by the author of The Prepper’s Water Survival Guide and Three Miles
Should things completely go sideways, every prepper knows that violent chaos will ensue. Not only will folks do things they’d never ordinarily do in order to feed their families, but some people will give into their base instincts. There are a lot of people out there who are only restrained by the prospect of severe consequences if they were to do what they truly want to do.
All of this means that security post-SHTF is essential. Whether it’s your small suburban homestead, your place in the country, or a billionaire bunker, any place people have hunkered down with supplies and resources to survive could be subject to attack. This is something Selco wrote about in-depth in his books, and it’s really just a matter of when, not if, after a societal collapse that this kind of violence erupts.
Most of us have a plan to defend our homes and retreats. But what about those mysterious ultra-wealthy preppers who are putting plans into place? How do they intend to keep their elite properties safe?
Unsurprisingly, they don’t think like the rest of us.
Douglas Rushkoff wrote a fascinating article for the UK Guardian in which he shares a meeting he had with five extremely rich tech and hedge fund investors. Rushkoff writes about the impact of digital technology on our lives and is often tapped to speak with investors regarding the future of technology. For the sake of this conversation, let’s forget about the fact that Rushkoff is a self-proclaimed Marxist.
When he was invited to meet with “ultra-wealthy stakeholders” way out in the desert, his curiosity was piqued.
The conversation quickly veered away from technology and toward doom. They wondered about their bunkers, their locations, and the most likely end-of-the-world scenario to strike.
Then came the discussion surrounding security.
“How do I maintain authority over my security force after the event?”
This seems to be the point at which the paths of ordinary preppers and CEOs of brokerage houses diverge. Most of the folks I know plan to hunker down with a trusted community of close friends and family. The concept of maintaining authority has never really crossed my mind. (Is that just me?) When you’re cooperating with a team, vs. hiring a team, I suppose the outlook is different.
Anyway, the question above took up an hour of the conversation. Rushkoff wrote:
They knew armed guards would be required to protect their compounds from raiders as well as angry mobs. One had already secured a dozen Navy Seals to make their way to his compound if he gave them the right cue. But how would he pay the guards once even his crypto was worthless? What would stop the guards from eventually choosing their own leader?
The billionaires considered using special combination locks on the food supply that only they knew. Or making guards wear disciplinary collars of some kind in return for their survival. Or maybe building robots to serve as guards and workers – if that technology could be developed “in time”.
Ummm…did they just suggest putting shock collars on Navy Seals?
You know you have a completely different outlook on life when someone blithely suggests that the best way to gain loyalty from a fellow human being is by putting a collar on them and torturing them into compliance. Is it just that high-finance executives look at others as resources? Or that they’re accustomed to having full authority over other people?
And does any of that even matter? This philosophy tells you everything you need to know about these people.
Rushkoff tried appealing to their humanity.
I tried to reason with them. I made pro-social arguments for partnership and solidarity as the best approaches to our collective, long-term challenges. The way to get your guards to exhibit loyalty in the future was to treat them like friends right now, I explained. Don’t just invest in ammo and electric fences, invest in people and relationships. They rolled their eyes at what must have sounded to them like hippy philosophy.
This is what most of us would do – build relationships. But this is not how other people think.
Powerful people will still want to be powerful.
My takeaway from this is simple:
The folks who consider themselves “the elite” right now have every intention of remaining “the elite” after it hits the fan. And then, they won’t be restrained by pesky labor laws, the potential of being charged with human rights violations, and basic morality.
The article goes on to praise the plans of JC Cole, a former president of the American chamber of commerce in Latvia. Cole agreed that the best way to ensure loyalty was treating people decently. His plan honestly sounds a lot like that of the average prepper – it’s one of community.
JC showed me the “layered security” protocols he had learned designing embassy properties: a fence, “no trespassing” signs, guard dogs, surveillance cameras … all meant to discourage violent confrontation. He paused for a minute as he stared down the drive. “Honestly, I am less concerned about gangs with guns than the woman at the end of the driveway holding a baby and asking for food.” He paused, and sighed, “I don’t want to be in that moral dilemma.”…
JC is no hippy environmentalist but his business model is based in the same communitarian spirit I tried to convey to the billionaires: the way to keep the hungry hordes from storming the gates is by getting them food security now. So for $3m, investors not only get a maximum security compound in which to ride out the coming plague, solar storm, or electric grid collapse. They also get a stake in a potentially profitable network of local farm franchises that could reduce the probability of a catastrophic event in the first place. His business would do its best to ensure there are as few hungry children at the gate as possible when the time comes to lock down.
His idea isn’t a novel one, but it’s probably difficulty to fathom for the billionaires that Rushkoff went to see.
A futuristic feudal society?
Imagine a world in which people think fitting shock collars on their security teams is a reasonable course of action. Now imagine those people are in charge, and they’re unfettered by laws and media exposure. In their ideal scenario, we’d be looking at a new-age feudal system, where they have all the power and the rest of us have to kowtow in order to eat.
Freeze-dried food for thought, isn’t it?
It’s a system that has occurred throughout the history of the world, over and over again, when a few had the power of life and death over the many. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that if some folks had their way, it would happen again.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you have a security philosophy you want to share in the comments? Would you ever hire yourself out to people to handle security in return for safety? Let’s discuss this in the comments.
A future feudal society where the few ultra powerful control the fates of everybody else? I can think of about 300 million reasons that won’t work like they plan – reasons with names like Ruger, Smith and Wesson, Colt, etc, in addition to all those sweet young things at the end of the driveway. As for the shock collar, it might work once or twice, until Special Operator Joe figures out how to remove the battery, then where’s the incentive? Face it, big boss man, you’re only there as long as your own security crew tolerates you.
OTOH, remember that gilded age robber baron Jay Gould, who said he could hire half the working class to kill the other half? His descendants have F-15’s, attack helicopters, and no more scruples than the old school elites. Fun times ahead – get ready now.
I thought more Preppers understood that this is the Elites plan: To reintroduce the old Feudal system and to make serfs out of us. That is the whole reason behind SHTF. You can not drastically remake a society like ours with out a lot of discontent. Unless you wear the people down with War, Famine and such terribleness, that they will gladly submit to whatever system is offered, in order to get peace and to survive.
Although some these rich guys would be the local “Lords” over us. Most will not fair much better than us, unless they are part of the International group.
At Least I believe that that is the plan.
SHTF will be an Engineered event. The stage is almost set. Look at the World economy, the unrest of most countries citizens, the divisions that have sprung up. If you do not realize that this is all by design, then you are in trouble.
The True Elite, the handful of Families that control 90% of the worlds wealth and have for generations, they are behind this. They control the “evil” world corporations, the Politicians(on both sides of the aisle) and thus National policies and the Media to run propaganda. Elections are stolen, to get the ” right” candidates in power, the who will advance their program.
How do you think that so many nations are in bad shape financially, have similar unrest and divisions, etc. It is to much to be just coincidence.
America is the main holdout, but it too will fall before long.
Looters and gangs and War Lords are just the short term SHTF problem, this is the long term one.
You really think the “True” elites, control or have a plan by design that controls Putin? Xi? The Saudis? The Swedes? Iran?
Seems to me any control they supposedly have is nothing more than an illusion.
COVID proved that.
Nearly half of American’s said, “No.” to the Jab. You could add a few million more if it were not they were blackmailed into the jab with Biden’s No Jab! No Job! policy.
My wife was one of them.
The CDC has quietly done a near 180 on all their previous guidelines. They do not even recognize the difference between the vaccinated and those with natural immunity.
If these so called “True” elites (who are they exactly? People mention them, but never seem to have name to point to or make vague historical references) why would their “design” be to undo the West lead uni-polar world (via the dollar as the world reserve currency and the petro-dollar), for a multi-polar world (a result of the Ukraine/Russia war, sanctions against Russia, Russia and China’s move toward a gold/commodity based trading system that circumvents the West’s fiat currency). Note the Saudis, Egypt, and Turkey have all applied for entry to the BRICS. This new monetary system is not one in which the “True” elites are in charge. Been noted a number of Russian oligarchs have had accidents recently, the most recent “fell” off a boat at high speed. In China, they just disappear. Do I really need to mention what happens in Saudi Arabia? Or Iran?
What is the cause of financial instability various countries are experiencing?
Bad policy made by politicians. Look at the energy crisis the UK and the EU is facing. All done by bad decisions by their politicians to go green, while beholden to cheap Russian energy. Then put sanctions on the Russia’s for the Ukraine war. Talk about cutting your nose off your own face.
What is this wealth they have?
As previously mentioned, the dollar is a fiat currency. Backed by what exactly? Faith and confidence in the US treasury? Reading recent polling, faith and confidence in dang near every US institution is at all time lows. Inflation is eroding the worth of the dollar every day. We see it at the pump or the check out at the grocery store.
What will the dollar be worth during or after SHTF?
So Bill Gates owns a whole lot of land. That would be real wealth.
As preppers noted before, can he hold all that land from his underground bunker in the middle of nowhere?
“A plan by design that controls Putin? Xi? The Saudis? The Swedes? Iran?” There may or may not be a unified international cabal of ‘Elite’. More than likely, different competing/cooperating groups, just like gangs/governments have always done. And all ruling gangs have Continuation of ‘Government’ contingency plans.
From my past experience with the government as a DoD contractor, I take a degree of comfort knowing how inept they are.
Based off what I am seeing/reading (COVID response too), the Western world governments are just as inept. Their in-actions or better put, their actions will be the cause of great turmoil, suffering, social unrest, and even economic depression.
Not some far off prediction, but within the next year or so.
I do not expect the US to be exempt from the food and energy contagion. Might not feel it as bad as the UK or the EU, but we will feel it.
Yep, lots of idiots refused the jab. They insisted that Smallpox, Polio, etc. resolved their own pandemic horrors by mysterious genetic controls, or by luck, or because some deity intervened, or because those deaths weren’t really caused by the asserted illness but rather were from instead some underlying disorder. The scientists who created vaccines were buffoons, we should disregard their proclamations because it was only the internet gurus communicating with smoke signals who completely understood the dynamics back then, just like now. And I suppose they are still using smoke signals, because the internet is a myth.
The populations in the Far East had far fewer deaths from Covid because they’re genetically superior, and not because of the very timely controls they imposed as a result of lessons learned from the SARS epidemic they suffered a couple of decades ago, and from which they learned adopted rational reactive plans. We even learned from that pandemic, though we were spared the worst of the outbreak. We implemented a system for future life-saving reaction. But then Drumpf closed down that intelligent response system, and we lost more than a million people as a result, while the foresighted fortunate Far East folks fared far better… to alliterate my frustration. Facts and science can certainly be discarded, as they so often are. But the ultimate result is often disastrous.
While we have a long ways to go, we have been learning a lot about human cognition. The results so far are discouraging, since we see that humans are predisposed to react emotionally rather than rationally when confronted with problems. And the more serious the perceived problem, the greater the likelihood of irrational response. Fascists like Hitler & Mussolini achieved great success because people were swept up in their absurd assertions. People make lousy choices due to the largely poor design of our cerebral systems. To be fair, our brains worked great when we lived in caves. But they haven’t kept up with our social and technological evolution. Look how many people get married… and, yes, I’m kidding about that last assertion. People can be rational. But they way too are often not. The Earth turns out to be flat after all. And evolution is a myth perpetrated by anti-religious extremists. We faked the moon landings… etc. Such views as those appear to be the perception of far too many voters.
Agreed. it’s all around us, just need to recognize it, the fan is turning. When will the two collide ? Hopefully if the Khazarians can be stopped by the Patriots, the darkside can be stopped at Ukraine and it will go no further. MAGA PATRIOTS!
Initially, I found the idea hysterical.
Here you are, Mr. or Mrs. elite, in you underground multi-story bunker with years of freeze dried food. You brought along a hand full of staff to cook and clean, heaven forbid you do it yourself!
And your security team.
Pay them in what? Crypto? No electricity, no crypto (see recent events in the Ukraine, where Russian forces targeted sub-stations and half the country is now dark)!
Gold? They are in a underground bunker in the middle of now where! Where are they going to spend it? At the “elite’s” company store (ref: Early 1900s company script and company stores for their . . . employees)?
And what is to prevent the help and security from revolting against Mr. or Mrs. elite?
Then I got to thinking, we have read about other schemes by groups of elites, hunkered down in mega-underground bunkers, all together in close quarters.
Sounds like the opening plot for a bad Hollywood horror movie or video game.
The article did provide some interesting insight into these people’s way of thinking. Do they really expect to emerge from their bunkers, take charge, and lead the rest of us unwashed masses (who survived on the surface by our wits, strength of character, determination, and grit) to some new society where, oh, by the way, they are in charge?
Like to think most of the survivors would look at Mr. Elite and say,
“You and those like you are the cause for SHTF. No thank you, we are just fine.”
Your last paragraph says in a nutshell behind the idea and mind set of the Coggers (Continuation of Government). They expect the survivors of any disaster to just roll over and accept their edicts “for the greater good” and be happy. There will be a small subset who will relish someone else making their decisions for them but their will be another subset that will tell them to pound sand. The vast majority will go to either camp in their own interests.
In 1972 I joined the US Navy specifically so I could get into BUDS Seal training. I didn’t make it, like about 90 percent of the initial group of volunteers. Even a Seal washout like me, if someone tried to put a shock collar on my neck? You better have a bunch of real Seals working on that.
I think the elites will do better than most of us initially but eventually all but the superfortress folks will be in trouble like the rest of us.
Thank you for your service and the guts to try out for BUDS. Few realize what it takes to take on that challenge.
What do mean “when or if” , the proverbial “shock collar” has been used many times . Just look at the mass responsees that are happenning all around you and that have been happenning ! The pandeic … the riots … attacks on the food producers … the supply chain … our schools … all of these things were started with a little ” PUSH” by people who “THINK ” that they are in-charge .
It has always been that way . If you don’t beleive that , open your eyes and look at history with this in mind . That is why history is not taught like it used to be taught .
These things always have a bad ending , somtimes one way , sometimes another.
BE PREPARED …
If the elites want an assurance that the security team will protect them, bring their immediate families into the compound with them. Yes, it means stocking more resources, but they have the money to do it.
This is what my husband did back in Vietnam. He was in the 5th Special Forces working as an advisor at remote South Vietnamese camp in the early years. A problem arose when the guards in the towers would turn the guns on the troops inside the camp if it appeared that they were in danger of being overrun by the VC.
Being an underwater demolition guy, his first solution was to set charges and blow up the guys in the tower when they tried to do it the next time. He was called to Saigon and told that wasn’t a good plan diplomatically and to come up with something else.
That is when he decided to only choose men for the towers who had families, and to bring those families inside of the base to live among the troops. Those men in the towers had no wish to shoot their own families and were more inclined to vigorously defend the camp from being overrun. Problem solved.
Every organized social group since the age of man has had someone or a group of people that have tried to subjugate others to their will. A ruling class member uses warriors to carry out their directives, to do what they can not do or are unwilling to do themselves. In exchange the warrior class receives respect and privilege within their group and larger society. Using a collar that controls a warrior to ensure servitude seems questionable. What would be gained by the warrior in return for this humiliating service. At this point they are basically a slave, not synonymous with warrior. I could never see true Alpha-type individuals subjecting themselves to this scenario. A classic example of the weakness inherent to the elites, thinking that others will accept this. When the true SHTF actually goes down, the strong will rise to take what they want, collars or no collars. Build your relationships now. Seek out alphas as friends and partners. Better yet, become one yourself.
– Northern Survivalist
Northern Survivalist,
That is an interesting idea: Become a alpha.
When I think of a alpha, I think of the 80s stereotype of a loud mouth, arrogant, high school/college jock.
However, it was not till much later in life (with a degree of shaping from the Marines), I became aware I was a alpha-type. Has more to do with how one carries oneself, has commanding presence (even when not trying), character.
To this day, I still render the appropriate greeting of the day, offer assistance when I think it may be needed, even open the door for a lady when I can. I say please, and thank you. Unless someone needs motivation of the yelling and four letter word kind, I will still do the same when SHTF.
I knew a Marine who thought leadership (alpha) was barking orders, insulting and humiliating his Marines. He used to give me crap about saying please and thank you to my Marines. I told him one day, his Marines obey his orders because he outranks them, and they have too. My Marines follow my orders because I respect them, and they respect me.
He did not talk to me much after that. Go figure.
Point is, cultivate relationships with quality people of strong character. Granted, in SHTF, people can change under stress. Those who have past experience with adverse conditions tend to do better than those who do not.
But people can surprise you.
Right on!!
Well said!!
Ever since there were small groups of no more than 15 hominids, there have been Alpha males and females. This is also true in groups of other animals. The alphas evolved into chiefs, lords, kings, presidents, and along the way evolved from the strongest and most aggressive, to those that were intelligent enough to sway or pay others to do their bidding. Now, there are the Uber Rich, they are psychopats, and they are killing all of us.
Hard to argue that.
Well said.
1stMarineJarHead
“Point is, cultivate relationships with quality people of strong character…..Those who have past experience with adverse conditions tend to do better than those who do not.” – well said.
Northern Survivalist,
While I was rucking this afternoon, I got to thinking on your premise: Become a alpha.
In one of my NCO courses on leadership, the question was presented: Is leadership something that one is born with? Or something that can be learned?
There was no definitive, nor was there supposed to. Just something to contemplate as young NCOs.
However, I look back at what I think may have shaped my own experience: Books.
I read a lot.
Usually sci-fi, fantasy, fiction, and horror.
One thing that stood out to me most was the basic story line of a young person, of low or insignificant birth who is forced into an extraordinary circumstance (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Sword of Shannara). This person has to over come great adversity both of physical hardship and mental. He or she has the help of friends or allies to overcome various trials and tribulations, sometimes with the help of a magic talisman. Often there is great peril involved. The fight of good vs evil, right vs wrong is as old as the written word going back to the time of Beowulf.
Regardless, this person rises to the occasion, makes the right choice (good vs evil) and over comes the adversity some times at great cost.
Is any of this reflective in reality? Of course not.
But stories like these can and do shape minds.
Northern Survivalist, I would be interested in you opinion on the topic.
1stMarineJarHead,
I think you hit the nail on the head when you reference military experience. While I know not everyone wants to or can join the military, it is a good place to learn about taking on more responsibility for others, or leadership. There are many ways to become a leader throughout one’s life. When we hear the call is variable. Some people never do. In difficult situations all kinds of people can and do step up. The individual characteristics of each of us aids in deciding when that happens, if it happens. This is what I mean about becoming alpha. Anyone can decide to take control of their life, to eat better, to develop their bodies, to seek training, to build their mind, skills, whatever. There are those of us who do, more of us should, most of us don’t. The ones who do, unfortunately, usually end up defending the ones who don’t, or taking from them what they want. Individual ethics decide if you are good or evil. True in fiction, true in life.
Northern Survivalist
These super-rich are deliberately creating the famines and disasters. The last thing they want is to befriend their inferiors with strange qualities like integrity, love or mercy. Of course they rolled their eyes. If you know any SEALS, Green Berets, etc that might have been suckered into one of these agreements, use this article to warn them. And do not attempt to get their supplies. You don’t want to breathe the same AIR!
It won’t only be the security team they try to put collars on, but everyone ‘under’ them.
There will always be those who try to make others submit, and there will always be those that resist.
That is why I took great pride in the number of Americans, and even those in other countries to said, “No.” to the jab, masks, lockdowns and even those who protested.
Seems the human spirit/will just might be greater than those who want to put us under their collar.
It has been noted that some EU governments are already trying to frame anyone who protests against high food or energy costs as being far-right extremists.
Some 70k Czechs already have been labeled as such.
no jab for me or mine, i like your mindset
Ever read the book, Lucifer’s Hammer, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle? It is one book of many on my book shelves.
In the story, there is a rich kid who inherited all of his fortune. He has a “commune” in the hills.
At the onset of events, it is all well and good, commune like living.
Later, his fellow commune like denizens decide he is not socialist like enough, and kick him out of his own property.
I seem to recall a coffee shop and a bar that experienced the exact same, in the real world. Not fiction.
The part where after Hot Fudge Sunday, a child whines that he wants to watch TV, but there is no TV to watch as the grid is down. His father tells the child TV is no more.
The child continues to whine.
The father then slaps the child hard across the face.
Another character reacts of how brutal the action is.
The father response is this is how life is now.
Those who roll their eyes at the idea of making their security people into friends have NO IDEA about how the dynamics of power will change after any big break. They think they have real authority and will keep it because they have it now. Normalcy bias, I suppose. They have no idea that power will be a matter of physical and moral suasion, not the office or income-hierarchy ladder they’re getting it from now. It will be either physical power or a trust and loyalty relationship they don’t have and, it seems, don’t know how to generate.
I have no sympathy for them.
If we are going to use shock collars, I suggest we use them on our politicians.
When they screw up, we zap them.
LMAO!!!
The idea of using shock collars on USN Seals sounds like about as good an idea as Dr. Evil using sharks with laser beams attached to their heads to kill Austin Powers.
While taking in your staff and security teams family’s and seeing that they are fed and housed as well as possible while training with your security team so that you have some clue what’s going on and helping out otherwise would work out best long term; we all know they really want to put slave collars on everyone. They would probably prefer the exploding collars from the movie “The Running Man”. Interesting times ahead.
Shock Collars on SHTF Security Personnel is nonsense. Shock collars are for dogs or slaves. No employee of any company much less a security guard would agree to having a shock collar around their neck.
Any so called Elite who thinks putting shock collars on their security guards is a good idea is just plain stupid. And there is no cure for stupid.
Fun fact.
Yes Mr. Elite Sir I agree to having a shock collar around my neck. And everyone in my highly trained ex Navy SEAL, Green Beret, Ranger, Special Forces team also agrees. Unbeknownst to Mr. Stupid I mean Mr. Elite my team has highly skilled operators in security electronics including shock collars.
Oh no SHTF just happened Mr. Elite. We need to go to full lock down and take you to the secure room where you will be in charge and can watch every thing. Full lock down protocols have been completed. The bunker is completely isolated. Everything is secure. Time to implement operation Trading Places. You guessed it. We generously decided to donate our expensive highly effective shock collar to Mr. Elite and his team and take control. And in return for our generosity Mr. Elite has signed a mountain of paperwork and even made a video granting us complete ownership of all of his assets. Like I said. There is no cure for stupid.
And can we stop calling them the elite. Elite implies that they are our superiors. I think PTB or the 1% is a better label.
It takes humility to accept that sooner or later we all succumb to death, in one way or another, but still be happy. When Geronimo was asked by visiting tourists if he had any regrets, he would reply that he did not sleep well because he would see the faces of the children he had killed. Lots of money and resources won’t help.
Ultimately the answer to an economic collapse, rich or poor, is believe in our father in heaven. The truth is once you have wrol it’s the natural leader in charge of the security forces that is in charge. The monied man has little. I’ve suggested in a post elsewhere that if you hire security make sure they take their oath to our constitution seriously – at least those at the top. I hear you can find them among Rangers and Marines.
When the Roman Empire collapsed, principalities formed, controlled by the Borgias, Medicis and others. Machiavelli explains in ‘The Prince’ that they would hire the best bodyguards from Swiss soldiers (considered the best soldiers in the world at that time). The problem was that too often these bodyguards did not perform well because a large paycheck wasn’t worth dying for. The Borgias, Medicis etc. resigned themselves to this and hired them anyway.
Die-for-you loyalty can not be bought.
“Flash Gordon” movies from the 50s wearing control collars.