This is a part of a series of posts about urban survival. Guides, skills, tips and gear for travel, crises and everyday life. – view all survivalist posts
Survival in any form for any environment is an act of prevention and or recovery.
-John Cain
CONCRETE JUNGLE //
Natural jungles are covered with dense flora and formations, dominated by imposing trees with wild life abound. Whereas concrete jungles are scattered with architecture and structures, dominated by imposing buildings with human life abound.
Because of these arbitrary similarities, urban survival as suppose to wilderness survival have not so arbitrary differences in methodology and theory.
The concrete jungle, while being civilized as being the most apparent difference, is populated by the most dangerous entity in the world, our fellow man.
An Evacuated Times Square, New York City ///
Despite our minimal understanding of the animal psyche and relative inability to communicate with them, they are for more predictable and potentially less dangerous than we are to each other – the real threat.
Most people relate the word “survival” to the wilderness and the animals within it but rarely to where we spend most of our lives, the cities and the people within it.
Urban survival in the concrete jungle doesn’t just pertain to cities like war-torn Syria or crime-ridden Compton but as well as highly developed and exceptionally safe cities like Manhattan and Singapore.
No matter where you are, the mind and skill sets for urban survival is most important as a foreigner or visitor in any given city, regardless if it’s peace time, times of unrest or all out “shit hits the fan” (SHTF) situations.
Erratic Streets of Cairo, Egypt ///
Unlike the wilderness, survival in the concrete jungle isn’t just about conquering life threatening scenarios. It’s also about excelling in everyday (and normal) urban life.
That is the mindset of which you should focus as an urban survivalist and even as an urban dweller.
Like the wilderness, the concrete jungle does follow the same directives of survival; shelter, defense, food / water, exit strategizing, mapping / navigation and camouflage.
These will all be covered in upcoming posts.
Urban Survivalist: Concrete Jungle
[The featured photo was taken in the Flatiron District of New York City.]
Row Reathrow
01/08/2017 at 11:23 PM
You grew up in the Bronx right? Queens right here!