Translation of above: When The Shit Hits The Fan, what do Preppers (survivalists) pack in their Get Out Of Dodge (City) kit for The End Of The World As We Know It?
Plenty of Ballistic Wampum (ammunition for barter purposes).
When I began developing a new character who is a survivalist deeply dug into a redwood forest in northern California, I started my research, as usual, with Wikipedia. As every intelligent person knows, there can be a lot of sketchy information and a bundle of intentional misinformation on Wiki, but whoever wrote this entry on Survivalism is so entertaining that I don’t care if he/she invented every last word. And the words that filled my Bug Out Bag (BOB) to overflowing were the acronyms in the Survivalist Terminology section. I could just end this blog here with this link, but for those who are click-resistant, here’s the section in its entirety:
Survivalists tend toward using military acronyms such as OPSEC and SOP, and terminology common among Peak Oil adherents and gun culture. They also use terms that are unique to their own lexicon—some key survivalist terms and acronyms include:
Alpha Strategy: The practice of storing extra consumable items, as a hedge against inflation, and for use in barter and charity. Coined by John Pugsley.
Ballistic Wampum: Ammunition stored for barter purposes. Coined by Jeff Cooper.
BOB: Bug-out bag.
BOL: Bug-out location.
BOV: Bug-out vehicle.
Contrapreneur: Someone who foolishly invests in a declining market. Coined by James Wesley Rawles.
Crunch: A general term for a major, long-term disaster.
Doomer: A Peak Oil adherent who believes in a Malthusian-scale societal collapse.
EDC: Every Day Carry. What one carries at all times in case the end of the world strikes while one is out and about.
EOTW: End of the world
Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) – an extreme level of electromagnetic energy sufficient to burn out computer chips that may be caused by solar flares or by atmospheric nuclear explosions. Such an event would disable the Internet, telephones, computers, and devices that rely on computer controls, including automobiles, the electrical grid, and household appliances.
Goblin: A criminal miscreant. Coined (in the survivalist context) by Jeff Cooper.
Golden Horde: The anticipated large mixed horde of refugees and looters that will pour out of the metropolitan regions WTSHTF. Coined (in the survivalist context) by James Wesley Rawles.
G.O.O.D.: Get Out of Dodge (City). Fleeing urban areas in the event of a disaster. Coined by James Wesley Rawles.
G.O.O.D. Kit: Get Out of Dodge Kit. Synonymous with Bug-Out Bag (BOB).
Pollyanna or Polly: Someone who is in denial about the disruption that might be caused by the advent of a large scale disaster.
Prepper: A synonym for survivalist that came into common usage during the late 1990s. Used interchangeably with survivalist much as retreater was in the 1970s. Refers to one who is prepared or making preparations.
SHTF: Shit Hits the Fan. A term used generically by survivalists to describe disaster situations.
TEOTWAWKI: The End of the World as We Know It. In use since the early 80’s.
WTSHTF: When the Shit Hits the Fan. A term used generically by survivalists to describe disaster situations.
WROL: Without Rule of Law. Describes a potential lawless state of society.
Best case scenario: Nuclear Armageddon
Home Sweet Home!
I’m feeling hungry already!
Reynold’s Wrap stock is climbing fast!
Is that the Golden Horde headed my way? Alpha man is ready!
Ready to rock…and roll!
Can you sew that on a pillow for me?
The Second Coming revisited: Is Jesus ready? YBYSAHI
I don’t want to spoil all the fun, so pleaaaassse read the whole article. And just in case that isn’t enough fun, here are some more images that are even scarier than anything you’ve previously encountered:
Lock and load! Better duck walking dead!
How much is too much? Better safe than sorry!
Yep. Ammunition for the pending Zombie Apocalypse! Is it real? Are people really buying it? You bet your sweet eminent-disaster-threatened ass it is! So make sure to stock up today! You’ll be glad you did. The zombies? Not so much.
Eat any brains today? Not on my watch bitch!
Hilarious! Thanks for the links, because you just never know when they might come in handy!
Love the acronyms.
Seeing as I’m your mother-in-law, I feel safe in signing off as:
Not MOM (Mother of Many)
but rather
MON (Mother of Neanderthals)
or even MILON (which I leave you to figure out with your genius mind)
Oh that’s an easy one: Mother in lieu of no-other-takers.
[…] upheaval, or zombie apocalypse, or ____________(insert your favorite doomsday scenario her for WTSHTF and […]
Its sad that we can joke about this, but imagine if just 60-70% of the population at least put away 2-4 wks of emergency supplpies( food, meds, material) and had at least $200 worth of valuable metals( silver, gold,etc) per household- in case the proverbial SHTF, society “might” be able to take it a little better and there’d be less to fear from any “golden hordes” or “WROL”….
Well said.
I am a prior military vet, and also a very strong survivalist. A lot of your acronyms are dead on, but if you need any help translating the military ones, I can help you.
Thanks much. I always want to get the details right, so any tips are much appreciated.