[colechristensen]

Go to a Costco business center and buy a bag of rice, a bag of beans, and some bottled water. Buy some camping gear and cook dinner once in a while over a fire in your back yard or a camp ground. Keep a go bag packed that you could pick up and live out of for a week at a moments notice. Take interest in the things around you and learn how to do things yourself instead of paying other people to do them, even if you don’t do them yourself most of the time.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

I'd supplement that with a few bags of charcoal stored in sealed Rubbermaid garbage tubs and some cigarette lighters -- you need a reliable source of fire and wood's a pain in the ass to depend on outdoors.

Also rice & beans gets old. Grab 50lbs of canned meat while you're at it.

I took a couple cans of Chinese fried rice (yes, it comes in a can!) on a camping trip once: it was everyone's favorite meal.

[datavirtue]

If you value freedom you are going to have to be able to move fast at a moment's notice. Preppers do nothing but hoard liability. The local gang is going to own your shit.

[ggm]

If you take a "social good higher good" outcome.. maybe your role in the cycle was to stockpile, not to survive? Dystopia for the individual might still be net beneficial for the species.

I'd hope not, but use value remains, even if you dont? Fictional gangs are asshats and waste it but actual Gangs have distorted rules and hierarchy and sometimes preserve things, not waste them: those Harley spares are hard to find. The quartermaster farms them out judiciously.

[hutzlibu]

Waterfilters and salt are somewhat useful and easy to store as well.