During Collapse, Cities Don't Have to Become Death Traps

When he woke up, a stranger was staring at him through the bedroom window. It was just the two of them, waiting to see what the other would do.

Finally, the stranger wandered off.

My uncle lives on a prepper’s paradise, a hundred acres out in the middle of nowhere. It’s been in the family for generations. But he doesn’t think about it like that. There’s a trailer park not far from his cabin, one he believes to be full of meth heads. Maybe that’s true, or maybe it’s just full of unfortunate people who see his wealth and hate him a little. Maybe they are waiting for just the right opportunity…

My uncle keeps a lot of guns in his cabin, and he thinks these are going to protect him. Somehow, I doubt that. When sh—t hits the fan, I don’t think his neighbors are going to come over for a beer and a chat.

This memory floated up recently when I was reading around the internet, looking for advice from prepping sites on that perennial question: If you’re planning for a social collapse, are you better off in the city, in the suburbs, in a rural area, or out in the wilderness by yourself? My uncle’s experience aligns with other stories I’ve seen, or ones readers have shared, about newbie preppers moving out to the country and finding themselves in way over their heads, sometimes harassed and even stalked by locals who don’t want them there.

You often hear this mantra that “cities will become death traps.” It’s deeply defeatist for the millions of us out there who want to do what we can to prepare but don’t have the means to quit our jobs and start a homestead. Besides, everyone can’t do that. It would just bring collapse to the country.

I’ve been wrestling with this question for years, and it’s a topic I’ll keep returning to with more information as I get it.

I’m finding answers.