The subject of whether one should attempt to survive a major grid down disaster alone or with other people is a perpetual one in SHTF circles.
There is certainly an argument to be had for choosing to operate independently in an SHTF disaster without joining a larger group or community for extended support.
We’ll cover some of the advantages for doing so later in this article. It’s because of these advantages we’ll cover that many people plan ahead for an SHTF scenario either intending to be a lone wolf individually or with their families.
But at the same time, there’s a potentially significant dark side to surviving an SHTF cataclysm as a lone wolf. If you are currently planning to survive a possible SHTF scenario as a lone wolf, it’s important that you are at least aware of what this dark side entails.
Why Will Some People Become Lone Wolves in an SHTF Disaster?
Humans are inherently social creatures. We all desire at least some level of communication and interactions with other people, and that’s why so-called ‘lone wolves’ still desire interaction with other people as well. It’s not that lone wolves are anti-social individuals who simply don’t like other people.
Rather, most people who will become lone wolves in an SHTF scenario do so for two very strategical big reasons:
1. They are inherently self-reliant and work very efficiently when alone. They also find peace in spending most of their time by themselves, especially alone at home or in nature.
As a result, they are naturally predisposed to wanting to attempt survival in an SHTF scenario as a lone wolf.
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2. They know that by operating in a group of other people (even if those people are like-minded survivalists), there will inevitably be drama and potentially violent instances.
Someone in the group may even attempt to exert power over the other members or otherwise overthrow someone else who is already in power.
With the above in mind, it’s easy to see why certain people would prefer to take on an SHTF scenario as a lone wolf. Their reasons become even more compelling when you consider certain advantages that a lone wolf individual will have.
What Are The Advantages of Being A Lone Wolf?
The biggest advantage a lone wolf has is independence and freedom to make his or her own decisions. This can possibly be advantageous for situations that require quick thinking, versus trying to debate other people in a group.
Another big advantage to becoming a lone wolf is keeping oneself hidden and mobile. Lone wolves can hide out in their bug out location and fly under the radar (assuming that they’ve taken the proper precautions to choose a secretive location in the first place).
Another massive advantage is the ability to preserve resources.
If a lone wolf has stockpiled enough supplies, he or she will have no need to share those resources with anyone else (other than perhaps their immediate family. This way, those resources can be extended for longer.
In a group, resources are sure to dwindle faster, especially if not everyone in the group has contributed a large amount of supplies in the first place.
Making sure you’ve got enough food and water is key for keeping yourself going and staying well. Plus, having the right medications, especially antibiotics, is crucial to deal with any health issues and cover all bases for survival. Since antibiotics are typically not available over the counter, here is an ingenious way to stockpile antibiotics without a prescription, before it’s too late.
Being a lone wolf also means that you won’t need to deal with the conflicts, debates, and drama that can come in a group. In an SHTF situation, people will become incredibly desperate, and the sheer weight of what’s happening will wear down on the minds of many.
That’s why several people will not act like their normal selves in a grid down scenario, and will have a tendency to make brash or erratic decisions that can negatively impact the rest of the people in the group.
So it’s easy to see why certain people believe becoming a lone wolf is the way to go in a grid down scenario.
But at the same time, there is a significant dark side that can come with being a lone wolf too.
The Disadvantages of Being A Lone Wolf
For all the reasons to become a lone wolf in an SHTF situation, there are at least an equal number of reasons not to.
There’s an old saying that there is safety in numbers.
In the event that you were attacked by multiple armed belligerents as a lone wolf, your chances of survival would be very remote.
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In the event that your group were to be attacked by the same belligerents, and assuming that there were people in your group who knew how to fight, your chances of fending them off is much higher. Don’t think of yourself as being a Rambo who could fight off anybody single handedly, no matter how trained or experienced in combat you are.
Another big disadvantage to becoming a lone wolf is sustaining an injury. If you sustain a broken limb or an open wound that results in infection and confines you to bed, how will you patrol your property? How will you prepare your meals? How will you harvest your crops, go foraging, or hunt for food?
The short answer is you won’t be able to without great difficulty, but in a group, you can still depend upon people to take care of you. If you’re in a large enough group, chances are decent that there will be at least one person who has nursing or medical experience that would be to your aid as well.
Completing basic survival-related tasks is always much more efficient in a group as well. Different people can be assigned different roles depending on their abilities, such as gathering and purifying water, gathering food, preparing and cooking food, tending to the stick and injured, chopping down and gathering firewood, helping with security and protection, and so on.
Surviving in a group simply means that people can share resources, abilities, and skills, while also protecting each other in the event that you encounter other hostile forces. Those are luxuries that a lone wolf won’t be able to enjoy.
The dark side of being a lone wolf is ultimately that you have to do everything on your own. Is it possible? Yes, but it’s also not ideal.
If you’re discovered and attacked by multiple armed combatants, you could be toast. And if you ever become wounded or severely sick, it will become significantly more difficult for you to carry out your basic tasks while also caring for yourself.
Only you can decide if you should prepare for an SHTF scenario by yourself or as part of a group.
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Best way to be is that, a Lone Wolf.
People suck, No trust anymore.
So when they say you need a group or a community or get with a nabor or like minded people. Just remember Trust WILL be everything…
If you need anyone to help you other then medical help. Keep prepping get more knowledge, better skills.
There will become a time you will be or become a Lone wolf.
It’s more safer and you do not have anyone whining back at you.
People if you are not ready, sorry, because this yr is the yr of collapse of america.
Please Father GOD have mercy on us that love You Father and Jesus your loving Son.
Repent and cry out to Jesus before, He closes the door and you hear him say.
I No Not of You.
stay sharp.
PS: Just because you say it’s bad to be a Lone wolf. It’s not a bad thing for me… Are “you” ready
How to Defend Yourself Against AI Voice Cloning Scams? We can no longer trust the national liberal news networks as they are using AI.
Quickening of the technology we fear: Slaves of the AI through social media, big tech like FB, Gaagle and Tik Toke, many gen-Zer’s get their news from these platforms.
It does not take a village to be safe, secure and healthy. We have Biden’s political prisoners in Jan 6th that is unconstitutional as the leftist are roaming around than the insurrection individuals who have been unlawfully detained. The Jan 6th did not have guns a storming, the only death that day was an American female veteran.
The Summer of 2020 had Antifa, BLM, possible foreign assets like the radical Muslims rioting. These groups caused insurrections by protesting a druggie George Floyd who had drugs in his system like fentanyl that caused his own death.
The Summer of 2020 had buildings destroyed in pillaging and burning in fires set by the thugs.
They looted and committed murder of innocent citizens. Where is their social justice?
The Jan 6th people, a majority were lead into the capitol building by the capitol police. President Trump and capitol police in advanced called for the National Guard to protect against any opposition.
The speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi in charge of security of the capitol building told the capitol police to stand down. She declined the use of the National Guard which did cause the capitol riots to happen. The DEEP STATE had it’s undercover agents initiate some of the riot actions that were televised across the nation.
This is part of the Covid insurrection done by the Demoncrat’s in concert with the DEEP STATE Dr Fauci and the CCP for a worldwide PLANDEMIC that resulted in millions of deaths.
Biden’s open southern border is part of the plandemic invasion to destroy America as we know it, Obama is pulling some puppet strings.
Where are illegals going to live in Texas?
Houston-area development Colony Ridge! Yes you American taxpayers are funding this. How many other illegal encampments are around America?
We have homeless Americans and homeless veterans and Bidenomics is stealing our IRS paid taxes for illegals that have broken many laws besides the immigration laws. They do deserve any help whatsoever as we are going to in 2024 elect a new president. What will you do as the mail in ballots will let illegals vote us out of our homes while they American citizens benefits, we don’t anymore.
Yeah live in villages of illegals or live free as a lone wolf, Hillary Clinton’s it takes a village is a unicorn and pixie fairy dust pipe dream, pie in the sky.
We are a republic, not the Demoncrat’s declare America is a democracy, they stretch the true and stupid low information Americans believe the lies. Nikki Halley is a lying bitter person, she is corrupt, she took money from undesirable organizations. It is your vote, choose wisely.
My correction is the illegal whatsoever DO NOT deserve any of our help.
Biden’s crime family does America like Beavis and Butt-Head did years ago.
Red Ant has some good points about being a lone Wolf but just like everything else, one size does not fit all. I am 71 and have bad knees. I can’t get around or lift and carry things like I once could. Someone like me probably would need some help. I have a lot of knowledge and experiences that a young person might not have. This is but one place where team work would pay off. A Lone Wolf sick, injured, surrounded or attacked would fair poorly by their self. Common sense and being able to evaluate a situation and react properly is one of your greatest assets. You must have the ability to make GOOD decisions. This is vital. If someone wants to pair up with you and you know that they are untrustworthy, Send them on down the road. Better to chance it by your self than take in a lair or thief. Trust is vital. On the other hand, someone that you know and trust could work together with you for the good of both. 2024 with that buffoon in the White House could well be the year that puts your survival skills to the test. Be prepared for any situation. Prepare for the worst and pray for the best. Don’t forget to vote those demons running things now OUT.
A martial artist once said, the teacher does not teach the student all the knowledge until the student is vetted. The student or students will some day challenge the teacher.
The real insurrection is the Biden administration in charge.
Hey Big AL
What would happen if you become a burden on everyone else.
Think, you eat to much and you can not give anything back to the team.
WHAT Happens when they want you gone.???
Think about it…
stay sharp
Good points… take care of those knees Al…
The Bidenomics administration are the insurrectionist.
They unconstitutional usurp the oath that all political bureaucrats, government employees, govt law enforcement and the military take to defend the United States of America to defend the nation again foreign and domestic forces. Sanctuary States are unconstitutional aiding and abetting illegals.
The illegal invasion is an insurrection worst than the Summer of 2020 riots of potential terrorism due to Biden the Chinese Trojan Horse of destruction.
These people have failed to protect Americans today discarding our Constitution they took the oath for.
They should be immediately held in contempt of the letter of the law and the oath. Be placed in prison for treasonous actions placing our country into a destruction mode.
Been my experience the less others know about you the better you are off. Let the moment decide what you will or won’t do. Let the moment decide how you will react to a threat or event. The rest will soon become history.
Lone wolf verses community, there was part of the article that speaks of drama and conflict within a group. I would like to suggest reading the “Sociopath Next Door” by Dr. Martha Stout and her follow up book “Living with the Sociopath Next Door”. She says with any given group, 4% are latent sociopaths. Karl Jung says 10% and Dr. Robert Hare says 1%. I believe it about 5%.
These bad actors hide in plain sight but cannot help themselves as they grab power unto themselves. If you do not want to deal with these sorts of people, then Lone Wolf is the way.
A small town community is not always the answer. Everyone knows your business. Ruby Ridge, a lone wolf idea to live free in the country again the liberal social norms gets you killed. The elites want people to live in big city limits so they can control the people.
So the wealthy can do as they please away from you lowly peasants.
Lone wolf might get a negative but you have more freedom. Even the urban city sidewalk campers or homeless live in community SQUALOR among the organized village. So it depends on the site location and the situation.
Hopefully you mike a wise decision the choose poorly.
If you don’t like illegals crowding your city, quit calling yourselves a Sanctuary State, Nuff Said!
I want to survive a SHTF situation, but at the same time, depending on how bad it is, lone wolf, or group association, survival may not be all it is cracked up to be. We are meant for more that just surviving, and if by surviving I am just waiting for my time to die, then like Scrooge said, “let them die and decrease the surplus population”. I don’t want to live in fear, or anger. I am too old to help rebuild the population, as fun as it may be, so I will be contributing food, ammo, and knowledge to a group, unless that group is stripping my stocks just to get rid of me when I am no longer useful.
Lone wolf, or group?? It depends on the situation. I just pray that I do not hesitate too long, or make the wrong decision.
A man needs a woman, and vice versa. Two people who know and trust each other can be a Force 10 when living and working together for their own survival.
I have a good woman, and she’s a pretty good shot with her pistol. She will be an even better woman when the internet goes belly up.
People really have no idea just what “It’s a Dog Eat Dog World” truly means. People tend to put human emotions and actions to what we see animals do and how they act. Animals will be what they are, whether in a group, herd or pack, or alone. When ALL social restrictions and advantages are removed, (even short-term). What we think we are, and are capable of goes out the window. We WILL revert back to being animals to a degree. Highly intelligent animals, but animals none the less. Alone or with a group, trying to survive by TOOTH and CLAW. With all of our great intelligence, have we ever CHANGED the LAWS of nature? We have held them at-bay, but not changed or re-written them.
I will be here as long as nature allows me to be here. That I cannot change, and have accepted.
A dog’s dream, boy that dog yum, tasted good but needs a little more salt for taste. The Biden illegals will soon be eating our lunch and sleep in our homes if we don’t build the wall and deport them very soon.
Natural law will always be the go to law when SHTF. All those elitist will need to pay a price after they come to the surface from their underground bunkers for fresh air and sun. You can figure out what their just end should be after screwing us all these years.
We don’t need guns, just the human mind for what’s in store for them.
God Bless America!
Do people not understand ?? These intruders can and will build an ARMY inside our
America—- period. Just try to deport them after they’ve sold all they had and made
the long long long trip to U.S.A. Think about it. FINISH THE WALL NOW!!!
O h yea. And if you like the way things are now, keep voting dim-o-crat and
you will get lots more of the same.
Hey there Red Ant, looks like you are putting a bunch of what ifs out there. What if a frog carried a .45, He would shoot snakes. My contribution would be mostly my experience to provide good advice and do the physical part that I am still capable of. If the other party feels that I have no further value then I will just be gone. No rocket science there. If things get too bad then survival won’t amount to much of a life anyway???????
Big AL
One thing I have learned in my aging life, is to never give up till GOD calls me home.
Time has not been a good friend to me, just plain hard, but I keep hitting it every day, up at 3 or 4 every morning. Go until 8 or 9 every day no matter what. Walk 2 miles a day, I have arthritis in all joints and bad knees and worn out hands, neck damage but I will never slow down. I will not take no medication for my pain.
My wife says I crazy but my Faith is strong in the Lord.
God made you in his Image and made you the man you are now. I wish you lived close, I have no one to prep with and the young men that I work with are just that, young. Not on my level, but day good men.
Hey Big AL hang in there because GOD put you where you are for a reason, just like me.
Stay strong and never stop.
If you ever just want to shot the shit, just give old red ant a post.
stay sharp
O, Big Al,
A fog can’t Carrie a 45, because every time it jumps, it’s bumps it’s ass on the ground. It would just get in the way.
lol…
Life is full of what ifs…
Standing out , standing alone , and being able to stand up for what you believe in is a learned behavior , 1st born trait
about 90% followers and 10% who can stand alone
being raised as a lone wolf in a family of 11 i know from experience what that is
not being like everyone else , not agreeing , not accepting , not being part of the club, group, or friends networks
it take s a certain type of person ( cat a personality )
Training, learning to do with out , learning to SAY NO , NO MATTER WHAT )
I cant tell you how many time s i was saved from the ridiculas actions of other s by not being or agreeing to take part
saved from Jail, crime, effects of drugs , effects of alchohol poisioning , drunken beyound recovery
This must be taught
ever taken a long survival hike , nothing with you for the day , no food , no prep , nothing
just started hiking , to wherever , then at the end of day lost, had to figure it out for the how to get back , survive the trip
most never , but if your training, preparation , and set up is for this , there is no problem
but many have died for lack of preparation , training
Stand alone , Say no , learn to plan, prepare, train, educate yourself
Dont rely on stupid, morons in a system of do what everybody else does , follow the leader , go to school get a piece of paper that say s your special . not educated , not trained , not able to survive
just followers with out purpose , passion , and reason
The ship that is sinking
That is why you need to stand , speak out , speak up , be a person of Truth , standards, and structure , John 3: all , John 14 : , Romans 1: all , 3: 23, 6:23;*: 9&10
The way , The Truth , The Life absulutely Road to heaven , not down like the ship of fools who just want followers
I have been a loner my entire life. It’s all I know. I don’t dislike people; I just don’t trust people.
Yes Hillbilly, I to have never fit in. But when you meet like minded individuals as yourself and you fit in with them and trust them then that isn’t such a bad thing is it.
I agree. Very few people know what it is like to be a loner, an outsider, a black sheep of the family, a rebel, and in their own mind be OK with it. Like you, I don’t dislike people. But I damn sure don’t trust them. Everybody seems to have an agenda of some sort or the other. My agenda is. I am who I am, and you are who you are. DON’T PUSH IT, OR ME, just leave me be. I will freely give the shirt off my back if it is needed. But if my shirt is DEMANDED, then we have a serious problem. I am over 65 and have very very few friends. But the friends I do have, will take a bullet for me and I them, without hesitation.
yes same here, people are stupid and it can be dangerous even fatal being around stupid people in a SHTF world.