Enjoy the decline. Fuck bitches and party while Rome burns. To fight against the cultural and economic reality we find ourselves living in is pointless. Nobody really cares what you think anyway. But you must remember that parties always end.

Taking The Red Pill means seeing past the bullshit and the propaganda, and observing the reality that sits beneath the surface. Once this reality is observed and understood a man can position himself to greatest advantage. At best, a man can hope to survive and thrive in the decline, and wait for the bounce that may come when we hit rock bottom. If you take this view, as I do, then you must ask yourself:

What Is Rock Bottom: What will it look like, and will I bounce?

Nobody knows what exactly Rock Bottom will look like, or when/if “it” will be hit. The further reality is that shit happens, and if you'd have known the time and place before hand you'd have been somewhere else. At best we can strive to develop skills that make us self-reliant in many situations, and have the tools on hand to make use of them.

True strength and confidence comes from more than being good at making women want to fuck you. There may be a time when the masculine skills of preparation, adaption, and survivability are once again revered out of sheer necessity. If you have been playing the alpha people will expect you to have a plan and the tools to execute it when things go wrong.

In a situation of unexpected danger would your woman be glad she has a man like you around, or would you be exposed as a fraud?

The scenarios in this article are disasters localized to you or your area. Consider your ability to deal with them before looking at the bigger picture.

A Wilderness Adventure Gone Wrong

This disaster is not directly related to the rest of society, except that members of that society (you and your companions) are the victims and will be the people you have to work with. Remember that weak and decadent culture you complain about? When someone breaks a leg or collapses of heat exhaustion don't expect anyone else to step up. “Shit, the snowmobile just crapped out. You brought snowshoes, right honey?” No, she didn't.

Can you navigate with a compass and map? How about without either? Do you know how to handle predators (be they two or four legged) you might encounter and are you armed if possible? Are you prepared for bad weather? Do you have the tools and knowledge to perform first aid on a fracture and make a splint or stretcher? Can you deal with someone that's hypothermic? Where is your knife, lighter/matches, small saw, compass, cordage, space-blanket, first-aid kit and food/water supply? You have those, right?

Sudden Violence

For various reasons violent crime is on the decline in the western world. Regardless, becoming the victim of a violent attack is always a possibility, and if you're a young man your risk is much higher than average. You, or someone you care about, could be attacked on the street or in your home. In the realm of real-world violence the “winner” is the one that remains alive, uninjured, and not in jail. The penalty for loosing can be as little as your pride, or at most your life or your freedom. You don't know the stakes until the game is over. If you “win the fight” but end up in jail, shot, or cut up, did you really win? Or are you just best loser?

Are you aware of your surroundings on the street or is your face buried in your smartphone? Can you box, wrestle and grapple with proficiency? Are you strong and fit? Have you ever trained to defend against a knife or gun attack? Can you legally carry or own a firearm or other weapon in your area? Do you take advantage of that? Are you familiar with the laws surrounding self defense in your legal jurisdiction? Do you have a lawyer?

Most importantly: Are you prepared to swallow your pride and walk away from a bad situation?

Natural Disaster

Without a resilient population and well funded disaster response services these can rack up high death tolls. Even if your nation or area has a strong response system to natural disasters there is no guarantee that the response will reach you when you need it. Events of unanticipated magnitude happen, and when they do authorities are left scrambling. Consider some possible natural disasters that could affect you. Has flooding, tsunamis, tornadoes or hurricanes, earthquakes, mud slides, volcanic eruptions or forest fires ever affected your area? If so, it will happen again. You need a plan.

During a bad disaster, when government support is lacking, your risk of being exposed to sudden violence rises hugely. Being in a position where you do not have to leave your home because you are well supplied, or have already evacuated to a safe area in a planned fashion, increases your safety level. When cut off from the medical system you may find yourself using those wilderness first-aid skills and tools in your own home.

Do you have a supply of food and water on hand? Can you filter and treat contaminated water? Are you prepared to be isolated in your home for days or weeks? Do you have a car inverter, solar panel, or generator on hand to charge your phone or provide lighting? What about heat? Do you have access to a vehicle, even if it's a bicycle, that you can use to get the hell out of where you are at when public transport shuts down? Are you prepared to walk if the roads are clogged or closed? Do you store spare fuel for your vehicle or generator? Are you prepared to leave your home on short notice? Do you have somewhere to go? Who would you take with you?

Look to Yourself

You have no right to criticize the weakness and dependence in our culture if you are just as weak and dependent yourself. You may be strong of body, but is your LIFE in a strong position? Would your bank account be empty without your next paycheck? Would your pantry be empty without your next grocery run? Would your hands be empty if confronted with violence? If so, you are no better than the people you look down on for not being “unplugged.” In fact, you're worse. You know the truth but refuse to act on your own behalf.

Be better than that. It will make you a better man and give you a sense of confidence that far surpasses that of the eggshell alpha, hard on the surface but easily cracked. The quiet confidence of a man who has his angles covered is less showy, but much more satisfying.

Look to yourself. Are you equipped to deal with these situations? Have you? Please tell me all about it in the comments.

In Part 2 I'll examine some wide scale disruptions that might ruin your life or kill you.