Partners, Priests, and Politicians.

As the most social and successful animal on the planet, human beings are drawn to and comforted by the presence of other human beings. It’s pleasing to interact with those who are similar, sharing the same convictions, be they political, religious or cultural. Equally, opposites attract and people from different cultures associate amicably, marry and live happily ever after.

However, sometimes it’s a bridge too far and try as you might, living alongside others and forming close relationships eludes you. Of course, it could simply be that you prefer your own company. Once upon a time, there was a significant amount stigma not to mention family and cultural pressure to marry and raise a family. Nowadays, being a life-long bachelor is no longer shameful, and single women over a certain age are no longer affixed with the label of spinster.

But what, you ask, does any of this have to do with preparedness, and becoming more resourceful, ready and resilient?  This is the prelude to a deep dive into the pitfalls of going lone wolf when SHTF.

Hollywood portrays the Lone Wolf as a stoic and deadly badass. Tough, resourceful and determined, the archetype of the Lone Wolf has become a powerful, popular and profitable figure on the big screen, graphic novels, comic books and television. The Lone Wolf doesn’t always live to tell his story, though it makes for entertaining escapism. But is it viable?

The Natural Order

From an evolutionary perspective, very few wolf species have evolved to live alone. The vast majority form packs and actively seek to form a pack if pushed out by their existing pack. It’s likely that those that are living solitary lives, coming together only to mate, do so because the habitats in which they live can’t support large packs, i.e., food-prey animals- are scarce. Furthermore, wolves are mammals, the vast majority of which live and thrive in the company of other wolves.

There are tribes who choose to live in remote isolation that have virtually no contact with the outside world, and tiny hamlets can be found the world over. But this still people living in groups. Let’s keep moving.  

Someone to Watch Over Me

I think the single greatest strike against being a solo operative is the potential for illness or injury. A nasty fall, opportunistic infection, stress-induced illness or a bout of food poisoning can quickly become life-threatening without proper care. Humans are a violent lot, and some form of armed conflict is likely to be a daily activity given its prevalence in normal times. It’s possible that you will survive the conflict but die later from your injuries. Resetting a broken bone yourself, while painful and not advisable, is possible. However, you’re more likely to recover from the focused ministrations of another while other group members monitor and respond to the situation outside. No one person can do it all and in the time that you’re convalescing, the situation around you can change, forcing you to return to activity before you’ve recovered. You’re now faced with a potentially permanent disability and a huge impediment to your progress in going alone.

SHTF situations are the ultimate test of survival of the fittest. While no one in the group needs to be an elite athlete, your odds of survival increase in the presence of other human beings.   

The Weakest Link

This is the ultimate benefit of a group, strength in numbers. Everyone is better protected, there are more resources to be shared, and collective creativity and expertise are your superpowers. Some people are skilled in working with their hands while others, by their presence, are comforting and inspiring.  

To be clear, groups are often held together by one person and in that absence of leadership, the group could unravel, at best or start to fracture along the lines of differing politics and priorities, at worst. It may be better to roll the dice with the devils you know rather than gamble on the unknown monsters around the corner.

It’s reasonable to assume that there will be strategic disagreements, petty rivalries and open hatred. In this regard, it’s very much like normal times. Pragmatism is sorely lacking now and will be nonexistent in a post SHTF world. If you’re unable or unwilling to exist within the framework of a group, start your own.

Strength in Numbers

Alone and with few resources, you’re at the mercy of the larger or better resourced groups you’re trying to avoid. However, with fifteen of your compatriots behind you, staring down rivals and would-be attackers is likely, though, not necessarily easier. Displacing rivals from their stronghold or taking their supplies is another option simply because you have the

power to do so. Mind you, this should not be your first option or default setting when encountering others. Becoming the baddest boys on the block might make sense at first, but this too, becomes a losing strategy over time.  

If you decide to go out on your own simply due to resource allocation, namely, you don’t want to share what you have with others, life will be rough and perhaps short. Being set upon while you’re asleep or answering the call of nature might be preferable to resisting and getting the bejesus beaten out of you. Regardless of how the encounter starts, one against an energized and highly incentivized group probably becomes the last bad decision you make.  

From a practical perspective, you against the world is a set up for failure. Everything you don't do, whether due to exhaustion, illness or you simply run out of time, potentially moves you closer to the end. If circumstances force you to live covertly, the constant stress of staying vigilant and one step ahead of everyone else slowly consumes you. The list of things that could prove fatal is long and detailed.     

Cool Kids and Reindeer Games

You could opt to exist on the margins of a camp or larger settlement. You’re on your own but not so far removed that you can’t call for or get help when needed. It’s not much different than going into town once a month to trade, barter, buy and sell and catch up on local gossip.  

Tribalism, weird religious sects not even loosely based upon scripture, and a plethora of other strangeness will be the new norm. It’s possible that some aspects of this new world order will have a pragmatic foundation, but if you’re already not much of a people person, there’s more stress and trouble here than you’re able to tolerate.

I imagine that going alone once SHTF is a choice some have already made and to that end, they’re honing their skills and preparing a cache or two of supplies and weapons to hide along the route to wherever they’re going. Some might decide to simply take what they need as they need it. Finely honed skills are the least of what you’d need for such a way of life. An extraordinary amount of luck is also in order and sadly, luck eventually runs out.

Head Space

In case it’s not clear, we’re social animals. Isolation and sensory deprivation exact a terrible toll on the human mind. It may be too large a burden for a single person to bear alone in the face of such odds.     

Sure, a good dog or cat can provide companionship; they love us unconditionally, and they’re awesome cuddle buddies. It’s not enough, though. We need interaction with other humans. Conversation, physical contact, a shared purpose; sometimes we need the presence of another to give us the strength and the motivation to fight to live.  

Relationships, personal, professional or whatever the situation dictates, require skills and effort to maintain them. Some people never learn effective interpersonal skills. In normal times this is a significant liability, but you can compensate in other ways. In a SHTF situation, this deficiency adds nothing positive to interactions already rife with uncertainty and mistrust.

For some people, the problem is always everyone else. They’re too, too. Alright, but take a deep look in the mirror before you start pronouncing others as unfit and unworthy. The guy you deemed weak could very well prevent another from killing you while you sleep. Can you find enough common ground to get along him or them? Which of your group mates can you count on in a fight? Can you identify a situation in which you'd be willing to put aside animosity and form a genuine friendship? Are the pros of a partnership more numerous than the cons? Ask yourself many hard questions before you splinter off.

In normal times, anxiety and paranoia can be managed through therapy and medication. In a world transformed by an SHTF event, this luxury no longer exists. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. In a world where mercy, forgiveness and do-overs are nonexistent, the trick is to not make already difficult things more difficult.