From the earliest days of science fiction, authors have been trying to predict what the future holds.  HG Wells wrote “The Time Machine” to prognosticate how history would turn out.  His vision was of a great war and then a dormant period, followed by the rebirth of the Garden of Eden, where man begins anew.  This is really what happens: the evil subterranean Morlocks, who use technology, harvest the peaceful Eloi for food.  This vision is quite grim and could have been written as a warning to the expanding Capitalistic society. 

I find it fascinating the way that the time traveler uses his knowledge and wit to deal with problems.  For me, that’s the fun of these stories.  Then I ask myself “What would you have done?”  I wouldn’t time travel so the thought exercise ends there.  My favorite author, Philip K Dick, had catastrophic things happen when you messed with the time line, so I don’t go there.  More often, my imagination places me in a situation where I’m forced to live by my wits and instinct.  What would I do in the many possible world-ending scenarios?  My mind has been there and I see a possible future after civilization.

Economic Failure!  In this possible future, the world system of currency collapses and life as we know it ends.  It would be a slow grind to a halt, and things we count on for day to day life would disappear.  First, international trade halts and countries focus on self-preservation.  Rich countries with resources will eventually swallow the nations without natural resources to keep it’s population fed.  My plan is based on a quick transition to a home farm and armed compound.   Because of my ability to grow food, my resources will be desired by others, so I will invite family and friends to set up a protected street with armed guards in fortified sentry posts.  My solution is not to be too big or too noticeable, so camouflage would be essential.  My goal would be to set up lives for my children and make sure my wife is happy.  The secret would be teamwork and like-minded allies.  Doable!

Global Pandemic! This situation has been done so many ways in fiction.  Mass die-offs, global death toll, it seems like a given that if a super bug was released, then we would all be infected.  Keep in mind that the Bubonic Plague didn’t kill everyone that was infected because some things have a natural immunity.  The idea of everyone dying from a single germ is highly unlikely.  My solution is to convert my home into an Earthship as fast as possible.  That might be impossible because I live in NY, near major airports, so a superbug could be spread before people were aware of it.  My plan would be two phases, first survive the initial outbreak.  Locking down my home would work in phase one, but long time survival would could on resources and they are mostly outside the home.  Then when we finally leave the house, we would do our best to create a space suit to best protect us from active pathogens.  Bleach bath on the return?  Maybe?

Alien Attack!  This scenario has been done from every angle, but I believe that any life willing to travel through the endless void of space would have practical needs.  Killing off all humans just seems silly, why not mentally take them over using intelligence and advanced science.  I would go about life like nothing had happened.  This is one that you can go with it or go against it, but in the end, your actions will make no effect on the outcome of interstellar travelers arriving here.  If they possess the power to take us over, no home plan is going to change that.  My answer, get an alien traveler T-shirt! Win!

The fun is to put yourself in the place of the characters in these stories and let your mind go.  I enjoy remote island or jungle stories because they have many of the same elements of the Post-Apocalyptic stories: survival by wits and the ability to use the resources of the environment, no matter what they are.  These tales allow us a glimpse of the unthinkable and then the ability to think about it without friends and family dying.  The idea of living off the land is also a big part of many fantasy stories.  How would you deal with one of these situations?  Do you possess a special skill or talent that would make you extremely valuable in a “staying alive” situation or are you the first person the neighbors would eat?