#4 – The Three (3) P’s of Holistic Survival – People

The Three P’s of Holistic Survival

The fundamental basics of Holistic Survival are found in the three P’s, which make up the three pillars of Holistic Survival. These three pillars are intended to protect your people, places, and profits from harm. The reason why we call this “Holistic” Survival is because we recognize the importance that family, property, and financial well-being play in our current world. Survival in and of itself may be of little comfort if all of the things we care for are swept away. Because of this, we are focusing Holistic Survival on helping people to be more prepared for catastrophes in these uncertain times.

PROTECTING PEOPLE:

How do I protect the people I care about?

Let’s start with protecting people. In practical terms, this means that you must possess the means to ensure that the people you care for such as your family and close friends are protected from harm if social chaos ensues. The reason for this precaution is the likelihood that economic collapse will bring about rioting and looting. This type of activity tends to create social chaos, which often results in people being harmed. This harm is not always intentional, but in either event it is devastating to the people involved.

The first, and most effective line of defense is to avoid being in the places where the social and economic unrest is concentrated. The best analogy for this is to think about the occurrence of natural disasters. There are certain areas with higher risk of disasters than others. By anticipating where the disasters are most likely to hit, you can minimize the damage to the people you love by choosing to locate away from the anticipated impact zone. (If you already live in a likely impact zone, you can still prepare plans for relocating quickly if a crisis occurs, so that you will be out of town when the chaos starts.) When considering the fallout from an economic collapse, it is likely that the “impact zone” will be the densely populated urban areas with large amounts of people who are either in poverty or near poverty. These areas are most likely to spawn riots and chaos in an economic crisis. Similarly, protecting the people you love will be best served by ensuring that you are outside of the “impact zone” if a crisis situation ensues.

What happens if I need to protect my family with physical force?

None of us are pleased by the thought of needing to harm another human being to protect our family, but that scenario may become a reality if a chaos situation materializes. In this type of situation, the most important thing that a person can do is to be constantly aware of their surroundings. Most attackers will look for easy targets of opportunity. Because of this, many attackers can be deterred simply by showing that you are aware and prepared. Common ways to telegraph preparedness are to regularly observe your surroundings and to walk confidently. The importance of deterrence cannot be stressed enough, because physical fights are very nasty and unpleasant things. In practical terms, the only way to “win” a fight is to avoid it entirely, since it is very likely you will be moderately to severely injured if physical force is necessary.

Unfortunately, some situations will come down to physical force as a means of protecting your family and the people you care about. One way to prepare for a contingency such as this is to study martial arts or other means of self-defense. However, even if you are not a martial arts expert, there are practical ways to prevail in a physical encounter that can be employed by relative novices.

Popular culture frequently depicts the brandishing of firearms in response to threats, but “packing heat” is not the only way to protect the people in your life.

If you are observing a situation, and detect that is likely to turn violent, it then becomes important to find some kind of weapon quickly. Note that many “ordinary” items such as high-heeled ladies’ shoes or automotive wrenches can be used as weapons if necessary. It is also important to remember that the objective of a fight is not to completely subdue your opponent . . . the objective is to quickly inflict enough pain to make them leave so that you can escape with your loved ones before being harmed too severely. (Rapid strikes to the head, eyes, throat, and groin are among the most effective ways to induce an attacker to retreat.) As always, the most important thing to do is keep from panicking, stay calm, and act decisively. This may be the deciding factor that keeps your loved ones safe from harm.