Community Living Prepares us for the Stereotypical Apocalypse

Community living takes many forms both in history and in the present. Many non-western countires, and even some western communities prior to the industrial revolution and the mechanization of lives, have held teamwork and compassion throughout a community as being of utmost importance. Today we still have community living in places like the United States in the form of cooperative housing, dormitories of higher education, shared living arrangements between friends, and to some degree summer camps.

I would argue that community living as we currently have it in the forms listed above, could be incredibly useful if an apocalypse ever occurred which fits the description of those depicted in media. Media describes small, tight knit communities which defend themselves against a-moralistic bandits such as those in Mad Max. What we see in communities such as dorm communities in colleges, is tight knit groups who have each others backs against challenges faced by school administrations and inter-group drama.

Above and beyond the others, I think summer camps hold the potential to prepare folks much more than many of the others. In summer camps, children are taught to respect one another, work with nature, and problem solve. Additionally, some summer camps also teach survival skills such as orienteering, foraging, and swimming/boating. Together, a group of former summer campers, and summer camp staff, I would imagine they could do anything, and live together through any challenge such as an Apocalypse.