NationStates Jolt Archive

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.

I've got some pretty sweet bo staff skills.

Err....I have helped farm blueberries?
I am decently quick thinking and have good reflexes? I'm willing to work for food?

If I could, I would try to make my way up to Maine to the town where my extended family owns a ton of land, there are still many farms and people are generally cool, if backwards.

I have a comprehensive array of skills ...

Nunchuck skills ... bowhunting skills ... computer hacking skills. You know, the works.

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.
Being smart I believe would be a very important asset.

I'll just live off of others.

Would the fact that I already have plans made for what I would do to establish my own small community in such a situation qualify me as useful?

Research skills (knowledge will be power in these situations)
Some wilderness survival skills (Eagle scout)
Read lots of books involving situations like this (hence the plans)
pretty good well rounded education (history, politics, anthropology, ect.)

Gardening skills
"Small government" skills (small administration tasks as would be required for small colonies and such)

I can live off the land, hunting and gathering and all. I also have knowledge in electrical works, such as installing wires and all that hoolah. Im also good luck, and that could help repopulate :D

I can hunt and trap, I can fish with a gill net or otherwise, I am familiar with what plants are edible and which are not...I have a basic knowledge of herbal medicine. I can build shelters, I can cure hides, I can smoke meat. I can farm as well, I know how to store most veggies over the winter, how to dry beans properly etc. If I can scavange some glass containers, I could likely make preserves as well. I can make fires, cook well on them, etc. Living off the land baby, it's my specialty.

I'm also very, very sexy in buckskin, and I don't mind bathing in cold water, so make that sexy, and smelling fine.

I can cook. More to the point, I can feed 10 people with a pound of hamburger, an ear of corn, a tomato and a cup of rice.

I've actually pondered this question before. Not very - i'm able bodied (if not overly strong), and i'm intelligent enough to figure out solutions to problems and learn whatever new skills are required of me. But I fully expect that they'd be willing to throw me aside anyway, as i'm not unique enough to be much of an asset. I don't think i'm quite charismatic enough to persuade people otherwise (even less so if they're people who actually know me).

Would the fact that I already have plans made for what I would do to establish my own small community in such a situation qualify me as useful?

That depends on how likely those plans could be put into effect. Are you a natural leader?

That depends on how likely those plans could be put into effect. Are you a natural leader?
Some experiance with leadership,think would be better trying to get by advising friends I have who I would consider better at it. Besides one of the first things one many would want in a situation like this will be some direction, even if it is to an extent an organised plan for getting to a better area, defensibly/ long term survival/ect, and the types of things one would need to gather ahead of time. I have other skills that would also let me hopefully get accepted into a group if I can't get one of my own or at least a partnership/democracy setup of some sort. If I can get out of the city with some other people I think we could do pretty well at least in the short term. I already know who most of the people are I would try and recruit, mostly friends so I figure it wouldn't be to imposible to convince them to go along, and they have skills that could help. Still, I'm hesitant to put my chances to high, I'd say about average for most people maybe a tiny bit better since I have considered the question. Besides that I cold probably make it as a reasonably useful follower if I can find a reasonably sized group, hence getting out of the city with useful tools and recources (survival, farming, ect. books) being a priority.

I used to be into ham radio, so there's that.. manual labor and entertainment (music) in a pinch. I can weld and drive a truck, if that's useful.

I can hunt and trap, I can fish with a gill net or otherwise, I am familiar with what plants are edible and which are not...I have a basic knowledge of herbal medicine. I can build shelters, I can cure hides, I can smoke meat. I can farm as well, I know how to store most veggies over the winter, how to dry beans properly etc. If I can scavange some glass containers, I could likely make preserves as well. I can make fires, cook well on them, etc. Living off the land baby, it's my specialty.

I'm also very, very sexy in buckskin, and I don't mind bathing in cold water, so make that sexy, and smelling fine.

I almost want you :p:fluffle:

I think I'm pretty usefull. I know how to garden, recognize plants, and cook. I have very agile hands and have good coordination - I've always been good at crafts and handiwork. I'm smart enough to learn about things, and I'm good at talking. But - like Kanabia, I don't know if much of this is oustanding enough to matter much in a post-apocalyptic world. I can't see myself living off the land with no help or guidance.

I think I'm pretty usefull. I know how to garden, recognize plants, and cook. I have very agile hands and have good coordination - I've always been good at crafts and handiwork. I'm smart enough to learn about things, and I'm good at talking. But - like Kanabia, I don't know if much of this is oustanding enough to matter much in a post-apocalyptic world. I can't see myself living off the land with no help or guidance.

You're from BC. Cultivate (haha) some pot contacts now, and soon you'll be the Queen of the Post Apocalyptic world.

Mercenary. Definitely.

But seriously, I've a long family history of small scale farming, including several small scale farms currently owned and operated by close relatives on which I have done work for most of my youth. I can make the Small Agrarian Landowner transition fairly easily.

I'm an excellent sycophant. I'm good at kissing the asses of the powerful and working my way up in the ranks to a position of relative power (the power behind the throne and all that). Of course, in reality it's more of an attempt to preserve my own sybaritic lifestyle than any real desire for influence.

I'm also good at advising and working out the possible consequences of decisions, and I can work hard if it needs to be done.

You're from BC. Cultivate (haha) some pot contacts now, and soon you'll be the Queen of the Post Apocalyptic world.
No mater how hungry and deprived people all, there will always be a market for conciousness-altering substances eh? Though I'm probably the least connected person for that purpose. I'm so innocent that ...well I can't think of an analogy, but I'm innocent.

I volunteer too spearhead the repopulation effort. Its taking one for the team, but I guess i'm just courageous that sense... Ladies, i'll be in the bomb shelter.

Languages would be my only marketable skill, really.

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.
everyone is useful in that situation. even if it's to be a body to haul stuff around. everyone who is willing to work is useful.

and in that situation, I am willing to work, thus I am useful.

I volunteer too spearhead the repopulation effort. Its taking one for the team, but I guess i'm just courageous that sense... Ladies, i'll be in the bomb shelter.

and Ladies, I'll be holding the keys and access codes to that bomb shelter... :p

All of my skills are computer based, so without electricity I would pretty much be screwed.:(

All of my skills are computer based, so without electricity I would pretty much be screwed.:(

IF you're female, New Ausha is waiting in his bomb shelter for you... :D

and Ladies, I'll be holding the keys and access codes to that bomb shelter... :p

*Golf club too crotch*


*Takes keys, golf clubs panel*

Alright, who's first?

IF you're female, New Ausha is waiting in his bomb shelter for you... :D

*looks up*

Alrighty, lets begin. *Doors slam shut*

*Golf club too crotch*


*Takes keys, golf clubs panel*

Alright, who's first?
*squeek*
*thud*

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.

If you ever gets trapped in a bottomless quagmire of thick, sticky mud, who else would you want involved in the rescue? :)

i'll be a Mercenary an ask for my pay to be food, a bed and a good looking woman to keep my bed warm

I can steal a boat...

...this will get me to an island with no people, where the fish are gullible, and the fruit falls frequently.

Beach bum, FTW!

(In reality, I'd be alright, but I'd prefer to start moving my way south...it get's cold here in the winter!)

strong, fast, bit stealthy when I need to be, able to navigate woods, can use a sextant, decent bowman, easily trained, can build shelters and fires, not afraid to drink my own urine...



....



WHAT?!

I would be useful because I have a knack for technology, I learn fast, I'm trained in the use of several different weapons, and I've gone through survival training. I could make shelters and tools, survive, and fight if need be. Exactly what would be needed.

not afraid to drink my own urine...

Ah. Now see, there's something you don't have in common with your twin.

Ah. Now see, there's something you don't have in common with your twin.

wanna bet ;)

wanna bet ;)

Ah, no. :eek:

Ah, no. :eek:

muahahahahahha...thats right. Even with this, we're the same
as in, neither of us drink their own urine, to my knowledge.

Gahahahahahaha. I'm an actress. I'm about as useless as they come.

Gahahahahahaha. I'm an actress. I'm about as useless as they come.

know how to dance

know how to dance

Nope. That's my weak point. But I can sing!

Gahahahahahaha. I'm an actress. I'm about as useless as they come.

so you will be seeing New Ausha next then, I take it... :p

Nope. That's my weak point. But I can sing!
you can't dance ,so the only thing left is \/ sorry
so you will be seeing New Ausha next then, I take it... :p

muahahahahahha...thats right. Even with this, we're the same
as in, neither of us drink their own urine, to my knowledge.

*twitches*

Well I pick up things quickly and can do them competently. I don't have any real problem with living in discomfort and I also know how to fish. If all else fails I could used as a food source.

so you will be seeing New Ausha next then, I take it... :p

Oh, is that what you think?

Oh, is that what you think?

if you can clean work for me

dam warp to 48

Gahahahahahaha. I'm an actress. I'm about as useless as they come.

Nonsense, you can mimic other people with your acting abilities. :D

Oh, is that what you think?

>.>


<.<


I owe him one for the Golf Club shot anyway... Do whatever you want...

but please convince an electrician to permently lock him inside his bunker. :p

If you ever gets trapped in a bottomless quagmire of thick, sticky mud, who else would you want involved in the rescue? :)
Good mudder folks such as yerself? :D

Good mudder folks such as yerself? :D

Exactly! There will always be mud, and there will always occasionally be people falling in and becoming stuck in it. Therefore, there will always be a place for me and my unique skills. :)

I'd do ok, I'm pretty resourcefull and clever. I'm a decent shot with bow and arrow so I could hunt, I can manage myself and others in the wilderness and I also got skills in emergency medicine and firefighting. Summan av kardemumman, I'd be a productive part of the new world order:)

I've been trained as a professional hairstylist, and I know some of the ooooold school egyptian techniques of styling with mud and dying hair with various amazingly toxic natural products, so I'll be useful to the mens who wants the womens to look good.

Aside from that, I'm incredibly fertile (my goodness, you have no idea) and a fairly decent fire-top cook. Once we get things up and running again one of my ultimate favorite things to do is be an office paper-girl, the filing and the shredding and the copying and and and I love it! -- that'll be useful for the period before we can build computers again, and then I can do data transfer.

only half of me is.

I can hunt and trap......is that useful in this situation?

I also worked on a farm during the summers growing up, so I know a bit about that too.

The rest of my skills would be useless I think.

everyone is useful in that situation. even if it's to be a body to haul stuff around. everyone who is willing to work is useful.


Not in this context. We're talking about a situation in which people are in vast, vast, vast oversupply. There is zero shortage of labor, but food, medicine are in dire scarcity. It will simply not be possible in any given locale, for "everyone" to be considered useful enough to be a part of that community.

I can, um, repair stuff rather well?

Since I already use mainly random crap and pieces of string to do so instead of proper tools, I might not even notice the post-apocalyptic lack of power tools all that much. :p

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.

i'd probably go for the classic "killing spree" tactic, never fails

so to answer your question. no, unless your a necrophile.

I have basic survival skills.

I can build fires, fish, cook, pitch tents...wait, those are my camping skills.

I'm also very handy with duct tape! And uh... I'm a computer technician! :D And I know how to use basic tools from a toolbox! I'm far handier than my boyfriend!

Not in this context. We're talking about a situation in which people are in vast, vast, vast oversupply. There is zero shortage of labor, but food, medicine are in dire scarcity. It will simply not be possible in any given locale, for "everyone" to be considered useful enough to be a part of that community.ah, but your situation does call for a "use"

Opening up farmland to produce more food, being test subjects for finding more and new medicines, and with the inherant lazyness of people, servants/assistants can always find work.

Also, with such a shortage, crime would be on the rise. so security would be needed.

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.


Mostly everybody is useful.

Mankinds great strength lies not in what each indivual knows now how to do, but it in it's capability to learn new skills, and improve upon what is known.

It is not what you know, but what you can know.

We are not specilist, but we adapt. unless of course that is our speiclisation? Arrghhh now I've gone and confused myself. :eek:

i'm studying medicine so within a few years i'll be quite useful. and i'm quite smart wich could also be useful. and i have some experience working as a mechanic, and helping my dad with the house, and i can cook.

so i think i would be a little bit useful.

- i have survival skills
- i know a fair amount about construction
- i know drafting and have participated in design of buildings
- seeing how i am an electrical engineer major i can help bring back the power supply.
- i can also get rid of any beer that may be laying around ;)

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.

i can sail, kayak and swim well, so if i join a community by the water i'll be useful :)
i'm also a half-decent cook

other skills such as database and web design skills are pretty fucking useless then :P

Oh yeah, I forgot: I'm good at economics, which means I can reconstruct a functioning market system with other survivors. Also, I can design a currency system that works.

ah, but your situation does call for a "use"

Opening up farmland to produce more food, being test subjects for finding more and new medicines, and with the inherant lazyness of people, servants/assistants can always find work.

Also, with such a shortage, crime would be on the rise. so security would be needed.

Test subjects for medicinal research? Not in this situation, not for years and years. In the meantime survival and starvation are the key factors.

Opening up farmland is less important than farming what there is and defending it. Farm skills and knowledge will be useful. But just being willing to work may well not be enough.

I'm good at mediating conflict.

I know how to look after a small number of cattle, and start fires with sticks!

I have been said that I can "speak absolute crap whilst sounding like [I] make sense."
Surely this is a trait all those wishing to achieve political power require?

Test subjects for medicinal research? Not in this situation, not for years and years. In the meantime survival and starvation are the key factors. as Civ makes this shift to your new model, including the destruction of Large Government, the business would take over. when the problems become apparent, projects already in progress would be sped up. so not for years, Even with the removal of technology, individual doctors would then take up the 'research', as they realize that the population would outstip their supplies.

and with the removal of technology... assuming also Cars and planes are no longer functioning, you will need merchant class types to move supplies along and keep communications open.

Opening up farmland is less important than farming what there is and defending it. Farm skills and knowledge will be useful. But just being willing to work may well not be enough.
If you know which end of the hoe goes into the ground and if you can follow directions from the one with the knowledge and skill, then you can be useful. that's how skills were taught in the old days. I may not be a farmer, but I can hoe a field, water a garden, care for a horse and do almost anything with the proper instruction. And there will be time for instruction since the food supply won't just blink out of exsistance.

and as you said, farming what there is and defending it would require bodies since large combines and other machines may be down as well.

I can kill people who make Napoleon Dynamite references.
I could also kill just about anyone else, but I felt the need to be specific based on the first couple posts I saw.

to answer the original question tho...

I am willing to do what needs to be done. you need someone to crawl throught the sewers to remove debris, i'd do that. You need someone to muck (spread fertilizer) a field, I can do that. You need some people to go to the next town to set up a trading route, I can do that.


Jack of all trades... that's me.

You need some people to go to the next town to set up a trading route, I can do that.

If you need someone to set up a functioning exchange system and negotiate the deal, that's my specialty.

I reckon I'd be fairly handy in this situation. Of course you never can tell until a crisis actually happens who'll turn out to be useful who'll go into headless chicken mode...

Anyway, I have a knack for cooking with whatever ingredients happen to be handy; I can grow and store vegetables for food (there was a big back garden at the old family home); I know basic first aid and I can maintain and use various types of firearm. I did quite a bit of martial arts, armed and unarmed, a few years back. So if we were reduced to defending ourselves with bits of wood, I could probably manage at that.
Someone mentioned mind-altering substances - I can recognise magic mushrooms. Be plenty of demand for them, what with the world being in ruins and everything.

I also know how to build a blast furnace from wood and earth, and could design (but not build) a trip hammer and bellows, powered by water wheel, to go with a forge. Handy for turning scrap metal into tools.

Hey I'm pretty useful - not bad for someone who works in an office.

Thinking about it, once we had sustainable agriculture we could take almost any number of people and put them to work in the fields. Long hours, but better than starving to death.

If you need someone to set up a functioning exchange system and negotiate the deal, that's my specialty.

yep, or we can still use the monetary system already in place. Dollars may not hold the same value in that situation, but it's still easier to carry around and can still be used as a medium for transactions.

BTW, I played in alot of post Apocolyptic worlds where organizing the survivors is a must. that's why I said there is always a use for people.

anyone can pound nails into wood to make shelter, anyone can supervise and plan but it's meshing the people, skills and what needs to be done that will insure whether or not civilization will succeed in coming back.

I'm smart, so I'll be the one giving orders. :D Slowly I'll establish myself as king of my own little Austrian utopia. All through voluntary consent, of course. ;)

Basic wilderness survival skills (Identifying plants as edible etc).
Iron stomach, I can eat anything and come out alright (I cannot get food poisoning)
I know how to make drugs, be they pharmecutical or recreational (People would pay food for that)
I'm good with boats, that is creating and using.
Carpentry skills, I assume there are basic tools left, hence I can build relatively simple housing.

I'm not sure, but MacGyver is my second hero. I'm sure I could do something or invent something, otherwise roving gangs sounds kind of appealing. This actually sounds fun...*plans for next birthday...*

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.
I don't know if I'll be useful, but I have enough wilderness skills to keep myself alive anywhere there's trees.

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.

you allready have the battle half won...if you have smarts.
the brain is the most powerful tool you can possess.

i am half smart..lol when i am not imbibing too much.

i can however....weld,fabricate(we have a mini monster garage up the mountains)use to be a mechanic in another life,i am a fairly decent gunsmith/armorer,use to hunt as a young adult but quit hunting(acme is down the street)i'm pretty much the go to guy when conflict resolution is needed(pretty good mediator),i can wire up anything,i worked for the navy for 10 years on aegis radar systems(wireman)i have built 3 houses from the foundation up,i'm community oriented but a bit of a loner,i love to read...so i have alot of knowledge about stupid and trivial things that may come in handy,i worked as a plumber,a mason,and a general contractor,i also like to be outdoors...so i am pretty comfortable with being in all weather situations no matter what needs to be done.
i'm sure i am leaving out some things...oh..i am a history/military buff and i am sure that would come in handy.

i do not know much about farming or cooking..so that could be a downside i guess.
another downside is i rarely think of others unless it is family or friends.not that i am mean to strangers,but i put myself/family/friends first.
i am also a tad selfish..so that would not work well with a commune type enviroment,it would work fine if i was with my friends and family,but i generaly dont trust people i dont know..so that would be a huge hurdle.

i am pretty honest though..so that could be either a plus or minus.

I have basic survivals skills I got from trekking, camping and traveling.

I know how to shoot with basic civilian firearms and how to maintain them, and probabily would be able to use military firearms if the knowledge from games, movies and wikipedia is usefull.

And I do have the social skills to be a leader. I somehow consider myself a natural born leader, since I ended up becoming the leader of some of my trekking trips. I think what I´m good at is to know enough about a huge number of activities, and know enough of the people I´m working with to know which things they should do. That is half of it. The other half is to make them do what they should without feeling used, and also feel like they are contributing to the whole.

So yes, I could picture myself being usefull. Maybe not as a leader, but as head of exploration parties, hunting parties or working groups.

Being a leader is not being good at everything, but knowing who is good at something, and who is the right person for each job.

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.
23 years of living on a farm

Use in all farm equipment manual or automated
Advanced survival skills avid outdorseman
Hunting fishing you name it

Also engenering mechanical repair, Mig Tig Stick wirefeed and arc welding skills.

Probably a tone I cant think of growing up outdoors and on a farm ...

23 years of living on a farm

Use in all farm equipment manual or automated
Advanced survival skills avid outdorseman
Hunting fishing you name it

Also engenering mechanical repair, Mig Tig Stick wirefeed and arc welding skills.

Probably a tone I cant think of growing up outdoors and on a farm ...


i would think your skills would come in quite handy.

I'm probably first against the wall. Nothing really.

At best, if I get past the initial fall, I might be able to put together some traveling troupe like the old Shakespeare deal and roam around entertaining and carrying news from encampment to encampment. If I'm lucky.

I'm probably first against the wall. Nothing really.

At best, if I get past the initial fall, I might be able to put together some traveling troupe like the old Shakespeare deal and roam around entertaining and carrying news from encampment to encampment. If I'm lucky.

hey can you take this letter to next town

No computers?
All my computer and programming skills go to waste?
*gasps*
*faints*

I'm quite intelligent, and folks tell me I am very creative. I am also young, which is an advantage in the situation described at this thread's beginning post. I am also quite knowledgeable regarding a many subjects ranging from basic survival techniques to building construction to Dark Ages military history and practices. Add to that I'm not frightened by physical labor, and I think I'd be accepted somewhere.

~ Romandeos.

If the survival of my local community rested on inter community Cricket matches, i'd make a welcome contribution to the survival of our community.

yep, or we can still use the monetary system already in place. Dollars may not hold the same value in that situation, but it's still easier to carry around and can still be used as a medium for transactions.


Not a chance. Money only has value because of the banking sector. Plus, someone who'd raided a bank vault would show up and wreck your economy.

We'd be on a barter system. If there was enough trade to justify it then a monetary system could be set up, but it would have to be a new one.

I'd get together with a smith, a docter, a dentist, a hortonomist, a farmer & a hunter, trade skills & possibly help them build their housing, sanitation & energy supplies. Then I'd move the fuck away from everyone & do my own thing. Seeing people get the chance to start from scratch, but revert to some sickly authoritarian government form, would break my fucking heart.

But hey, if I ended up in a place where people do have half a brain, I'd make myself available. I've been involved with low/no-tech projects & by modern standards, have assloads of applicable skills & more importantly; actual experience.

I'm smart, so I'll be the one giving orders. :D Slowly I'll establish myself as king of my own little Austrian utopia. All through voluntary consent, of course. ;)
I am sorry, but you sound like a logical candidate for assassination, given the premise of the OP. :eek:

If there were a need for historians (which I'm almost certain that there wouldn't be), I'd be useful. If not, I am tactile and INCREDIBLY loyal -would that be of service

I'd get together with a smith, a docter, a dentist, a hortonomist, a farmer & a hunter, trade skills & possibly help them build their housing, sanitation & energy supplies. Then I'd move the fuck away from everyone & do my own thing. Seeing people get the chance to start from scratch, but revert to some sickly authoritarian government form, would break my fucking heart.

But hey, if I ended up in a place where people do have half a brain, I'd make myself available. I've been involved with low/no-tech projects & by modern standards, have assloads of applicable skills & more importantly; actual experience.

Is it okay if I tell you that you are a great person for these reasons? Seriously, you sound like a generally great person in this situation.

i can bring in military experince general labouring and food prepping experience i am a qualified range officer (in the cadets that is ) but as a full time current serving member of the royal australian air force i can bring in leadership skills and tactics if need be lol they have a smiley for what i am :sniper:

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.

Being smart is one of the most important assets a person possibily can have. A smart person can learn new skills; a stupid can't. So, you're useful.

I... well, I had to do some agricultural stuff for the civilian draft duty. But I think that I would perform better as a technician - building water/wind-operating machines, carts, aqueducts, repairing and scavenging technological equipment, building houses and roads... I also have some minor medical skills.
Also I have some skills in various languages, that would come useful for dealing with other survivor groups.

I am sorry, but you sound like a logical candidate for assassination, given the premise of the OP. :eek:
You'll be too busy following my orders to have time to waste on silly things such as removing me. :)

I consider myself fairly well prepared right now. I am well stocked,and increase/rotate the stock on a regualr basis.
I'm a survivalist on my own and some of my lessons have rubbed off on my wife and kids, so they may actually be a help,if needed, rather than a burden.

I'm also good at obtaining the things we need.

And protecting what we have.

I still need a generator. Then I will feel much better prepared.

Ive got some kung fu skills, could entertain people with my music, Im extremely aggresive if someones going to kill or eat me, um...

I'd probably join a maleficient cult or group, and attempt to forge an empire out of the ashes. So, in a general sense, probably not....;)

Well, I'm a good marksman with firearms and with bows, and I'm quite skilled in hand-to-hand combat. I do have a bit of tactical knowledge, and a bit more strategic knowledge. So, if I got kicked out, I could form a brigand (Or pirate, if near the ocean. Yar.) group, raid towns for food and plunder.
Though, it'd be unlikely I'd get kicked out anyway, since I'd be useful in both defense and hunting, which'd be two of the main priorities in this situation. Also, I'm a fast learner, so I could quickly adapt to almost any task they'd need, if it wasn't too specialized.

I'd probably join a maleficient cult or group, and attempt to forge an empire out of the ashes. So, in a general sense, probably not....;)

And since I'm attracted to power like a moth to a flame, I'll immediately join you as your sycophantic advisor.

No, i'm not useful at all. I'll just rot away like I deserve to for being selfish and enjoying my laziness.

I would really need to know what level humanity had been reduced to and so which skills would make a difference.

Provided you stab me in the back some years later, its a match made in post-apocalyptic heaven....:D

Excellent. I'll start selecting my robes.

I'll probably end up assassinating you and taking control, unless you kill me first, like Baron Harkonnen did to poor Piter de Vries...

I can garden, but not on any large scale, and I'm a good cook. Other than that, all I can think of is that I'm a very fast learner and am not adverse to manual labour. I suppose that makes me only marginally useful.

If there were a need for historians (which I'm almost certain that there wouldn't be), I'd be useful. If not, I am tactile and INCREDIBLY loyal -would that be of service

I'd let you into a community if I ran it. I'd need a good, honest historian who could record what happened to us for future generations, or for outsiders who came upon the community's remains if we didn't make it, as the odds in a hypothetical post-apocalypse scenario are against survival.

~ Romandeos.

Not a chance. Money only has value because of the banking sector. Plus, someone who'd raided a bank vault would show up and wreck your economy.

We'd be on a barter system. If there was enough trade to justify it then a monetary system could be set up, but it would have to be a new one.

the monetary system can still be used as a symbolic one. after all, the banks will still be there and so will the gold. but Money would have the one thing that bartering won't have. portability.

we can also dig up the bank vaults and melt down the gold and silver into coins.

And since I'm attracted to power like a moth to a flame, I'll immediately join you as your sycophantic advisor.

Provided you stab me in the back some years later, its a match made in post-apocalyptic heaven....:D

I'd let you into a community if I ran it. I'd need a good, honest historian who could record what happened to us for future generations, or for outsiders who came upon the community's remains if we didn't make it, as the odds in a hypothetical post-apocalypse scenario are against survival.

~ Romandeos.

A historian is not an archivist. Scientific, nineteenth century perceptions of history are generally disregarded as irrelevant, and it requires no analytical skill to "show it how it really was", nor, in any case, is such emperical truth attainable.

If you seek an archivist, get one. If you seek somebody to perform the role of naysmith, pedant, analyst and general arse, find a historian. Like me.

the monetary system can still be used as a symbolic one. after all, the banks will still be there and so will the gold. but Money would have the one thing that bartering won't have. portability.

we can also dig up the bank vaults and melt down the gold and silver into coins.

Breaking into an ordinary bank vault is one thing. Digging up a nation's gold reserve is quite another. Fancy your chances cracking Fort Knox open without any power tools?

The banking sector is not just a question of buildings, but of lenders and borrowers. Money, especially paper money, only works because the banking sector acknowledges it. With society fragmented, it would not function.

It's money's portability and universal value that are the problem. We dig up one bank vault; the people from the next village dig up two. So we dig up three; they dig up four. Next thing you know, the crops have failed and we're the richest people ever to starve to death.
With barter, this doesn't happen. If they get a monopoly on clothes; big deal - we still have things they can't do without.

Breaking into an ordinary bank vault is one thing. Digging up a nation's gold reserve is quite another. Fancy your chances cracking Fort Knox open without any power tools?easily. time will be on our side.

The banking sector is not just a question of buildings, but of lenders and borrowers. Money, especially paper money, only works because the banking sector acknowledges it. With society fragmented, it would not function.unless society, the fragmented parts of it, still reconizes it. in chaotic times, people will still cling to the familiar. Gold serves no real purpose, no use in this situation, yet you can bet a years worth of your food that the general populace will still cling to it like a lifeline. same with money. it can be the standard system symbolically and used by everyone who remembers it's use. never underestimate the power of familiarity.

It's money's portability and universal value that are the problem. We dig up one bank vault; the people from the next village dig up two. So we dig up three; they dig up four. Next thing you know, the crops have failed and we're the richest people ever to starve to death.the original question is use. so those diggin up the vaults will not be done by those required to tend the feilds. and as long as the leadership remains level headed, you know that starvation won't happen. and as for running off with the loot... remember, it needs to be smelted, and an ingot of gold is extremely heavy.

With barter, this doesn't happen. If they get a monopoly on clothes; big deal - we still have things they can't do without.ah, but with barter, the slick talker will still cheat the unskilled of their valuables. I may convince you to give me 5 pounds of wheat for two chickens, but the next person you barter with end the deal by giving you 1 chicken for the same 5 pounds. or worse, they barter with you and give you a defective Item. without a solid form of proof as to what you paid for it, you still loose.

for those that remember money, they would know a can of soda would not be more than a dollar, a pound of steak 5 - 10 dollars, and a night room and board no more than 25 dollars. a shirt would run 5 - 10 dollars, shoes... 10 - 20. etc...

let me put it this way: i try to avoid being useful to those who destroy and promote the destruction, of the kind of world, i'd rather be living in.

and if we WERE living in that kind of a world, then indeed, i could be and WOULD be VERY "useful". creating and shairing beauty, which is how honor and prestege would be and are earned in it.

=^^=
.../\...

unless society, the fragmented parts of it, still reconizes it. in chaotic times, people will still cling to the familiar.

Nonsense. The dollar ONLY has value because the US government says it does, and because everyone knows that as a result one can purchase anything pretty much anywhere, with enough money.

Do you honestly believe that in a depopulated, anarchic world, I as dictator of some farming community, am going to give you ANYTHING of value - like food, shelter, medicine, weapons or the time of day - in exchange for little pieces of paper that I can find floating around anywhere? You're off your rocker if you do.

Some people might cling to money after the end times, but those people are the same ones who will be gibbering in a corner wearing diapers and crying until they starve to death. Destruction of the US federal government = US currency has zero worth.

Gold serves no real purpose, no use in this situation, yet you can bet a years worth of your food that the general populace will still cling to it like a lifeline.

That's because gold is rare, and pretty. Same reason gold has always been favored. But even then, in the situation we are discussing, most will disregard it as too heavy and too worthless to exchange for anything that might be of more worth. Like, real things.


ah, but with barter, the slick talker will still cheat the unskilled of their valuables. I may convince you to give me 5 pounds of wheat for two chickens, but the next person you barter with end the deal by giving you 1 chicken for the same 5 pounds. or worse, they barter with you and give you a defective Item. without a solid form of proof as to what you paid for it, you still loose.

Yeah, but the situation is not going to change with money. In fact, if in this situation above you were offering me X amount of money (let's say 1 billion dollars) for 10 gallons of clean water I would say YOU are the slick talker trying to cheat me, the unskilled of my valuables.

for those that remember money, they would know a can of soda would not be more than a dollar, a pound of steak 5 - 10 dollars, and a night room and board no more than 25 dollars. a shirt would run 5 - 10 dollars, shoes... 10 - 20. etc...

That's only in today's economy, and again only because we have a stable, national system of currency. Protected by the force of a stable, national government. In fact, if I don't give some of my money to the government, they will prove its value by imprisoning me.

In the end, the value of anything - the price - is ONLY what people are willing to exchange. We have a monetary system now, so we can exchange things with certainty as you describe. But that system will be gone in the scenario and money will become just bits of paper. Not backed by anything. Not stable. Not accepted universally. Maybe useful as tinder...

I’m useless enough in everyday life, much less in a catastrophe.

Nonsense. The dollar ONLY has value because the US government says it does, and because everyone knows that as a result one can purchase anything pretty much anywhere, with enough money.it's not me, but what society, yes even a small pocket society will do.

Do you honestly believe that in a depopulated, anarchic world, I as dictator of some farming community, am going to give you ANYTHING of value - like food, shelter, medicine, weapons or the time of day - in exchange for little pieces of paper that I can find floating around anywhere? You're off your rocker if you do. Depopulated? did you read the OP you wrote?
So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it. you piss off and chase off enough people you will have a rouge army to deal with. and in a world like yours, the weapons will be in the heavily populated yet unproductive cities. they will overrun your ass and leave you and yours DEAD unless some form of agreement comes to pass. Because you are so quick to dismiss anyone with skills YOU deem unworthy, they will mass up and give you a crown made from your ass. You toss me out, you can bet I will gather those rejects and we will be back to remove you from what delusion of power you are in.

Some people might cling to money after the end times, but those people are the same ones who will be gibbering in a corner wearing diapers and crying until they starve to death. Destruction of the US federal government = US currency has zero worth.won't matter.. why? the Federal Goverment may be gone, but a new government will rise. and yes, I don't expect the societies of Germany, England or even Canada to reconize the US currency, but those in the US will. just as those in Germany, England, Canada and even Japan will reconize and cling to their currency.

That's because gold is rare, and pretty. Same reason gold has always been favored. But even then, in the situation we are discussing, most will disregard it as too heavy and too worthless to exchange for anything that might be of more worth. Like, real things.it's also too soft to be used for any practical purposes, yet people will hoard them. that's the point. people will remember that Gold is desirable and valuable and they will hoard it.

Yeah, but the situation is not going to change with money. In fact, if in this situation above you were offering me X amount of money (let's say 1 billion dollars) for 10 gallons of clean water I would say YOU are the slick talker trying to cheat me, the unskilled of my valuables. so you need to get those 10 gallons of clean water to your workers out in the fields. I got the horses and carriage. I charge you 2 gallons of water per 3 gallons I have to haul to your dehydrated workers.
then what?

That's only in today's economy, and again only because we have a stable, national system of currency. Protected by the force of a stable, national government. In fact, if I don't give some of my money to the government, they will prove its value by imprisoning me. yep. and stores set their own prices on Goods and services. Old ways die hard. you will have to starve many people before they realize you don't accept money.

In the end, the value of anything - the price - is ONLY what people are willing to exchange. We have a monetary system now, so we can exchange things with certainty as you describe. But that system will be gone in the scenario and money will become just bits of paper. Not backed by anything. Not stable. Not accepted universally. Maybe useful as tinder...yet still more convient than hauling your goods around as you look for a person with the skill you need to barter for. sure you can burn your money for warmth. but when the travelling merchants come by, you better be good at bartering with those masters or you will be paying TOO MUCH.

humm.. i have decent skills at planing defensive works, designing, or at least having a general idea of how to start designing, a Lot of tech right up until you start running into electronics... [given someone with skill in wiring and the like, i could probably get one of those old punch card electrical computers up and running, as an example. given carpenters, a trebuchet.]

i have some ability with a staff [no a Lot, but some], i am Very good at working with systems. resource allocation, irrigation, systems of governance, codes of laws... that kind of thing.

I'm also decent [though not genius or anything] at tactics, better at strategy, better still at grand strategy....

not so hot on logistics though. at least, not for armies and the like.

i also rate up there in the 'loyalty' area. it's kinda hard to get my loyalty... there's plenty of indifference there. but once you've got it, it's Very difficult to lose. [assassinating my family, for example, would probably do it. heh.]

my biggest problem is a very distinct lack of charisma. it's not 0, but it's definitely low. people seem to have a great fondness for taking stupid stances on issues, just because i agreed with the logical one, and then defending them to the bitter end. even useually rational people who, in the normal course of events, would take the same stance as me... it confuses and depresses me a bit, this effect, but there it is.

on the other hand, i am capable of passing off very convincing BS as "fact".. provided i don't actually Know the true fact.

I'm very poor at lying though. this is partially compensated for by an excess of quantification, qualification, clarification, and general bet-hedgery.

example, i propose a plan, you ask will it work.... i won't say yes or no... i'll run off a big long list of things that could kill it and things where it will work brilliantly, and situations where it could branch and deal with other things.


on that note, most of my plans seem to be arranged in such a way as to allow for a reaction to as many possible things as ... umm... possible.

due to various factors, [including medical issues] actual directly applicable skills are almost nil though.

in other words: i make a Very good second in command or chief adviser. give me authority backed up by something other than my own skill at convincing people, and skilled workers... i can get a lot of things done :) every society needs it's dreamers if it is to survive, after all.

humm.. i have decent skills at planing defensive works, designing, or at least having a general idea of how to start designing, a Lot of tech right up until you start running into electronics... [given someone with skill in wiring and the like, i could probably get one of those old punch card electrical computers up and running, as an example. given carpenters, a trebuchet.]

i have some ability with a staff [no a Lot, but some], i am Very good at working with systems. resource allocation, irrigation, systems of governance, codes of laws... that kind of thing.

I'm also decent [though not genius or anything] at tactics, better at strategy, better still at grand strategy....

not so hot on logistics though. at least, not for armies and the like.

i also rate up there in the 'loyalty' area. it's kinda hard to get my loyalty... there's plenty of indifference there. but once you've got it, it's Very difficult to lose. [assassinating my family, for example, would probably do it. heh.]

my biggest problem is a very distinct lack of charisma. it's not 0, but it's definitely low. people seem to have a great fondness for taking stupid stances on issues, just because i agreed with the logical one, and then defending them to the bitter end. even useually rational people who, in the normal course of events, would take the same stance as me... it confuses and depresses me a bit, this effect, but there it is.

on the other hand, i am capable of passing off very convincing BS as "fact".. provided i don't actually Know the true fact.

I'm very poor at lying though. this is partially compensated for by an excess of quantification, qualification, clarification, and general bet-hedgery.

example, i propose a plan, you ask will it work.... i won't say yes or no... i'll run off a big long list of things that could kill it and things where it will work brilliantly, and situations where it could branch and deal with other things.


on that note, most of my plans seem to be arranged in such a way as to allow for a reaction to as many possible things as ... umm... possible.

due to various factors, [including medical issues] actual directly applicable skills are almost nil though.

in other words: i make a Very good second in command or chief adviser. give me authority backed up by something other than my own skill at convincing people, and skilled workers... i can get a lot of things done :) every society needs it's dreamers if it is to survive, after all.

that shows that you think ahead, and can manage people. If I were a commander, I would love have you on my team.

that shows that you think ahead, and can manage people. If I were a commander, I would love have you on my team.

that's good to know... but how does it show i can manage people? i basically said, so far as i can tell, that that's one of the things i Can't do. the relevant bit being where you bolded "my own skill at convincing people" and left "something other than" off the front...

so, i'm curious.

on a random note, getting this stuff straight in my head is kinda important...
working on getting a job sometime soon, you know? hehe.

yeah.

that's good to know... but how does it show i can manage people? i basically said, so far as i can tell, that that's one of the things i Can't do. the relevant bit being where you bolded "my own skill at convincing people" and left "something other than" off the front...

so, i'm curious.

on a random note, getting this stuff straight in my head is kinda important...
working on getting a job sometime soon, you know? hehe.

yeah.

if you say you can convince people even when you have no authority to back your posisition, that is a form of managing people. it's a skill used in areas like Public relations, sales, and managerial posistions. a useful thing, especially if you can do that without the authority to back it up.

bascally, you are connecting with the person an persuading them without the use of titles.

I have a problemsolving mind, a car (with gas), machetes and such, some survival gear, and zombie survival guide, I'm pretty much set, not to mention a few friends with an assortment of skills.

if you say you can convince people even when you have no authority to back your posisition, that is a form of managing people. it's a skill used in areas like Public relations, sales, and managerial posistions. a useful thing, especially if you can do that without the authority to back it up.

bascally, you are connecting with the person an persuading them without the use of titles.

actually, what i said was that i have no ability to convince people without some Outside authority to back up my position. not to mention i'm really not good with people, sadly.

...

Actually, I can't be bothered.
The situation described in the OP is one where various isolated communities cannot communicate. Therefore there can be no currency. End of story.

You can't eat money, you can't drink it, you can't make shelters out of it. You can't (as far as I'm aware) roll it up and smoke it to forget your troubles for half an hour. Therefore, it would be good for nothing.

If you don't believe me, just pop into your nearest college or university and speak to a few of their economics lecturers. Show them a printout of the OP and say you think the dollar would still have some value in that situation. See what they say. Economists are notorious for disagreeing with each other, but I bet you they'll all agree that you are wrong.

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.

I'm about as useful as a bucket of fried chicken underwater.

I've got half of the equipment necessary to ensure the survival of the species: A penis. If I could find someone with the other half and the skills to hunt giant mutated rats for food with nunchucks made from twigs, I'd be fine.

I've got half of the equipment necessary to ensure the survival of the species: A penis.

Actually that's only 25% at best. You also need functioning testicles, and the woman needs fertile ova.

Actually that's only 25% at best. You also need functioning testicles, and the woman needs fertile ova.

Ah, yes, I forgot about the bollocks. I've got those too. I'm more useful than I thought at first!

So let's say that hypothetically, some catastrophic event or chain of events happen. Large scale government is now nonexistent and probably impossible. There is now too many people, and nowhere near enough food or not enough transport capability to feed them. Cities become wastelands. Electricity is mostly gone except for the occasional generator or solar cell, none of which can be easily reproduced for a long time. Gas powered vehicles gone. Air travel gone. Telecommunication gone.

So in this hypothetical situation, survival is only possible through communities that manage to fend for themselves, probably through farming or trade with those who farm nearby. In these communities there is an obvious oversupply of people and only useful people are allowed in; the rest must wander a broken countryside filled with desperate people, roving gangs, cannibals, famine, disease.

Are you useful? If so, how? List your skills or assets that can make you useful in the post-apocalyptic world.

Personally, I don't think I have any. I'm relatively smart, but that's about it.

I have an eerie capacity for creating calm in tense and even chaotic situations. Gang initiates have apologized to me for creating a disturbance. People have politely excused themselves for bumping into me in a mosh pit. Creating peace between neighboors who are only worried about where to post their fences ought to be a snap.

Also I have rudimentary farming skills and knowledge of refrigerationless preservative techniques.

I have an eerie capacity for creating calm in tense and even chaotic situations. Gang initiates have apologized to me for creating a disturbance. People have politely excused themselves for bumping into me in a mosh pit. Creating peace between neighboors who are only worried about where to post their fences ought to be a snap.

Are you bychance a Libra?