"Gary Drescher" wrote in
Yup. The survivalist skills and supplies that've been discussed here are
unfamiliar to most Americans of *all* levels of education--and for good
reason, I think. In a wealthy civilization, it is likely just not
cost-effective for everyone to invest individually in the training and
equipment to deal with extremely unlikely events, rather than relying on
the centralized rescue efforts that will need to occur anyway in the wake
of a major disaster.

It sure is "cost-effective" if you're at risk. Like these people were. And
the cost is minimal. Really minimal. In a "wealthy civilization", this
kind of preparation is a leisure activity. Show it isn't? chirp

Sure, it makes sense to stock up on a few days' food and water (which many
of those stranded in the hurricane presumably did, though they may not
have been able to carry much of it as they swam from their flooded homes).
But it would be an unwise use of scarce (or non-existent) resources for
impoverished city residents--who have much more pressing daily survival
needs--to invest in the esoteric and expensive training and equipment
discussed here, just to prepare for the remote possibility of a
once-in-a-century storm followed by a long delay in relief efforts despite
what was supposed to be an unprecedented level of government preparedness
to respond to a major disaster.

Yeah, better to a) do nothing then b) complain that you're not properly
being cared for. It doesn't seem to occur to you that the level of
self-education and preparation needed by most people to survive a natural
disaster is, for most people, doable. And, they've managed to get lots of
armed troops into affected areas, no? Could *you* survive?

Look at it this way: in my experience, most pilots do not routinely carry
expensive, extensive survival gear when they fly. Instead, at best, they
file flight plans and rely on being rescued if they survive a crash.

At best? Your evidence of this? Most I know carry equipment appropriate to
the area their flying in. How many pilots die for a lack of it?

Nonetheless, pilots are (probably accurately) perceived as being, on the
whole, exceptionally self-reliant.

Trained to be, mostly. In any case, your analogy is banal and stupid. Do
you fly toward thunderstorms or fly away from them? What area of GA flying
do you think needs more government intervention?

Yet a comparable reliance on rescuers, when exhibited by the hurricane
victims, is extolled by some here as evidence of the "gimme mentality" of
the "welfare class" (without a shred of evidence that most of the victims
in question actually lacked employment).

OK. Let's wait and see.

People filter their perceptions through their prejudices, and see what
they expect to see.

Pot, kettle, etc.

I expect you think you're original.

moo