STFU about SHTF if you're FAT

[MikeRC]

I'm involved with this topic deeply, both as a hobby and through my job with the Red Cross Emergency Services, and have actively taken part in many large scale, real life SHTF situations.
Let me say that without a doubt, you can look at the level of fitness, and specifically the amount of body fat, and make a very accurate assessment of someone's ability to deal with an extreme situation in an effective and composed manner.
Being disciplined physically pays off massive dividends in the ability to deal with harsh situations that leave the indulgent, marshmallow eaters frozen and waiting for rescue.

[gregaquaman]

my understanding is the whole thing is pretty much based on conjecture. Apart from the hurricane Katrinas and that sort of mischeif. People are preparing for what might happen.

That has got to encourage some serious fantasy

[Phrost]

I'm involved with this topic deeply, both as a hobby and through my job with the Red Cross Emergency Services, and have actively taken part in many large scale, real life SHTF situations.
Let me say that without a doubt, you can look at the level of fitness, and specifically the amount of body fat, and make a very accurate assessment of someone's ability to deal with an extreme situation in an effective and composed manner.
Being disciplined physically pays off massive dividends in the ability to deal with harsh situations that leave the indulgent, marshmallow eaters frozen and waiting for rescue.

Fantastic post, thanks for the insight.

Cullion's right, fat stores will burn away in a total collapse. But the fat, and more importantly, lack of fitness, is just an indicator of the person's lack of discipline and inability to make good choices. And the ability to make good decisions is of supreme importance when bad things happen.

[Ignorami]

Very few individuals are going to have the skills to survive a SHTF situation in any kind of long term sense.

Any real chance of survival is going to come from groups of people exchanging skills for mutual benefit. (Much like now, but in smaller groups.)

If you want to be in one of these groups, social skills are going to be vital. The only alternative is to offer the group something so awesome that people are willing to overlook the fact you are an arse.

That means either you are getting short-changed to stay in the group, or they are going to flat-out rape you for it.

Common sense, basic fitness, and social skills FTW

[Cullion]

Phrost, if we were talking about martial arts and Mike's post didn't fit your preconceived opinion, you'd dismiss it as anecdotal.

But the fat, and more importantly, lack of fitness, is just an indicator of the person's lack of discipline and inability to make good choices. And the ability to make good decisions is of supreme importance when bad things happen.

It's a good job we had Nevillle Chamberlin in charge and not Winston Churchill during.. oh wait.

Phrost, this is a bit like your Heinlein thing. You just watch too many action films.

[Matt Phillips]

There's a difference between being a sociopath and lacking social skills. Some of history's greatest sociopaths had loads of social skills. You don't become a leader of any group, be it a tribe of post-apocalyptic raiders or the local skeptics meet-up group, without possessing superior social skills relative to those around you.

True, but the leaders are a tiny, tiny proportion of the "fit" population. Also, if you think Steve Jobs, Orpah or Moot would last a day without police and frozen food you're kidding yourself, social skills or no.
This is one of the threads I was referencing:

http://www.reddit.com/r/collapse/com..._the_greatest/

LOL

[judoka_uk]

Phrost, this man disagrees with your theory:

[gregaquaman]

Fantastic post, thanks for the insight.

Cullion's right, fat stores will burn away in a total collapse. But the fat, and more importantly, lack of fitness, is just an indicator of the person's lack of discipline and inability to make good choices. And the ability to make good decisions is of supreme importance when bad things happen.

Dont really agree with that either. Lot of hard work labour types are over weight.

Edit. for video.


Woodchopping champs. who don't look like they have missed a meal.

[Cullion]

Phrost should read the biographies of the 'badasses of the month' more. These legendary WWII heroes and founders of special forces units were often alcoholics, brawlers and otherwise square pegs in round holes during peacetime. Oddballs, and sometimes the kind of oddballs who you'd describe as having self-discipline problems.

Of course it's an advantage to be in shape, but I'm still putting my money on the fat guy who can farm and handle a gun over an office worker who jogs.

p.s. I don't think Ray Mears is what Phrost means when he talks about 'fat' (Phrost is from the southern US).

[Hiro Protagonist]

Oh my God

I am so fat