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Letter Re: Survival Retreat vs. Neighborhood Survival -- Part Deux - Galt's Gulch vs. Idiocracy, by E.B.

Sir,

Although it is enlightening to hear of various approaches to Survivalism, I don't believe that conspiracy theories should get much play during this very serious time we are living through. E.B. mentions the World Trade Centers collapse, vaccination, sugar, aspartame, fluoride and the AMA monopoly . While some of these may be real concerns, this is not a proper focus at a time when the infrastructure is collapsing around us. It's like trying to investigate the cause of the Titanic sinking during the time the ship is going down. During that time period, the why doesn't matter. What matters is making your way to the lifeboat.

Conspiracy theories are sure to be seized on by mainstream media as evidence that Survivalists are nuts. SurvivalBlog should concentrate on things we can do something about right now - Beans, Bullets, and Band-Aids.

On Monday, SurvivalBlog linked to the excellent and revealing speech by Dimitri Orlov: Social Collapse Best Practices. Orlov said that "at the end of 2008, I announced on my blog that I am getting out of the prognosticating business. .... collapse is well underway, and now I am just an observer." He made the point that now is the time to deal with the basics: "Food. Shelter. Transportation. Security."

Orlov is right. Even though most of us probably think the government is corrupt, that can't become the focus. Practical preparedness is what really matters right now. Let's keep SurvivalBlog on track. - K.L. in Alaska

JWR Replies: Your point is well-taken. While I don't agree with everything that E.B. espouses, I do my best to accommodate a variety of viewpoints in SurvivalBlog, some of which are out of the mainstream. FWIW, you would not believe the sheer volume of whacko e-mails that I get, that make E.B's postulates seem quite tame by comparison. Nearly every day I get rants on everything from Gray Aliens building massive underground bases and tunnels, to sightings of boxcars equipped with shackles. These are mostly from the "I believe in everything" Coast-to-Coast AM radio show crowd. Discernment seems to be a scarce commodity in some circles. You name, I get it. (And then I get follow-up e-mails, asking why I didn't post their earlier e-mails, inferring or outright accusing me of being part of an organized Cover-Up Conspiracy.) Most SurvivalBlog readers don't realize how much nonsense and blather I have to filter out.

I chose to post E.B's letter intact. I'm sure that I get grief about it, but he makes some valid points and in my opinion he deserves to be heard, at least regarding his preparedness strategy.

Editor at Large Michael Z. Williamson Adds: I'd just like to point out that diesel fuel does melt "structural steel": Structural steel is low carbon alloy (1015, 1020) that every blacksmith uses, and that most people wind up deforming in their fireplace as the grate ages. I'm not going to comment on any other Sep 11 theories. One can choose to believe the engineers of the world, or believe they're all part of a conspiracy. I'm just going to point out that "structural steel" will only resist fire in your house for a few minutes before failing. 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (attainable in any fireplace, barbecue or structure fire) will reduce its strength by 50%. At 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (easily found in the center of most fires) it melts into decarburized slag. It is not a magic barrier against bullets or flames.

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