Collapsologists want to save society, survivalists want to save themselves
Once you start talking about the “inevitable collapse”, how our current society will look like and what can be done now, quickly you find yourself being confused with “doomsday cults”, called “prepper” or “survivalist”.
In Deep Adaptation groups, “prepping” is a divisive word — and often new members don’t understand why such a divide between survivalism and adaptation.
At Camp Collapse, we insist there’s a big difference. We’re big fans of the idea of seeing “the collapse” in a positive way. In fact, in the below quote from the Deep Adaptation paper, we see that the collapse is inevitable but catastrophe is only probable.
The implication is that yes, our current globalized complex society will most likely collapse — but the future does not have to be bad.
So — what makes the approach of a collapsologist different from a prepper?
Self-sufficiency vs Hoarding
(Re)learning how to live from the land is common in both approaches. Hunting, gathering and growing food are useful skills once we want to reduce our dependency on supermarkets. Having access to maps and tools, also.
Packing canned food, toilet paper and bottled water, on the other hand, does not solve much, in a collapsologist point of view. “The collapse” is more likely a marathon rather than one dramatic event (even if it makes for exciting TV), and it is more important to develop self-sufficient systems than a big pantry.
Community vs Isolation
Escaping from the city is common in future-aware groups. It is one of the most radical life choices in a world that’s persisting in increasing urbanization — and french collapsologists have captured the curiosity of newspapers exactly because of this.
But while buying land in a remote location and trying to be self-sufficient can be an interesting exercise — is it really sustainable that you learn and develop all the skills you’ll ever need? From growing food, building, medicine to entertainment — humans are social animals that thrive by cooperation, not by isolation.
“Rather than bunkering down alone in an abandoned nuclear facility and preparing to weather the storm alone, the movement aims to save society as a society — starting rural, communal lifestyles while welcoming communication with the wider world.”
Openness vs Walls
Both realize society needs to be smaller — but collapsologists want to be more communal, not less.
We fear the futures where leaders are building walls to keep away climate refugees — where wars and riots will be common, nations fighting for the last drop of oil and farmable land.
Collapsologists realize that a better future only works if it’s the best possible future for everyone — not just those that managed to buy a piece of land in Scotland and have enough guns to keep the others away from the pantry.
In 2020, we were reminded that in the face of disaster, be it a pandemic or wildfires, the way forward is mutual aid — and adapting our societies to principles of cooperation, community and solidarity.
Yes, we must prepare — but let’s prepare collectively
Collapsologists & Deep Adaptation are helping people to come to terms with a drastically different future — and of course there will be many emotional phases to go through — that’s why it’s vital we stay strongly grounded to our humanity.
In the same way that it is vital that we remind and support each other to continuously be better humans — fighting our social conditioning towards racism, mysogyny and any forms of discrimination — in this movement we must also remind each other that our objective is a transition into resilient communities — not a desperate selfish escape from our own demons.
