Survivalism - An evolutionary response to Global Warming

Global warming is an issue which impacts all of us and one that few of us truly believe we are capable of resolving without significant alteration to our way of life. For many their feelings of helplessness are replaced with a natural, albeit primitive survivalist instinct to protect ourselves and our offspring.

This inherent desire to survive, breed and ensure our own self’s continued survival is a primordial, ancient evolutionary thought process, to which we have been attuned to from an early ancestral period when we were motivated primarily by fear and instinct to survive in a harsh environment where only the strongest and fittest survive.
Our survival instinct derives within our genetic makeup, which has changed relatively little through our evolution from primitive apes, with approximately 95% DNA match to chimpanzees, the only other living hominids currently in existence today. This survival instinct allowed us to survive and pass on our genes to the next generation. Consequently our desire to survive remains as strong as ever, undiminished from the 5-7 million years of evolution.

Despite our technological advances we have in many ways changed very little from our ancestors, and it is in this viewpoint that we consider individuals response to the threat of Global Warming.

Survivalism is highly influenced by location and our environment, as those in more rural locations have greater perceptions of community independence, particularly those in North America, whom commonly use the term “head for the hills” whilst in contrast, in London, this response is impractical, many completely reliant on their networks for energy and natural resources.

This may have positive side effects, as homeowners look to prepare for the worst, in turn they become more self sufficient and resilient to change with investment in home energy generation through solar panels and wind turbines. As a core part of the survivalist response is through long term preparation, it is clear to see the connections with achieving self sufficiency, not only through home alterations but in changes to an individual’s mindset to place greater emphasis on planning, designing and managing for the long term.

However, this evolutionary response may be seen by many as a form of nihilism, as ultimately any response that is sufficient to deal with the scale of the challenge is about working together as a community or as a single, unified force. We need to be aware that we are all part of an array of networks around us, and that we need to nurture and rebuild them, rather than imagining we can survive without them if we are to tackle the threats to our lifestyles from the impending Global Warming and Oil Depletion. [See article: the effect of rising oil prices on society for more information].

Indeed, it may be seen that a belief that we can exist and flourish independently of our communities is a dubious luxury of the Age of Cheap Oil, which we can ill afford to acquaint ourselves with. We have to learn to meet and greet each other again, learning how to adapt together, through co- operation and communication.

gain, learning how to adapt together, through co- operation and communication.

By Joseph Knight

This article was written by Joseph Knight at www.energy-measures.com Please see for more information on Solar Panels, Wind Turbines and other related articles.