many fleeing into the forest in a panic. We log on ever hopefull some messiah like poster will have discovered yet another gizmo for a need unthought of. The fact is "survival" to us is and was daily living to more cultures and generations than we can talley ( we still haven't lasted longer than the Neanderthals.) Perhaps this is part of the emotional appeal for "traditional" skills advocates running around in buckskins while we sadly read our polypropylene long johns are "no good" compared to the latest fishnet, organically grown merino wool and nepalese silkworm set in international orange. Improvisation is a skill worth having. Perhaps the lesson of nature will help. Generalists hang around while specialists die off.