Beyond Basics

There is a lot of interest in survival and preparedness these days. The airwaves seem to be full of series and specials teaching you how to survive, and there are others that have come and gone that are available for download and even whole Youtube channels with hours of information and how-tos. It’s a good thing, isn’t?

I wonder about that. Let’s start with the internet experts posting their ‘expertise’ on the internet. Brilliant thinkers that are packing a full sized can of WD-40 in their bug out bags to keep their folding knife lubricated, or astoundingly bright lads that think there is nothing wrong with packing two pounds of spaghetti sauce in a glass jar in their backpack. If it’s not that it’s some nut telling you how to carry a fancy EDC bag that weighs 15 pounds.

You can’t make this stuff up. Because of the surge of interest in preparedness and survival, instant experts abound, and much of the information out there is at best of little value, at worst dangerous.

Not that there isn’t good info out there. There is tons of it. Dual Survival, Out of the Wild, Man, Vs. Wild, Man, Woman, Wild…the list goes on and on. Sometimes I wonder if there is still enough wilderness for all of them to survive in while they film their programs. Unfortunately, while they are (usually) competent and delivering solid info, they are covering the same ground over and over again. How many times do you need to be shown how to make a fire drill, or to build a shelter, or any of the other basics you see?

We need to teach beyond the basics. Basic skills are great, but that is all they are. Basic first aid? Good, but EMT training is better. Basic firearms knowledge? Good but gun smithing is better. The list goes on. I know in the past that I’ve said that becoming a master at all skills is a hopeless pursuit, and I still believe that. Spending money on books, tools, and supplies you aren’t skilled enough to use is crazy. But sitting with the same BASIC skills and thinking that they are enough to see you through is just as crazy.

Let’s start teaching and demanding more in-depth material for our prepping. We won’t become masters of all subjects, but perhaps we can become competent journeymen in a few, or at least promising apprentices instead of novices.

Originally posted June 05, 2011 @ CPN