SURVIVALIST VERSUS SURVIVORS

Vivos is not about “survivalist”, but rather surviving.
Millions of people consider themselves a “Survivalist”: a person who makes preparations to
survive a widespread catastrophe, as an atomic war or anarchy, esp. by storing food and
weapons in a safe place. A “Survivor” on the other hand is: “a person that survives”, or “a
person who continues to function or prosper in spite of opposition, hardship, or setbacks.”
Vivos is not about being a survivalist, but rather surviving. While there are some
similarities in the preparations, and certain extreme scenarios that would lead to the need
to find a hardened underground, blast and water proof shelter, Vivos is for those that truly
want to survive a major Earth devastating catastrophe – be it from nature, or manmade.
To be a Vivos “survivor” you do not need to be a “survivalist”. Survivalists prepare for
years, learning how to be self-sufficient, while stockpiling food, medicine, guns and
ammunition. Survivors only need to be at the right place, at the right time, to survive a
catastrophe, or devastating event. Vivos members do not need to spend years studying
and preparing. They only need to show up at a Vivos facility where everything needed is
ready and waiting – complete and abundant enough for up to one year of autonomous,
underground survival from virtually any threat nature or mankind can create.

SurvivalismSurvivalism is a movement of individuals or groups (called survivalists) who are actively
preparing for future possible disruptions in local, regional, national, or international social or
political order. Survivalists often prepare for this anticipated disruption by having
emergency medical training, stockpiling food and water, preparing for self-defense and selfsufficiency,
and/or building structures that will help them to survive or “disappear” (e.g.,
a survival retreat or low tech underground shelter). Anticipated disruptions include:
1. Natural disaster clusters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, and
severe thunderstorms.
2. A disaster brought about by the activities of mankind: chemical spills, release of
radioactive materials, war, or an oppressive government.
3. General collapse of society, resulting from the unavailability of electricity, fuel, food,
and water.
4. Monetary disruption or economic collapse, stemming from monetary manipulation,
hyperinflation, deflation, and/or worldwide economic depression.
5. A sudden pandemic spreading through the global population.
6. Widespread chaos, anarchy or some other unexplained event.
The Great Depression that followed the stock market crash on October 29, 1929 triggered
by a deflationary contraction of credit is often cited by survivalists as an example of the
need to be prepared.
The most recent wave of the Survivalist movement began after the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center in New York in 2001 and similar attacks in Bali, Madrid, and London.
This resurgence of interest in survivalism appears to be as strong as the first wave in the
1970s. The fear of war, combined with an increase in awareness of environmental disasters
and global climate change, energy shortages, economic uncertainty, coupled with the
vulnerability of humanity after the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean and Hurricane Katrina
© Copyright 2010, The Vivos Group, Del Mar, CA 92014 All rights reserved.
on the U.S. Gulf Coast and avian influenza has once again made survivalism popular.
Preparedness is once more paramount in the concerns of many people, who now seek to
stockpile or cache supplies, gain useful skills, develop contacts with others of similar
outlooks and gather as much advice and information as possible.
Many books have been published in the past few years offering survival advice for various
potential disasters, ranging from an energy shortage and crash to terrorism.
Economic troubles emerging from the credit collapse triggered by the 2007 US subprime
mortgage lending fiasco and global grain shortages have prompted a wider cross-section of
the populace to get prepared. Interest in the survivalist movement ‘is experiencing its
largest growth since the late 1970s’. There are so many people who are concerned about
the economy that there is a huge interest in preparedness, and it crosses all lines, social,
economic, political and religious. There is a steep learning curve going on right now.
The advent of H1N1 Swine Flu in 2009 ratcheted up interest in survivalism even further, and
significantly boosted sales of preparedness books, and made survivalism more mainstream.
Survivalist scenarios and outlooks
Survivalism is approached by its adherents in different ways, depending on their
circumstances, their mindsets, and their particular concerns for the future. The following
are some examples, although many survivalists fit into more than one category or
orientation:
Safety Preparedness Oriented – Learns principles and techniques needed for surviving lifethreatening
situations that can occur anytime or anywhere. Makes preparations for such
common calamities as structure fires, dog attacks, physical confrontations, snake bites,
lightning strikes, car breakdowns, Third World travel problems, bear encounters, flash
floods, home invasions and even train wrecks.
Wilderness Survival Emphasis – Stresses being able to stay alive for indefinite periods in life
threatening wilderness scenarios. These can include: plane crashes, shipwrecks, being lost
in the woods. Concerns are: thirst, hunger, climate, terrain, health, stress, fear. Prepares
with: knowledge, training and practice. Survival kit often includes: water purifiers, shelter,
fire starters, clothing, food, medical supplies, navigation and signaling gear.
Self-Defense Driven – Individuals concerned with surviving brief encounters of violent
activity. Focus is on personal protection and its legal ramifications, danger awareness,
Boyd’s cycle (also known as the OODA cycle – observe, orient, decide and act), martial arts,
self defense tactics and tools (both lethal and less-than-lethal).
Natural Disaster, Brief – People who live in tornado, hurricane, flood, wildfire, earthquake or
heavy snowfall areas and want to be prepared for the inevitable. Investment in material for
fortifying structures and tools for rebuilding and constructing temporary shelter, perhaps
have a low-tech custom built shelter, food, water, medicine, and supplies, enough to get by
until contact with the rest of the world resumes.
Natural Disaster, Years Long – Concerned about long term weather cycles of 2–10 years,
unusually cold or warm periods, that have happened on and off for thousands of years, and
that cause crop failures. Might stock several tons of food per family member and have a
heavy duty greenhouse with canned non-hybrid seeds.
© Copyright 2010, The Vivos Group, Del Mar, CA 92014 All rights reserved.
Natural Disaster, Indefinite/Multi-Generational – Possible scenarios include: severe global
warming and the possible ensuing ice age, the greenhouse-effect-gone-wild, environmental
degradation, warming/cooling of gulf steam waters.
Bio-Chem Scenario – Concerned with the spread of fatal diseases and terrorist use of
biological agents and nerve gases. Examples: Swine flu, E.Coli 0157, Botulism, Dengue
Fever, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, SARS, Rabies, Hantavirus, Anthrax, Plague, Cholera, HIV,
Ebola, Marburg virus, Lhasa virus, Sarin, and VX. Might own full-face respirators,
polyethylene coveralls, PVC boots, Nitrile gloves, plastic sheeting and duct tape.
Malthusian – Soaring increase in world’s uncontrolled human population growth impacts
available fresh water, food, health-care, environment, economics, consumerism, spread of
diseases and just about every other facet of life. Projections indicate that world population
of 6.6 billion may again double in fifty years. Some warn that this will result in a Malthusian
population crash.
Monetary Disaster Investors – Believe the Federal Reserve system is fundamentally flawed.
Newsletters suggest hard assets of gold and silver bullion or coins and in some cases other
precious-metal oriented investments such as mining shares. They are preparing for paper
money to become worthless through hyperinflation. As of late 2009 this is a very popular
scenario.
Biblical Eschatologist – These individuals study End Times prophecy, believing the Savior is
going to return soon, and that the final battle with Satan on the Plains of Megiddo might
occur in their lifetime. Most believe that the rapture will follow a period of Tribulation,
though a smaller number believe that the rapture is imminent and will precede the
Tribulation. (“Pre-Trib rapture”.) There is a very wide range of beliefs and attitudes in this
group. They run the gamut from pacifist to armed camp, and from no food stockpiles
(leaving their sustenance up to God’s providence) to decades of food storage.
Peak Oil Doomers – The Doomers are convinced that Peak Oil is a genuine threat, and take
appropriate measures, usually involving relocation to a Survival retreat region that is
agriculturally self-sufficient.
Rawlesian – Adherents often prepare for multiple scenarios with fortified and well-equipped
remote rural survival retreats. Nearly all place an emphasis on both being well-armed as
well as being ready to dispense charity in the event of a disaster. Most take a “deep larder”
approach and store multiple years of food. They also emphasize practical self-sufficiency
and homesteading skills.
Medical Crisis Oriented – Has very complete medical pack in house and in car. Donates blood
and is active in the Red Cross. Has taken CERT, paramedic EMT, and CPR courses, knows
vital signs, stockpiles medicines, etc. Concerned with vehicle accidents and emergencies
involving injuries. Focus is on helping family, friends and community survive medical
emergencies.
Perceived extremism
In the popular culture, survivalism has often been associated with paramilitary activities.
Some survivalists do take active defensive preparations that have military roots and that
involve firearms, and this is sometimes emphasized by the mass media.
© Copyright 2010, The Vivos Group, Del Mar, CA 92014 All rights reserved.
Some are “Looking out for #1″ and a need to be sufficiently armed to defend one’s refuge
and belongings from hungry people who might demand that others share them if society
breaks down. The potential for societal collapse is often cited as motivation for being wellarmed.
Thus, some non-militaristic survivalists often have developed an unintended
militaristic image. Nevertheless, its prominence in popular depictions results in the term
“survivalism” being sometimes used interchangeably with right-wing reactionary
paramilitary activities. In particular, the mainstream media tends to loosely label many
militants and miscellaneous extremists as “survivalists”, whether or not they are actively
preparing to survive, and regardless of having any formal survival training, or any firm
affiliation with survivalist groups.
Vivos Survivors
Without former military or extreme survivalist training, most people will not be prepared to
survive many of the above scenarios. However, even survivalists will not be able to survive
a nuclear blast, radiation fallout, a biological or chemical attack, a solar flare, the effects of
a sudden pole sift, a mega-tsunami, a killer comet or asteroid, or a super volcano. For those
catastrophes, only a hardened underground, blast and waterproof shelter will provide
adequate means for survival. You cannot shoot an asteroid out of the sky, or cover your
head in your hideout to survive a nuclear blast.
Vivos is a turnkey commercial solution for everyone – without survivalist training or years of
preparation. With each Vivos shelter accommodating a community of up to 200 people,
each with a diverse set of skills, the odds of survival are greatly increased. Collectively, this
Vivos community will be able to provide one another with security and defense, medical,
survival education, cooking, hunting, farming and virtually every skill and service that will
be required to survive a long term need for shelter.
Even in defense of social anarchy, the Vivos shelters are effectively a modern day “fort” that
will be defendable from virtually any intruder, or rogue force. The Vivos shelters are all
located in deep, underground, remote, mountainous locations. They are also heavily
fortified for defense, with extensive surveillance, and security measures. Survival at a Vivos
shelter is far more viable than on your own, or even with a small group of people, dug into a
hideout in the wilderness.
For most people, there are far too many variables and skills needed to realistically survive
on their own, especially under a scenario of social anarchy. Vivos is the community solution
for the masses, providing a greater long term chance of survival than any other. As a coowner
of one of the Vivos shelters, you will only need to get there. Everything else is
provided, including food, water, fuel, clothing, medical supplies, communications devices,
security measures, as well as extremely comfortable accommodations.
We cannot predict if and/or when an economic or natural disaster will occur. However, we
can prepare for these scenarios. Doing otherwise would be negligent and irresponsible.

Source: http://www.terravivos.com