Will the future be an Utopia or Distopia?

So I was watching a video and near the end of the video the guy who made it started talking about whether the future of the world is going to be an utopia or a distopia.

And he further explained his position by stating that some people are optimists and other people are pessimists, but that there are also optimistic pessimists and pessimistic optimists. And of course there is also the realists, who are actually quite rare.

So lets break down what the 5 ideas.

The True Optimist believes the future of the world will be an Utopia and it is going to be Awesome.

The Pessimistic Optimist believes the future of the world will be an Utopia and it is going to be Horrible.

The Realist believes the future of the world will be more or less like it is now and it will be neither better or worse. The argument here is that Realists takes the world as it is, not as they would like it to be, because they have realized that nothing really changes. It is always two steps forward, two steps back.


The Optimistic Pessimist believes the future of the world will be a Distopia and it is going to be Awesome.

The True Pessimist believes the future of the world will be a Distopia and it is going to be Horrible.

So for the people who believe that an Apocalypse is approaching, they have to be a Pessimist. If they also think that the Apocalypse is going to be fun/interesting/provide new opportunities, then clearly they are an Optimistic Pessimist.

The True Pessimist however would believe that the Apocalypse will happen and that there is nothing we can do to prepare for it. We are all screwed, so don't bother being a prepper.

Myself, I don't consider myself to be a prepper. But I do have a bugout bag just in case.

And I admit, I do kind of fantasize what the Apocalypse could be like... Hunting, farming, living off the land, rebuilding society. Sounds nice.

So I guess that makes me an Optimistic Pessimist.

On the flip side, if there is no Apocalypse, I would still argue that we are heading towards a Distopian future where robotics and technology displaces large numbers of out-of-work poor people, and how various countries solve that problem in the future will be problematic.

1. Capitalist Countries will say corporations have the right to use robots as much as they want, and reap all the benefits. The poor are just lazy. Combine this with a police state, and you basically have a plot similar to RoboCop where police-robots kill the poor people whenever they rebel.

2. Communist Countries will say corporations have a duty to pay taxes, supporting a communist / welfare state wherein people no longer need to work, and the biggest problem is people finding something to do with all their spare time.

Both of these options have their pros and cons, clearly.

But since the USA/Canada are currently heading in the direction of a capitalist distopian police state, I am afraid that makes me a True Pessimist. Because it will be a distopia and it is going to be horrible.

One could argue we are already living in a distopia. How else do you explain Donald Trump in the White House?

It is really just a matter of time before the coal industry realizes it can replace all of its workers with robots. All those coal miners that voted for Trump are going to be out of work completely sometime in the next 20 years.

Dentistry in the Post Apocalypse

In Canada we take our publicly funded healthcare system for granted, and I admit I am also in favour of adding some level of dentistry to the things covered by OHIP (Ontario's Health Insurance Plan). Not everything should be covered by OHIP, but $880 worth of coverage per year would cover 4 cleanings.

Everything else, x-rays, surgery, dentures, braces, etc would still have to be covered by patients.

However lets pretend for a moment that the apocalypse were to happen. Zombie apocalypse, nuclear apocalypse, economic collapse and chaos, climate change and rising sea levels, etc. It doesn't really matter which version of the apocalypse we are talking about.

The problem that then exists in this new post apocalyptic world is how do people take care of themselves in terms of healthcare?

And in the case of this post, specifically dental care which effects us constantly as we really should be cleaning our teeth daily.

Four years ago in October I wrote a post titled: "DIY Dental Care??? Crazy or Feasible???"

In the post I mentioned a number of things.

1. I really like my dentist. Archer Dental offers the best dental services that money can buy in Toronto. It cannot be beat.
2. DIY Dentistry is basically crazy and involves putting fibreglass and epoxy in your mouth like some deranged lunatic.
3. If you have the option to pay the best dentist in Toronto to work on your teeth as opposed to sticking fibreglass and epoxy in your mouth, you should definitely choose the dentist.
4. Good luck wearing the wooden dentures because that might be your best option if you start experimenting on your teeth.

What if there is no dentist?

During the Post Apocalypse you probably won't have a dentist available unless you manage to find a large community of survivors who are lucky enough to have a dentist (and hopefully a doctor too).

So in our What If Scenario we face the real problem of what to do in the event that there is no dentist available.

Well, here is what you need to do:

#1. Stockpile Dental and Medical Supplies

You should be stockpiling the following items:

• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Floss
• Mouthwash
• Dental Equipment (in hope that you eventually find a dentist)
• First Aid Kits
• Bandages
• Painkillers / anti-inflammatories
• Antibiotics
• Insulin
• Needles
• Everything you could possibly hope to find in an old fashioned medical doctor's bag
• Anything else you can think of. eg. epipens, allergy pills, etc.

It is also possible to clean your teeth using salt water (brine), and likewise baking soda can be used as an alternative to toothpaste. But you still need a toothbrush at least. Mix the baking soda with something acidic (eg. apple juice or lemon juice) and then use the resulting paste on your teeth with a toothbrush. For best results, spit out any saliva before using this method.

#2. Preventative Dental Care

You know how your dentist is always telling you to brush your teeth, floss and use mouthwash every day?

You need to actually be doing those things. Every day. Today. Right now if you haven't done so already.

And you should start today, because if you are lazy and don't do it then 2 years from now you could literally be on your way to the dentist when the nukes start flying, and you've got dental problems ALREADY because you were not prepared.

#3. Take the best possible care of your teeth now, BEFORE the apocalypse happens

One more reason why I go to Archer Dental. In the past 4 years I have gone from being very unhappy about my teeth to extremely happy about them.

• If you are not currently happy with the state of your teeth, you are not prepared for the apocalypse.
• If you currently have major problems with your teeth, then you are not prepared for the apocalypse.
• If you are not in the habit of taking care of your teeth daily, then you are not prepared for the apocalypse.

Do you honestly think that if the apocalypse happens you will suddenly remember to take care of your teeth? Probably not.

Are you going to be one of those people chowing down on Twinkies (one of the things that endure for decades) during the post apocalypse? Maybe. If so, you really need to be taking better care of your teeth now.

"A true prepper is prepared for every possibility, including a lack of available dentists."

#4. Find Allies

Family and friends are best, but the loner approach to the Post Apocalypse is not good for your survival chances.

You fall and break your leg, it might not kill you but your chances of starving to death just skyrocketed if you don't have any allies.

Get a tooth that becomes infected and needs to pulled properly? Think you can do it by yourself? Your chances of survival double or triple if you have allies to help you.

Think an infected tooth cannot kill you? Think again. A man in California in January 2017 died from an infected tooth because the infection spread to his blood and his lungs. He thought it was just a toothache, but the autopsy revealed otherwise.

An infected tooth can also cause swelling, which makes it impossible to eat food. The victim literally starves to death.

Bacterial infections of abscess teeth can lead to serious heart, lung, and brain infections if left untreated, all causing death.

And even if you do manage to pull the tooth, who is to say the infection goes away? You really need antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria that is thriving in your empty tooth socket. Simply pulling the tooth isn't necessarily going to solve the problem if you don't also kill the bacteria. You need the extra people around because the more people you have as allies, the more chances there are someone has antibiotics which can help you.

#5. Lone Wolf DIY Dentisty = Good Luck

Seriously, if you end up alone with zero allies, you didn't stockpile any dental supplies, you didn't take preventative measures like brushing your teeth daily, and you didn't take care of your teeth prior to the apocalypse...

Well, then you really and truly are screwed, aren't you?

Hence why I am saying good luck, because you are going to need it.

In case of an infected tooth your best possible solution is to pull the tooth (the whole thing, don't leave any broken pieces of infected tooth behind) and to treat yourself with antibiotics. Oh, but you don't have any allies to make sure you got the whole tooth, and you forgot to stockpile the antibiotics. Whoops! Sucks to be you.

What if you need surgery on your teeth? Are you going to do it yourself with no proper tools? You cannot even see inside your own mouth properly to be doing that. A mirror won't help because your hands will be in the way, preventing you from seeing properly. So your plan then is to perform surgery on yourself, by feel, with zero experience of doing such?

Good luck sewing yourself up after the surgery!

It is one thing to sew stitches on your own leg, but another thing to sew up bloody gum tissue inside your mouth when you cannot even see what you are doing.

In that dire scenario your best bet is to try and find a community of survivors who are friendly to you and will welcome another survivor into the midst. With luck they might have a dentist, a dental hygienist who understands the principles of what needs to be done, or a doctor - or someone with steady hands who is at least willing to try. They might even have painkillers and all the needed medical supplies.

"In the winter the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives."

What you need in a Nuclear Fallout Bug Out Bag

Lets imagine the nuclear apocalypse has happened. You are close to home when you see the mushroom clouds in the distance. You rush home and grab your Nuclear Fallout Bug Out Bag...

What should be in it?

Food and Water

Preferably 30 days worth, but that is tricky to carry that much so you might need ways to find/hunt for food, and ways to purify your water to make it safer to drink. You can survive 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food.

Thus in theory 10 litres, drinking only 1 litre every 3 days, could last you 30 days.

Likewise with the food, 10 meal replacement bars, eating 1 bar every 3 days would also give you ample food to survive for 30 days. It doesn't need to be the "Macho Survivalist" bars, regular diet bars like SlimFast found in your local grocery store will suffice for your needs.

You can also scavenge additional food and water from other sources, but take care anything you consume has not been exposed to radiation or radioactive ash.

Heat Source

This is a necessity if you live in a colder climate. You need something portable that can also be used to cook food if need be, or to boil water.

First Aid Kit

Pretty much a necessity. Extra bandages also handy as many First Aid Kits don't contain a lot of bandages.

Extra Clothes

Partially for keeping warm, partially to provide an extra layer between you and radioactive ash, but also so you can shed clothes that has become contaminated with ash and you still have something to wear.

You may need to scavenge additional clothing as you travel.

Light Source

Flashlight, oil lantern, or something to provide ample light when traveling at night, which you may need to do.

Tools

A multi-tool would be nice, but some people might just buy a small tool set. You never know when you might need the right tool for the job and your multi-tool just is not enough to get it done.

Hazmat Suit and Mask

For $36 you can get a hazmat suit and a mask on Amazon.ca. This way you don't have to suffer the embarrassment of trying to buy this in person. Will you need it? Hopefully not. If you don't need it, oh well, at least you were prepared for that possibility. And considering the price, not that big of an expense.

Radiation Detector

Ideally you want the radiation to be below 20rem. You don't really want to be exposed to larger amounts for any long period of time. Staying in a secure shelter would be better until the radiation levels go down. A cheap radiation detector goes for $37 on Amazon.ca, but you can also get fancier ones that cost $135 or more.

Even medium amounts of radiation could kill you weeks after being exposed to it, so you ideally want to keep your exposure to as small an amount as possible. Large amounts of radiation can kill you within mere hours.

A Weapon to Defend Yourself

There are going to be people who are less prepared and might try to take the things you were wise enough to prepare.

A firearm with lots of ammo is good, but if you are skilled with archery or a crossbow enthusiast that would also be handy because it means you can reuse ammunition and it is stealthier.

If the country is also at war (and has not surrendered yet, or even if it has) you will probably also want to have a weapon to protect yourself from enemy soldiers invading your country.

The weapon could also be used for hunting, to gain food, and for protection against wild animals which may become violent due to radiation sickness. Injured animals are typically dangerous animals.

Note - Do NOT get one of those crappy survival bows that are horribly inaccurate and make a better club than a bow!


Can you add other things to your Nuclear Fallout Bug Out Bag?

Absolutely. Whatever you think is necessary for survival. Some people even add a book or recreational items because if they take shelter and there is too much radiation outside they need something to amuse themselves with. Boredom can drive a person crazy and to do stupid things like going out in the radiation in some vain effort to escape the boredom...

"I am bored. I am going out there to look for food." - Fool who dies of radiation sickness days later.

So if you are going to pack something entertaining, make it a classic like Moby Dick, Neuromancer, War and Peace, or The Lord of the Rings. One of those books you should definitely read before you die... So pick something definitely worth reading.

eg. War and Peace is huge. You can read parts of it and then use the pages you already read as kindling for your fire. However since you might need to read it twice out of boredom, maybe only burn the boring bits.

Remember...

A wise person prepares. The fool does not.

Zombie Apocalypse Tactics #1: To Hoard or Distribute Firearms

So I decided to start a new series of posts dubbed "Zombie Apocalypse Tactics".

It is really more of a fun series of posts, but I am hoping it will get people thinking about what methods are the best way to survive in similar post-apocalyptic scenarios.

So here goes...

Should you hoard or distribute firearms during a a Zombie Apocalypse?

So imagine you are sitting on a stockpile of firearms. ie. You own a gun store or perhaps you just collect firearms. The Zombie Apocalypse starts, should you:

A. Barricade yourself inside your gun shop and wait out the disaster, only to emerge later and kill as many zombies as you can?

or...

B. Start handing out free firearms and ammo to any would-be "Zombie Slayers" in the community?

So there are pros and cons to both strategies.

In Option A you run the dangers of running low on food, getting injured or sick and having nobody to help you, having no allies, and when you eventually emerge from your gun shop you will be alone against a giant hoard of zombies.

In Option B you run the risk of people you give guns to turning on you and stealing your guns, stealing your food, murdering you, etc. But on the plus side, fostering a community of Zombie Slayers around you could make your small town or neighbourhood "zombie free" as a well armed community will be able to kill lots of zombies, purge the region of zombies, and be better able to feed themselves, find supplies and can rely upon a commodity system wherein bullets are effectively the new currency.

If you run low on food or supplies, you just buy some from your neighbours.

Injured or sick? More likely to be a doctor, nurse or medic amongst the survivors if you managed to save the community using your stockpile of guns and ammo.

Get attacked by a rival community of survivors? If your group of survivors is well armed they will be better able to withstand such an attack. Having allies is useful. Being alone against a rival group of survivors makes you easy pickings no matter how well armed you are.

To me Option B is the clear choice, even though it comes with a few risks. The risks of being isolated and alone with Option A is simply not worth it. The pros of Option A outweigh the risks.

What do you think is the best option in that scenario? Post your thoughts in the comments.

The right tool for the job? Or just silliness that will reduce the accuracy of your bullets?