The Survivalist Spirit - What it is and How to Attain it!

The "Survivalist Spirit"

What is the appeal of survival? Why have we as a species always been so inspired by strength and valor? Where did this programming come from? Why do we admire individuals like MacGyver and Bear Grylls the way we do? Do you find this dynamic as fascinating as I do?

Let's take a closer look at some of these fascinating aspects of the "Survivalist Spirit".

Human Spirit

Survival of the Fittest

Overcome Adversity

The Desire to Excel

Our Love for Nature

The Need to Test our Limits

Only when these traits are intertwined with (or perhaps contaminated by) fear, pride, insecurity, or hate do they start manifesting in dark, frightening and destructive ways.

Fear vs. Pragmatism

I want to take a moment to contrast these two words for a moment. You see, to many onlookers, the actions of the typical "survivalist" may appear to be rooted in fear. Fear of a natural disaster, a pandemic flu outbreak, a terrorist attack, economic collapse, etc. But is it fear that motivates the survivalist? Well, of course it depends on the individual in question... but not necessarily. In fact... typically not. Is putting my seat belt on an indication that I am fearful of getting in a car accident? Not at all. Taking precautions is not a very reliable indication of fear.

Fear is an emotion while pragmatism is a state of mind. Being overcome by fear can have a dramatic impact on your actions, and usually this impact is not a positive one. Actions based on fear are typically irrational. Sure, your instincts can kick in and occasionally make up for your inability to reason, but this is not a reliable way to overcome adversity. Informed and rational decisions are always a better option than emotion-based "instinct" driven reactionary decisions.

Pragmatism is a far less emotional and far more objective approach to making decisions. Decisions based on fear are made because of a lack of information or understanding. Pragmatic decisions are informed decisions. We don't always have the luxury to walk into every situation fully prepared and informed... but "survivalists" tend to do what they can to prepare in advance for sticky situations. Many of the skill sets and tools that survivalists as a whole tend to have an inclination for are very practical in almost any survival situation.

Pragmatism vs. Conventionalism

While the words pragmatic and conventional are not truly antonyms, their ideals are often at odds with each other. Conventional wisdom is easy. It is the "herd mentality". Just say, do and believe what everyone is says, does and believes. Th pragmatist is not satisfied with simply mimicking everyone around him. He prefers to weigh each matter case by case and make his own decision about what would result in the best outcome. Sometimes convention turns out to be correct (often for a reason), but the pragmatist realizes that convention is often wrong. In other words... don't neglect storing bottled water for an emergency just because someone else thinks you are weird for doing so.

Connotation... Foolish or Foresighted?

Negative
Positive
Foolish
Foresighted
Paranoid
Prepared
Fearful
Forward Thinking
Eccentric
Pragmatic
Peculiar
Proactive
Crazy
Conscientious
Fanatic
Vigilant
Extreme
Canny
Militant
Prudent
Racist
Adroit
Freak
Cunning
Psychotic
Savvy
Conspiracy Theorist
Adept
Unbalanced
Provident
Unusual
Responsible
Fringe
Prudent
Peculiar
Shrewd
Nuts
Watchful
Impractical
Considered
Foolish
Observant

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