While looking for a cleaver title, I looked-up Survivor. There were three listed definitions, but only one extended the meaning beyond the obvious: Law - a joint tenant who has the right to the whole estate on the other's death. I hung on that notion for days before realizing it summed up my intention for making this guide better than the central notion: one who remains after a catastrophe. I am not cleaver enough to prevent what ever catastrophe you might believe imminent, nor I am able to help much in its aftermath, but I can tell you what a lot of cleaver people are doing to make themselves more self-sufficient.

I am in no way disregarding the possibility of catastrophe. But far too often this conversation becomes emotional and quickly becomes political. What I am disregarding with great deliberation and delight is any possibility that your survival should be connected to politics.

Shades of meaning color everything, and the murky shadow of politics should not be confused as governance. We need a government. We do not need politics. We’ve all read Lord of the Flies and we’ve all seen Star Trek.

So here’s my seditious plan to rid the world of politics: The more each individual becomes self-sufficient, the less society needs politicians.

Unfortunately, this will take many generations. This guide is first and foremost an aide to rational parenting.