[ExI] Avoiding bad black swan events/was Re: extropy-chat Digest, Vol 111, Issue 15

[Anders Sandberg]

On 13/12/2012 12:40, spike wrote:
> ...The preppers are getting quite a lot of flak at the moment as stocking
> up with supplies and generators, etc. seems somehow to be 'unsporting'
> and selfish. And obviously if a disaster happens they will become a target
> for the rest of the desperate population...BillK
> _______________________________________________
>
> Ja.  The really serious preppers anticipate this, and stock up on lots and
> lots of ammo.  Their food supplies are useless if a desperate population
> comes and kills them for it.

The big problem with any strategy like this is that the best way of 
surviving a big disaster is to have a close-knit social network that 
works together to help members survive: economies of scale apply. In 
fact, the bigger the network the better. So going at it alone is likely 
not going to cut it. Getting to know your neighbors and local government 
might.


-- 
Anders Sandberg,
Future of Humanity Institute
Philosophy Faculty of Oxford University