Urban Scout’s Rewilding Survey

In the spirit of Myspace, I wrote up a funny survey to give to you, readers. Please fill it out and post it in the comments below. Extra credit if you can answer using e-prime, but completely unnecessary.

1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

3. What do you like most about rewilding?

4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

7. What wild foods do you favor most?

8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

11. What will you miss most about civilization?

12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

15. Do you feel ready?

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21 Comments on “Urban Scout’s Rewilding Survey”

  1. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill? No I would not

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds? No I have not, but I have slept with a vegitarian? Does that count?

    3. What do you like most about rewilding? I like the fact that it readies you for the future just in case

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best? Into the Wild, made me cry

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal? I never tried… I dont like to hunt

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization? No

    7. What wild foods do you favor most? Wild Berries

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions? Nightmares… I had a dream once, where the devil came out of my bedroom closet, touting that I would go to hell soon.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage? I dont talk to them about it… they probally would think that they wont see the light of this any time soon

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in? No

    11. What will you miss most about civilization? The conveidance of technology such as laundry, dishwasher and transportation. Other than that, nothing.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down? My soulmate Clare

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors? Im an artist, and a herbalist

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse? 1,000 years

    15. Do you feel ready? Yes…

  2. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    i have never but would try it. i almost ate a skunk once but it had pooped on itself so i didn’t.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?
    never. can’t find any feral vixens in these parts.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?
    i’ve lost 10 pounds since i started, got an almost permanent dirt tan, chicks dig it, i feel 10 years younger, and i’m fucking up civilization at the same time.
    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

    derrick jensen is #1.
    black elk speaks.
    monkey wrench gang (or any other edward abbey stuff).
    song lines by bruce chatwin (sp?).
    tamarack song.
    never cry wolf is the best movie of all time.
    princes mononoke.
    emerald jungle is pretty tight too.

    there are plenty more good books but i can’t think of all of them now. the ones i listed are my favorite though.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    pretty long but i can do it.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    nope.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?

    mushrooms.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

    i dunno.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    i’m “going down the wrong path” and “running into my own blade”.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    pizza. interweb.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

    my dog maybe.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    i’m a nice guy. i can give people cool tattoos.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    i don’t know for sure. it’s already ending. but full on? maybe within the next 10 or 20 years? i really don’t know. sooner is better.

    15. Do you feel ready?

    no.

  3. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill? When I was 13, I tasted a rattlesnake our bus at camp ran over and we cooked later on an open fire; it tasted like tender chicken, but we each got only a speck. So every cooked speck of anything probably tastes like chicken, right? Would I knowingly eat roadkill now? I doubt it. Well, maybe a speck. Cooked. Thoroughly.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds? No, but my husband is a good no-trace camper and he recycles a lot….

    3. What do you like most about rewilding? You’re not producing more; you’re using what already exists.

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best? Um, you?

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal? Huh?

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization? No, but it’s hard to live with the husband who is sitting on the couch in front of the TV which is babbling nonsense, with a laptop going on his lap, and the iPod in his ear. I have given up, and do things like fill out online surveys instead of trying for conversation. Actually, I exaggerate (but it WAS like that in previous years), though there is far too much technology in our home…

    7. What wild foods do you favor most? Berries. Other stuff scares me.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions? My DAILY CURRENT life invades my dreams. I can’t get past that to worry about tomorrow or a generation from now. I know, I know, if I worried about the future, today would seem very petty….

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage? I think if I decided to run around town in a loincloth and eat roadkill, my mother would be very concerned. So would my husband and kids… But since my mother is from the Depression-era, she understands about not having, re-using, etc etc. We ironed used wrapping paper when I was a kid, have always washed and re-used tin foil, etc etc. Bought used clothes. No end to the embarrassments of that kind of childhood. Mom now has the biggest collection of plastic bags, margarine tubs, etc etc that you can imagine. Before my dad died, he was cutting the extra take-out food napkins in half and keeping them in a bag in the bathroom to use instead of toilet paper. No, he didn’t die of dementia, it was just his little part in “saving the world”. He remembers his mother soaking a piece of bread in vinegar for him to suck on as a child to stave off the hunger she didn’t have food to feed. You don’t forget stuff like that.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in? No, haven’t had one of those, but I love when they overhear my gay rights conversations and join in, whatever their opinion….

    11. What will you miss most about civilization? I figure I’ll be dead, so don’t know what I would really miss. If I were still here – friends, connections by phone or internet, INFORMATION and input, and yes, pizza as someone said before. Mostly though – warm dry place to sleep, flushing toilet, hot shower, food that doesn’t make me gag, you know, the comforts we take for granted now.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down? Hopefully my husband, who will have to learn to live without all his technologies and keep me alive through his good camping and survival skills, and lack of fear of dark woods at night…. My kids, so we can all still live together, yet far more simplistically than now. You know, like sit around the fire at night and really talk….

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors? I don’t know that I’m as asset at all. I’d be like the person who gives encouragement to the others, praises them for their hard work, gives moral support, takes care of their psychological needs? Guess I’m kind of expendable….

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse? Honestly, naive perhaps, but not in my lifetime. Hopefully not in my kids’ either. Yeah yeah, I’m stupid to think that and not prepare, right?

    15. Do you feel ready? Not if it’s anytime soon.

  4. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    I have not, but definitely will. I haven’t yet partially out of admitted laziness and partially timing. I tend to spot roadkill while on my way to school (late, usually) and with my girlfriend in the car. She gets pretty squeamish about some things, and despite her hate for car culture would still have an unpleasant reaction.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    My girlfriend doesn’t exactly rewild, but has many opinions in common. And luckily for us, she has some outdoors skills.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?

    Freedom.

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

    “The Thirty Theses” of course ranks up there, and a good technical book is “When Technology Fails”, which although it isn’t strictly anti-civ it has tons of useful low-tech info. “Black Elk Speaks”, “The Sacred Pipe”, and such are always good.

    As for movies, I recommend Ofelas, a Finnish movie on which they based the terrible recent release Pathfinder.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    I have to admit that I haven’t tried. The only primitive fire-making tech I use is my fire piston, which is really easy to get a coal from. Friction methods are on my list, though.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    Nope, and as much as I consider rewilding a priority I don’t think I would.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?

    Fatty types of fish like salmon, or venison. It’s a tie, I think.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

    Mostly my day-dreams. Most of the time when I sit around and think or drift off, it somehow turns to the turbulent future. This happens at least a few times a day.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    I’m taking the strategy of feeding small amounts of information to them at a time in conversations. My parents are very practical people, and generally approve of me learning practical skills. My dad’s somewhat of a survivalist. My mom is pretty impressed that I keep rendering fat into tallow, and making lamps and stuff.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

    Yea, a couple weeks ago in a convenience store. It was very lightly anti-civ, but it was still pretty cool.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    I think I decided that my favorite convenience is indoor plumbing. The water is off at my house right now, and while it’s been an interesting experience having to think about things more inventively, I’m looking forward to turning it back on.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

    I can probably rely on most of my immediate family, girlfriend, a few grove members, and a few friends from high school to come with me (or rather, come to me, since I live in the woods). None of them are rewilders in any sense, but enough of them have practical skills that we’ll be alright.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    I can put together many, many types of weaponry, including improvised explosives. I also know a fair bit about armor making and know enough about tactics to be of some use. I’m also one hel of a shot, especially with rifles and bows. Oh, and some people think I look intimidating.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    I think we’ll see an escalation in collapse within the next decade, most likely within five years. Our recession will soon become a depression, and things will spiral down from there. When oil becomes too expensive to extract, food will become scarce and the rioting and warfare will begin.

    15. Do you feel ready?

    Almost. I have skills, but I’m still pretty out of shape. I also have some weapons and stuff I want to put together. Within the year, I expect to be almost entirely ready.

  5. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill? I have not but would.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds? Sadly, I married younger than when my re-wilding days began. And in Los Angeles, despite the fact that we live in massive metropolis, there exist more than a few re-wilders.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding? The ability to create one’s tools out of the things around you. What a wonderful use of imagination!

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best? Urban Scout ranks as my favorite re-wilding expert; For books, I suggest Spell of the Sensuous or Martin Prechtel to twist your head out of shape in preparation for civ collapse.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal? Sorry, when it comes to making fire, my successes define the word “big-ass failure.” 🙁

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization? Nope, but soon I must end a friendship over it.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most? Hedge mustard, wild trout, wild scallops, sage tea.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions? Only civ invades my nightmares, masquerading as “zombie / infestation / mind control” invasions. As far as apocalypse, I experiences a vision of it once, at least how it would appear in Los Angeles. I describe that vision, in the abstract, as heart-shattering. Post-apocalypse, though, stays where I focus my energy, including writing nice novels about it.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    Simply put: “You are crazy” or “You are wrong.” More ‘properly’ put… “but what if you are wrong?”

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in? Not yet, but I have witnessed ears perk up and eyes shine bright.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization? Long distance communication and the ability to easily traverse long distances like the West Coast. Oh… and sushi restaurants; not the sushi, though, because I figure I’ll have to invent one using raw fish and cooked maggots 🙂

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

    Hopefully, most of them but honestly, I don’t know. Anywhere from about 15 to around 150 but I just don’t know… 🙁

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors? My assets? Sneaky as hell, heavily tactical with a stamina by all rights I shouldn’t have and, lastly, a nice enough knowledge of weapons and anatomy that should make nasty folks pause.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    2012, based on native warnings (not the esoteric ones but the I-heard-it-directly-from-people-I’ve-met ones), Jason’s analysis (Anthropik) and gut. Timing is around that, give or take a year or two, so range is 2010-2015.

    15. Do you feel ready?

    No. But a saying keeps rattling around in my head “Trust in the gods and look for opportunities.” Everything around me skews towards creating communities in my area. I hope there exists enough grace in what I do that in the end, when the time comes, my family and friends feel ready

  6. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    Not yet, but I will. Or, rather, I hope car culture goes down in flames before I get the chance!

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    Not yet (ha!). Scout, do you want to start a dating service? You could play matchmaker for persons-who-rewild 😉

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?

    I love how billions of creative opportunities present themselves and taking on the DIY ethic.

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

    Into the Forest by Jean Hegland
    anything Derrick Jensen
    Spell of the Sensuous (Abram)
    Chellis Glendinning’s work
    Walkabout (film)
    this site
    penny scout’s blog
    the college of mythic cartography

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    I have my bow, I have my spindle, just a couple more pieces and I’ll start some fires (ninja-style, we live under a burn ban here). But, a few weeks ago, I started a fire in a dream with only a bow and a spindle. I feel pretty badass in my dreams!

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    nope.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?

    Chickweed serves me well. Violets delight. I look forward to acorns.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

    Apocalypse doesn’t, but dreams come with all sorts of cool things. I’ve dreamt of digging up wild onions and wapatoes. I’ve dreamt of the most delicious wild fruits (I woke up with my mouth watering).

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    If I ate roadkill, they would begin to worry. Otherwise my interest in “primitive skills” doesn’t bother them in the slightest.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

    I’ve jumped in on a few conversations, and met a couple of anti-civ folks.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    Pizza, corn chips, coffee. Oh god, coffee. I should give that up.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

    A few good people. I know them already 😉

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    Good intuition.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    2010-2020

    15. Do you feel ready?

    hell no. but if collapse happens and i need to die, i would feel honored to serve the unfolding rewilding by giving myself to the worms.

  7. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    No I haven’t, but will. A couple of weeks ago I came across a dead squirrel (didn’t know for how long) and was tempted to take him/her home but, alas, didn’t.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    No, I haven’t but I am trying to re-educated or un-educate my partner about the shit that is civilization. We’ll see.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?

    The break with an inhumane system called civilization. Since I am smack dab in middle of an urban center, so much of all this is still academic but I am working on the process of rewilding my ideas in the meantime. Grrrrr

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

    Books by Derrick Jensen, John Zerzan, Jason Godesky’s “Thirty Theses,” Willem Larsen’s stuff, and, of course, Urban Scout posts.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    Haven’t tried yet.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    No. I do wonder if my current trajectory will eventually ruin my relationship. I hope not but I can’t stay in a cage.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?

    Cheetos. Actually don’t know yet.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

    No yet — a rewilding wet dream, can’t wait.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    Dead and dead to me. Sadly not applicable.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

    Not yet.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    I’d like to say nothing but once withdrawals set in I might miss hot showers, toilets, chocolate…

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

    Hopefully my partner of 10+ years if she doesn’t kick me out first. Otherwise I’m meeting new friends for when the shit goes down.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    My exceptional karaoke skills, my knowledge of MS Word and Excel — OH SHIT, I’m screwed. I’m a quick learner with a winning personality. Will work for grub.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    Within the next 20 years.

    15. Do you feel ready?

    No and hell no, but that’s why I’m here, networking, meeting new people online that I hope will translate to offline relationships. Considering a move to Oregon in a couple of years.

    Great survey, Urban Scout.

  8. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill? I’ve had roadkill deer twice now.
    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds? I had a brief, wild fling with a rewilder.
    3. What do you like most about rewilding? Giving in to my real, deep needs.
    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best? On a Derrick Jensen kick.
    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal? Never tried it.
    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization? Yes.
    7. What wild foods do you favor most? I really crave dandelion greens sometimes.
    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions? Never had an apocalypse dream.
    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage? They say “you where always weird…”
    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in? Yes!!!
    11. What will you miss most about civilization? Libraries?
    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down? I’m not sure.
    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors? I know how to suture wounds, lots about medicinal herbs and wild medicine.
    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse? 10 years at the most.
    15. Do you feel ready? No, not in the least.

  9. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill? Yes, moose. I live in Alaska!

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds? No.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding? It’s acting out a great philosophy

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best? Haven’t read much practical stuff yet, mostly enjoyed your website.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal? ?

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?
    No… but my wife shares 98% of my views of the destructiveness of Civilization

    7. What wild foods do you favor most? carrots and tomatoes and apples

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions? I think this global civilization will come down during my lifetime, as the US economy will bring down other countries in our current recession

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage? My parents are both dead.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in? Yeah, right!

    11. What will you miss most about civilization? The Internet

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down? Not many! Maybe two.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?
    I’ve lived in the wild for long periods of time… not at your level but I can survive, even in severe environments.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse? I dunno, but this current economic melt-down could be the beginning of the end. It’s Peak Oil Theory playing out… a civilization totally based on a fossil fuel that is running out doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the entire global civilization may not survive very long… if I were to take a wild guess… I’d say another 20 years, maybe less depending on how quickly things collapse once the oil runs out.

    15. Do you feel ready? Probably not…I’m not sure it matters if you live in LA or Boston. I mean, you’ve gotta have access to an environment that can support a small group of people. Like native americans or aboriginal peoples and that’s not the remains of a megalopolis. IMHO.

  10. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?
    -If I knew how to prepare a fresh one properly, sure

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?
    -I am the only rewilder I know around here

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?
    -It’s the only aspect of my future in which I find optimism

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?
    -Haven’t read much, apart from this and a few other websites. The ones on the blogroll to the right are mostly decent

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?
    -Haven’t managed one yet, probably due to using the wrong wood types/hardnesses

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?
    -Nope, I try to coexist peacefully with people, no matter how ignorant

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?
    -Blackberries, for sure. Tastier than even the most chemically enhanced pseudo-fruity stuff civilisation has to offer

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?
    -It’s not figured much in my dreams, though I wish it would

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?
    -I haven’t “come out” to them as such, but I drop subtle hints from time to time. They don’t argue, but they don’t commit either

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?
    -Not really

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?
    -Probably the music. Sure, music’s not an exclusively civilised phenomenon but civilisation has certainly beefed up musical possibilities.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?
    -I don’t think I’ll know who my friends really are until I go through a collapse with them

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?
    -Probably the ease with which I absorb topographical detail and such

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?
    -Maybe as long as a century, but more realistically I’d say a couple of decades

    15. Do you feel ready?
    -If the shit hit the fan tomorrow I’d give myself maybe a 30% survival chance. So no.

  11. i love that this conversation is happening. what a relief to the psyche to know that not everyone in the world right now is delusional. on with the survey:

    1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    most definitely, although i’d be weary of it in an urban environment. i’m feeling pretty lucky when i’ve got wild meat to nourish my body, and maybe a hide to craft with.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    yes, i’ve slept with other rewilders. mmmm. tasty.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?

    it feels like the only direction to go at this point, the only truth in a sad world. i feel connected to myself, to my ancestors, to the land. what more could i ask for?

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

    tom brown and jon young got me started. derrick jensen, daniel quinn, chellis glendinning, tamarack song…

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    if i have a good set, ten minutes.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    just recently, although it was one of many reasons.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?

    definitely the meats.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

    a couple of times, usually in the form of bombs dropping. but it’s a much scarier nightmare of a near future WITHOUT an apocalypse.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    “why don’t you get a job” and “you need a degree”

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

    not yet.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    warm showers and connection to my scattered friends and family.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

    i have a handful of folks, my dream team. who knows when the time actually comes.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    interest/obsession with plants, especially medicinal although edibles are beginning to catch my eye (it’s spring, so much bounty). easy to get along with. strong and hard working.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    ten years?

    15. Do you feel ready?

    to survive? nope. but i’d take it on regardless.

  12. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill? Grew up on roadkill (venison), and uh.. driveway kill.. i.e. the rabbits my mom would occasionally back into.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    slept or ‘slept’? Yes and no. I guess I have a girlfriend into it all though.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?

    Free (money wise) food!

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

    Well, Derrick Jensen, anything about wolves, but movies, Never Cry Wolf, hmm yeah.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    never tried it -__-

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    na, haven’t really gotten myself in one anyhow.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?

    I ate some Dandelions today and made nettle tea. But favor? I don’t know enough yet..

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

    Honestly, I’m kind of sick of hearing about it, too much fear, everyone seems to try and prey on that fear, and I say fuck it, ready or not.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    My parents played a big part in getting me into it, and they’re pretty cool about it, though I haven’t really told them exactly, just the stuff I say day to day.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

    mm.. na not really, maybe at Rewild camp.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    Electric sex

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

    calling anyone in Seattle? Sam?

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    Tallness, I can pick the stuff off the tree others can’t reach! Oh warriors.. strategist?

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    whenever food prices get too expensive for me to afford, and full on collapse.. probably the same time, as full on as it will get at least.

    15. Do you feel ready?

    Na, but who cares, it’ll make me ready.

  13. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    I have not yet.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    An organic gardener who grew up on a commune – not quite a rewilder yet.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?

    ReWildin’ Out. Sharing food with my housemates and neighbors. Planting perennial edibles in my rented yard.

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?
    I read only what I need to accomplish the task at hand. When in need, I like primary sources best.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?
    Shortest was like 30 seconds. I’m getting better each time. I haven’t spun too, too many, to be honest.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?
    No, and I never will.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?
    Wood sorrel (Oxalis sp) is a fantastic urban treat.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?
    Not really. I see a peaceful, perhaps confusing societal shift to a permaculture, inspired by our caring & sharing & inviting community.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?
    Like me, they are in the process of shaking off their long-term indoctrinated domesticated service to empire. They’re coming along with my help, :1.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?
    Yeah, heh, at a party in Queens, NY, jumping in to defend my peaceful planting of edibles, perspectives, and practices within the foreign eco-system of civilization to spread like invasive species and transform the environment.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?
    I can’t think of anything that won’t be better when humans are blissfully healing the Earth and regenerating vibrant ecologies and local culture.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?
    All of them. We already are wild. It’s just an awakening still to come for some friends, heh.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?
    My Peacemaking Skills for intra and inter-tribe affairs, defusing all violence.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?
    Till the sun bursts.

    15. Do you feel ready?
    Yes, :1.

  14. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill? **I have not, but I would, certainly. I’m making a hat from a roadkill rabbit next week!!

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds? **Not yet, and not anymore (thank god).

    3. What do you like most about rewilding? **The reminder that nature is my home; I know without a doubt that I belong to the Earth.

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best? **My Name is Chellis and I’m in Recovery from Western Civilization. I also like John Zerzan’s essays (they’re on the internet somewhere, Green Anarchy’s website I believe).

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal? **Well, I ALMOST got one, once.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization? **Kind of?

    7. What wild foods do you favor most? **Evergreen huckleberry, venison.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions? **Dystopia does. Once it took the form of a terrifying nightmare, but most of the time it’s just gloomy feeling.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage? **They don’t know I’m “rewilding” per se, but they do know that I’m “learning about wild plants and how to hunt and use animals for food and clothing” and they’re OK with that. If they knew I wanted to live that way completely, they would probably worry that I wasn’t competent enough to do it, and eventually they would get tired of it and hate it.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in? **Yep! At the coffee shop where I work!

    11. What will you miss most about civilization? **Jazz music. Art museums. Socioeconomic privilege (I’m just being honest … it made me feel safe, OK?? At any rate, I have almost completely given up that status.)

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down? **Kestrel & co., I hope.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors? **Psych op. 😉

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse? **Peak oil *could* trigger it. If not, then probably about 50 years.

    15. Do you feel ready? **For a collapse? Right now? No. Absolutely not. I have so much mental shit to work out.

  15. Does the apocalypse invade my dreams? Funny you should ask here is a poem from my mid-20s in the early 1990s, it was a response to another poem from a friend in a poem-game we were playing – and Scout I just realized that it also incorporates road-kill and wild-eating.. so it has the Urban Scout Trifecta! lol:

    open

    by Mike Rock

    To Brian Ray

    I see eyes see icy grip of clenching pain
    In heart once upon a time aflame
    Inflamed and passionate melancholy remains
    I watched a sickly possum die
    I left incense burning on its corpse
    Forgive us!
    And wished it Goddesspeed upon the nether road
    In suffering lived and suffering died
    Oh sweet release so many stains so many
    Remains, I passed a cat in the grass
    Feasting on a squirrel he skinned to the waist
    Head torn off all pink and glistening inside
    Like a lover’s mouth, I’m sure when he saw the
    Squirrel it was love at first sight,
    So sweet the first rending bite
    of loving passion. He cradled it
    In his paws and adoringly licked and tore
    With teeth.

    So there are cats, and there are squirrels,
    and there are cars and there are corpses.
    A grackle with a broken back pulls itself
    Along with wings that once knew to fly
    Dragging feet that forgot to walk.

    I never buried the remains.

    I’m skinned to the waist as time wastes away
    I’m pink and wet and inside out
    Like a lover’s mouth
    Like an open wound
    I dreamt the fire went over
    It all was over
    Flame and ashes
    Safe inside, I never saw
    The remains.

  16. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    I have eat it.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    No. Sad isn’t it?

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?

    The same thing I liked most pre-rewilding. Feeling good. exploring.

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

    Gee they’re all so wonderful and forgettable at the same time.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    I know the power word for instant fire. Bow-drills are obsolete.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    A what? What the hell are you talking about?

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?

    crab apples.

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

    I’m lost in a dream, and that dream is the apocalypse. and it’s good and bad.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    it’s not on tv, thus they are oblivious.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

    Do my other personalities count?

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    I’ve experienced everything there is worth experiencing within civilization. I have gazed upon a city at night, all lit up. I’ve driven fast in a car. I’ve seen a 4th of July celebration. I’ve been to a good loud concert. If it goes away and i’m still around I’m going to be all smiles. i probably won’t even want to hear the word.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    i do not blink in the face of adversity.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    shit. uh. shit. this worries me. not soon enough. too soon. hopefully after i can answer ‘yes’ to #2.

    15. Do you feel ready?

    no. i feel ready to kick into full on survival mode at the drop of a hat, but i doubt my effectiveness.

  17. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    Oh honey, I was raised all redneck and shit. I’ve eaten more roadkill deer than honestly hunted meat. And I’ve eaten a fair amount of honestly hunted meat.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    I regularly sleep with a FOR (friend-of-rewilders).

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    Depending on how you count it, either about 30 minutes or about 6 months.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    No, but my lack of love for it has definitely created conflict in my primary relationship. A dialogue from a year or so ago:

    Me: maybe I’ll just go live in a van down by the river…
    Him: That’s totally irresponsible. What if everyone decided to just drop out and live by the river?!
    Me: Civilization would collapse.
    Him: (pointed pause, as if he has proven some point)
    Me: Ask me if I think that would be a bad thing…
    Him: (throws up his hands in frustration)

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?
    Mmm, nettles. Chickweed is up there. Wild Rose petals. Venison.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    My parents are old hippies-turned-rednecks-turned-…mmm, I don’t know, I guess just regular old grown-ups. They are too cynical to believe in much, including the collapse of civilization, but they have a framework for understanding what I do. And they think making fire by rubbing sticks together makes me super cool.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    Funny, I’ve been writing a blog post in my head about this. Or maybe a coffee table picture book.

    *Blinking x-mas lights with a dusting of snow on them.
    *Chai Tea Latte
    *Easily accessible fibers for spinning and knitting (I picture myself following the herds of wild mountain goats, picking up shed hairs in the spring time.)
    *my camera
    *string bikinis
    *electronic music

    Several people listed hot showers, but I totally intend to keep taking hot showers even after the collapse.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    Superior intelligence 😉 Napoleon had a theory about the types of people. You’ve got “Stupid and Lazy”, “Smart and Lazy”, Stupid and Industrious”, and “Smart and Industrious”. He had theories about where those four types fit best into an army. He wanted the Smart Lazy folks to be the folks in charge, since they were the ones smart enough to figure out how to do things the easy way.

    Also, I make a kick-ass fire.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    Within my lifetime. I’m 31.

    15. Do you feel ready?

    Can you ever be fully ready? Yes and no. I will always wish I knew more. If collapse happened suddenly tomorrow, I would have a pretty miserable couple months while I figured it out how to eat and where to sleep and get safe water, but I would survive.

  18. 1. Have you or would you ever eat roadkill?

    Yes, and I fed it to my wife and all my kids. I’ve served it at potlucks. Mostly deer and birds like grouse and chukar.

    2. Have you ever slept with another person-who-rewilds, or do you find it impossible to find anyone-else-who-rewilds?

    My wife is more hardcore than I am.

    3. What do you like most about rewilding?

    What’s not to like.

    4. What rewilding books, authors or movies do you like best?

    Mostly plant field guides, uuum, “Ethnobotany of the Okanagon Colville Indians of British Columbia and Washington” by Nancy Turner. Might not have that title exactly correct coming off the top of my head. I don’t read the philosophy stuff, I pretty well sorted that part out and reading more about it seems like a waste of time.

    5. How long does it take for you to get a bow-drill coal?

    I never timed it.

    6. Have you ever ended a relationship due to your parters love of civilization?

    Yeah but I didn’t realize at the time, that that was what was going on.

    7. What wild foods do you favor most?

    Deer, moose, elk, grouse, salmon, HUCKLEBERRIES!, asparagus(soon!), nettles

    8. Does the apocalypse invade your dreams? If so, do you consider them nightmares or nocturnal emissions?

    Nope, but wait, the nocturnal emmision thing has me thinking maybe I’ve been mistaken.

    9. What do your parents think about all this “rewilding” garbage?

    They are long gone.

    10. Ever had a stranger over hear an anti-civ conversation and blissfully join in?

    Yeah, I guess I have.

    11. What will you miss most about civilization?

    Transportation and ease of travelling long distances.

    12. Which friends will escape with you to the wilds when the shit goes down?

    Good question, probably my kids will show up. We have many old time “back to the land” friends within a days drive of here. I guess if it came down that quickly we’d be in touch and figure out the details. My wife and I are best friends so we’d be there for each other no matter what.

    13. What specialty makes you an asset to a band of post-apocalyptic warriors?

    Well, I’m a happily married old fart so I won’t be trying to sleep around with all the women and stirring up that kind of bull shit. Those young guys just better stay away from my wife.
    I have a lot of hunting, butchering, hide tanning knowlege. I have a lot of knowlege of plants in the Plateau region. (I used to do plant inventories for the Forest Service) I know the woods. I’m pretty crafty.

    14. How long do you predict we have until the full on collapse?

    Honestly I don’t think about it much. My life is full enough that I just try to deal with the next thing that I have to do. If I think too far ahead I get kind of spun out. I have my spiritual values and I just try to always go the direction that keeps me close to them. One day at a time.

    15. Do you feel ready?

    Yeah. pretty much.