Wide Spread Disaster - Would you Help or Would you Loot?

It is seen in the aftermath of numerous natural disasters; be it earthquakes, tsunamis, war and even 911. Acts of kindness ranging from checking in on seniors to sharing resources tells me that overall; people need people. Where millions of people are found without power, there was compassion. There is a long history of cooperation in the face of crisis, and considering that before the advent of electricity around 1880, people relied on community and the basics of sharing within their community to mutually survive.

Our exceptional situation in the West, one that draws most conveniences from electricity, puts a twist on how society will behave during a long-term crisis. Most young people in the West have little experience living without the luxury of electricity. This presents a new paradigm, and turns me into the ultimate contrarian. How the newer generation will behave is hard to predict; would they seek out skilled elders? I know I would! Would they riot and loot? Even so there were acts of kindness during Hurricane Sandy, the sad truth is that there were groups trying to organize looting sprees. But these looting aspirations were being organized though social media. When social media is no longer available because of an EMP or CME, or other reasons causing the internet to be shut down, the current method of their organization will be fatally hampered. Of course people can organize looting sprees without social media.

I am here to advocate that people need people and in a prolonged crisis, and that survival is dependent on cooperation.

Disasters bring out the humanity in people.

I have spent thousands of hours instructing young adults on a one-to-one basis. I noticed, as you can expect, that there are attentive and non-attentive young adults out there. But I was surprised at the over-all number of 'environmentally conscience' young adults out there! Regrettably however, these days I come across too many uninspired young adults which, brings me again to the question, 'How will the newer generation behave in a prolonged crisis?

Remarkably, there are people among us that are buying, collecting and storing supplies for others in the event of a disaster. These preppers not only prepare for themselves, they stock supplies for their immediate communities! Attentive young, middle aged and seniors, they see some of the warning signs around the world. Seniors still remember their families making soap, making clothes, and preserving foods.

People need people, and the more skills and resources a community can muster, the better they will fair in the face of disaster.

I don't need to tell you that people in a large-scale catastrophic event are far safer in numbers. Everyone can have a job to do! You may need a dentist, a gardener or any other number of resources that will help keep you alive. There is so much to do during a long term crisis; hunt and gather, cook, child birth, build and secure. It would strain a single couple to the max.

The skills you have, could keep you and you community alive

Just as there are people preparing for themselves and others, there are also groups building survival communities. These survival communities include Ham Radio Operators, Doctors, Metal Smiths, Gardeners, you name it. With the thought of contribution, ask yourself; "what skill do I have, or can I learn, that could keep me and my group save?"

You may be wondering what type of destruction would likely cause such a wide spread crisis.
Consider these 4:

• World-wide economic collapse
• Natural disaster
• War
• Epidemic

What would you do? Help or Loot?

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by @susieisms