This report was originally published by Selco at The Organic Prepper
When finally the SHTF was over, when peace came it was not like we imagined it.
It was very different from what we imagined it while we were in the middle of the SHTF.
It was different on many levels.
When peace came we didn’t believe it.
During the war, many ceasefires were signed, and many peace treaties, local or countrywide. Many times high delegations from the EU came to our country or in surrounding countries. They held long elaborate peace conferences with local politicians and tried to make some agreements.
When the agreements were made and when we heard about it somehow, we hoped it could work. But it did not so the war continued.
To add to those real conferences and treaties we also had raging misinformation and rumors about peace settlements and treaties that actually never happened. So after some time, and many “peace agreements” while slaughter continued we simply kinda stop believing that it was going to happen.
And then one day one of those treaties kinda worked.
The war stopped.
It was not like it just stopped immediately one day. But through agreements, the shooting stopped, and through a very complicated process (that in a way still lasts) the situation started to move to some new kind of “normal”.
The fighting stopped, but since there were no real winners, it took time for some things.
For example, for months you could not go into some parts of the country with the “wrong” license plate or sticker on your car or similar…
We changed after the SHTF
After prolonged living in the situation that we went through, people changed on many levels, and some of those changes are pretty much irreversible. What is even more important is that some of those changes are transferred to our children, to new generations.
On the mental level, we learned during the collapse that it may be actually dangerous to hope. For example, when it came to peace we were disappointed many times, so people stop hoping, or at least lowered their expectations.
Hope and hoping in dangerous and prolonged situations sounds and looks good, but in reality, it may blur your vision. It may push you to pay attention to things that are not so relevant for your immediate attention.
One day you may find yourself hoping and dreaming so much that you fail to protect your family or obtain food or similar.
It was weird but not hoping may help you to operate better every and each day by taking care of things that need your immediate attention (food, safety, security…). But on the other side, killing hope had a toll on our mental health, I think.
Life without hope is not much of a quality life.
So when peace came, there were whole bunch of people who forgot to feel things.
They were conditioned to operate with a certain mental attitude in order to have the best chances of survival and no peace could change that, at least in the short term.
For a lot of people, it did not change ever.
It was not that peple were not happy because there was peace, but we lost a lot of “ourselves” in that SHTF, so we changed.
You shoot, you run, you are afraid… you are cold and hungry or you are dirty and sweating for days and months…and then one day all stops and you can go and buy things in the shop.
And you think, “I should be happy and yell and sing.” But somehow you are numb and think, “What was all this about and what I am supposed to do now?”
How everyday life changed when the SHTF was over
It took months for some things to get back to normal when it came to infrastructure.
Electric lines in some regions were almost nonexistent anymore. Phone lines, sewage, water system… all that was destroyed or completely messed up. Some regions were so dirty for numerous reasons that diseases spread.
Roads were “opened” but because the infrastructure was bad, the normal circulation of goods did not happen overnight. It took time.
For example, it took some time for all the different goods come in, and prices slowly came back down to “normal”.
For years there were regions and parts of the cities where it was dangerous to go because of mines. Even these days we have here every month or two someone killed because of an old land mine somewhere in the woods.
Still, more than 20 years after everything.
How people were different after surviving the SHTF
People changed.
For a pretty long period, things were handled between people with brute force, and to have a weapon was important like to breathe air.
When peace came, that weapon was still with people, and attidude and old habits changed very slowly.
Even today every respectable home has an assault weapon here, somewere hidden, but close at hand, even though it means 2 years in prison if you are caught.
People learned to use weapons and to “solve” problems with them.
From the point of survival, people learned a lot of good and useful things. I mean, you had a bunch of civilians who over the time learned to operate as a kind of military unit and to use different kinds of weapons, to recognize and use resources in our sourroundings that most people would not even notice.
We learned to protect our homes or invade others if needed.
At the same time, we learned also not to respect authority (goverment) because (very simplified) authority will simply f*ck you when it benefits them to do so and you will be on your own.
Police, goverment, law, become for a lot of people just words. They counted only on themselves because of the experience they went through.
From the survivalist point of view, a lot of good things maybe. But from the point of a normal functional society, a lot of bad things.
If you are a normal law-abiding citizen here, you are in the minority because most people simply use shortcuts in the corrupted society that war produced.
As I said, it is somehow “generational knowledge” so it passed on young people, too. Especially when it comes to not respecting authority.
Paradoxicaly living in a society like that is actually the recipe for a new SHTF. So at the end, it comes to a full circle. The SHTF that brought a corrupted society and people that are trying to survive in it by their own rules, will most probably bring another SHTF.
What to expect after the SHTF ends
After a real and prolonged SHTF, there is no coming back in a lot of things. Not when it comes to how you gonna feel, and actually what man (or woman) you are gonna be.
There may be celebrations, fireworks and whatever, but you will not be the same person. Survival will teach you a lot of things. You will be prepared for a lot of things in future, but even if in your case society and system rebuilds into something good and positive you will still be changed. And some parts of you that were good will be missing.
It is how it works. There are some skills and experiences you cannot gain without paying for them.
***
About the Author
Selco survived the Balkan war of the 90s in a city under siege, without electricity, running water, or food distribution. In his online works, he gives an inside view of the reality of survival under the harshest conditions. He reviews what works and what doesn’t, tells you the hard lessons he learned, and shares how he prepares today. He never stopped learning about survival and preparedness since the war. Regardless what happens, chances are you will never experience extreme situations like Selco did. But you have the chance to learn from him and how he faced death for months. Real survival is not romantic or idealistic. It is brutal, hard and unfair. Let Selco take you into that world. Read more of Selco’s articles here: https://shtfschool.com/blog/ And take advantage of a deep and profound insight into his knowledge and advice by signing up for the outstanding and unrivaled online course. More details here: https://shtfschool.com/survival-boot-camp/
Please feel free to share any information from this article in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to The Organic Prepper and the following bio.
Daisy is a coffee-swigging, gun-toting, homeschooling blogger who writes about current events, preparedness, frugality, and the pursuit of liberty on her websites, The Organic Prepper and DaisyLuther.com She is the author of 4 books and the co-founder of Preppers University, where she teaches intensive preparedness courses in a live online classroom setting. You can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter,.
There is safety in being a political chameleon. If your inadvertently surrounded by a potentially hostile mass mob its best not to argue your differing political views with them at that time. I carried an OBAMA bumper sticker in my glove compartment. If I heard over the radio that something unfortunate happened to him that would create civil disorder on par with post Dr King that bumper sticker would be applied to my vehicles. I don’t need a broken windshield or a key down the side of my auto at the least, or a violent confrontation at worst, that could otherwise be avoided especially when I have family with me that I have a responsibility in protecting.
Who and who’s side wins this “peace” would have great influence in the post domestic politics.
Kevin2, very good point. There is a big difference between being a prepper and a patriot. A prepper seeks to survive, whereas a patriot is one who vigorous supports one’s country.
These two things ARE at cross purposes.
“Who and who’s side wins this “peace” would have great influence in the post domestic politics.”
Absolutely correct! Didn’t Winston Churchill himself say (or write) “it is the victor who writes history”?
What to expect after SHTF is over: a lot of dead liberals, that’s what.
Where is the thumbs up button??!!
Hey, I do the same! I always keep bumper stickers with Black Power figures or hip-hop/rappers just in case. I also have actors face cream and a ‘fro wig just in case. I can go dark in a jiffy.
As for the irreversable changes of shtf, this is very true. Countries hit by the collapse of Communism lost most of their men, either to alcoholism or disease or just broken hearts and souls. The result was the women became ‘convenience sluts’: sluts of convenience. They knew they could never depend on men ever again and so they never did.
On the plus side, a generation of extremely beautiful and smart women was created. They weren’t ruined by loser men who would have made them pregnant and fat and locked them in the kitchen. They strode out into the wider world to make money, screw and generally raise hell. God bless the women Communism created!
From what I’m told by a Belarus native the alcoholism, already somewhat prevalent in Russia / Belarus was dramatically increased by the male survivors of WWII. The men were coddled by the women and their sons, spared the war experience of their fathers mimicked their behavior. The men are drunks, the women are educated. These women look for American men first with British and Italians second.
I almost can’t stop laughing at your first
paragraph!
If there is some sort of civil unrest I am going to disappear in the mountains.
So go kill each other I do not care leave me alone.
This generation coming up is nothing more than a bunch of soft manginas of cuck men, and women who talk a good game but when the shit is on all they do is run and blame someone to bitch at.
So you will not last long in the territory of wolves that will be coming out after your asses.
Lets see you text that when the grid, and everything goes down.
BARF! BARF! BARF!
Also one or two things are going to happen to the church.
Either they will be jam packed or they will be burned ????
It will be a bad situation no matter what happens.
When it’s all over I will come down, and hopefully find some level headed people who have some clear and rational thinking to rebuild.
WITHOUT ANY AUTHORITY LOOKING OVER THEM !
Hey I hope it’s your mountain you are running to. You may not live long. I would like to see people who say that live out of a tent or less for awhile. In my area the chiggers,ticks,hills and heat will take care of most people.
Then the hillbillies will take care of the rest. Watch Deliverance!
The mountainsides will be resounding with “oink, oink!”.
Good point he makes about what the the Gov’t and Law will do to you when it benefits them. I don’t think it is all that different now.
Society is so complex that it will never be the same once things are over. The weak people will die off without meds and doctors. Large population centers will suffer mass die offs due to lack of basics like food and water. Winter weather will kill people off who lack heat Just cleaning up the dead in NY and LA will take months. Tribalism will set one part of society against another for resources. Things will never be the same after that.
But, it used to be tribalism.
Let’s hope there will be enough enclaves, communities with enough level-headed people which will be able to be centers of civilization.
Oddfellow, everything depends on what the catalyst is that would cause a meltdown. What Selco is stalking about is not even close to the many variables here in USA.
Anybody who has been thru a real war or anything close knows you will never be the same again for many reasons. That is not anything new at all. It is also not a negative if you have the right mindset, quite the opposite actually ! That is what most of you here are missing, the correct reference point. You believe the fabricated junk that is not even close to any reality. Laughable actually and some of you even pay for it ?
Let’s hope there will be enough enclaves, communities with enough level-headed people which will be able to be centers of civilization.
We have to remember our roots. How was this country formed? By people coming together to form a society.
I can see this country going wild west in a crisis in a flat minute, I can see the population dropping by 50% or more very quickly. But I can also see a quicker recovery than that of Selco’s situation.
The way our country thinks is totally different than that for the EU countries. We think on a different level.
I have been to Europe and to Russia. The thinking process of people that have been repressed for generations is completely different than that of people that have been raised to think FREE. That’s one of the reasons we as Americans have a hard time understanding other cultures.
Our small towns will band together very quickly, They will lockdown and handle their own problems. Here in Oklahoma we’re used to dealing with disaster. We rebound very quickly.
I know it’s coming, there’s no stopping it, But I think it will stabilize a lot faster than Selco’s country.
Just my opinion.
If Texas and Oklahoma stand together, we won’t have much to fear!
This what is coming to USA one day ! it is inevitable now
https://youtu.be/mmnMgDEp_R0
Shit is breaking down in the western world very rapidly and the DEM/DSA will cause it all to happen one day because they are losing and being exposed. Remember over a month ago I told you the FISA docs would be released and they will !
Like always – Selco, having lived ‘it’ – is stunning in his presentation of a truth that we all may be faced with. So often we talk of what we will do when ‘it’ happens. Little real thought of the aftermath. I read so many articles of those who day-dream of some homestead, ‘Little House on the Prairie’, country-fair swap meets and all that tripe as becoming the new reality. Bull. Flat bull. All of it. To think we’re all going to lay down arms someday and sing ‘kumbaya’ around the campfire with our good ‘Christian’ values first and foremost in our hearts and minds… bull again. It will take generations to heal the wounds that will be created. And for some …… and their descendants …. never will it be forgotten what will take place.
Heartless, obviously you have NOT experienced a real war or anything even close. Selco is just milking the dog with conjecture at nest !
Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war! Against the Liberals that is.
SHTF ends when the shelves at Wallys gets re-stocked, and you no longer see roving bands of armed thugs wandering past yiur house.
For most of us, irritation usually involves people.
Do not give too many details about yourself since virtually all of them
you can get are complete strangers. A person’s self image depends exactly how
to he sees himself. https://bid.hortonauction.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/7506/lot/952118/?url=https://cuci.today
“Know your enemies and know your self and in one hundred battles you will not be in peril” from The Art of War. If the enemy is without honor when does the war end? If the enemy lies will a treaty be honored?
it aint goin to end the way you think.the beginnin of the end is coming in stealthily,quietly,peacefully,prosperously.its goin to be subtle.no blowing up shit,a bombs turnin shit to dust.you know like that feelin you get whenyour really high and dont give a shit.kinda like now but not quite there yetwow man that is some gooood shit!