I don’t think things would be too much different. Our infrastructure would have 5 percent of the workers, but it would have 5 percent of the load to bear. Streets would last 20 time longer. It is my guess that for every utility needed, there are at least 2 people who can do any one job, so, that cuts the demand down for skilled services. Any more needs along these lines could be handled by trainees that get hired. Too technical in Podunk? The local who can do something *almost *properly can still use his cell phone, and call the big expert over in the Big City, who can talk him through it. I bet there are more than 20 people in any community that can do all of the jobs needed.
Food? Only 1 out of 20 farmers would be left, but, isn’t it all corporately owned any way? No big problem there, plenty of people have the training. Don’t need a bunch of high priced managers there, and all that’s needed is one veteran at each corp.
95 percent loss doesn’t sound that drastic to me.
And Docta G, you knock that kinda talk off right now! We don’t need nobody puttin’ ideas into anybody’s heads!
Regarding long-lasting food, the first place you go is your local camping supply store and clean out their freeze-dried food section. Regular grocery stores have any number of supplies that will last a very long time, too - honey, white rice, dried fruit and nuts, and irradiated and UHT (ultra-high temperature pasteurized) milk and soya milk. You’ll have to start growing your own food and keeping food animals right away, but there would be plenty of food to tide you over until you get the hang of crops and animal husbandry.
I’d look into keeping rabbits, chickens, and goats (goats for milk and meat). Maybe sheep. Since I’m heading south, I’d look to settle someplace that has fruit and/or nut trees and a good, long growing season and mild winters. Maybe someplace south of Salt Lake City.
ETA: First I’d look to see if there were any Amish/Hutterite colonies around there - they have a good handle on being more self-sufficient than any other community I know of.
In most of the eastern United States, deer are abundant to the point of being a nuisance. A hunting rifle and a good stockpile of ammo would take care of your protein needs for a long, long time.
It seems to me that the point of greatest instability will not be the immediate period after this pandemic but 50-60 years afterwards. Nations will have had sufficient populations to survive intact and will by that time be back on their feet with exploded populations and looking to flex their muscles.
Yes. Very creepy. Not that you are, but please don’t lump me in with them as the OP of this post. I like that I started this one with “you already survived, now what” instead of “how will you prepare to survive the soon-coming end of days?” Blegh.
I’ll admit, I thought theirs was the most interesting. Such a lot going on in such a small space!
I have 14 acres. Besides stocking up on gas for the generator and diesel for the tractor, I don’t know what I’d do. My well pump runs on electricity, but I might be able to convert it to hand-pumping. My house has four fireplaces and I have a chainsaw.
I’ve been thinking about getting chickens, but I don’t eat eggs and I couldn’t kill them. I could fish, though. There’s a sort of hidden pond in the woods across the road. My neighbors have goats and feeder calves. I’d have to train one of the horses to pull a wagon.
