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I think if we want to play apocalyptic scenarios, the rich survivors and their clans would devolve into medieval fiefdoms. Security forces would be given honora

I think if we want to play apocalyptic scenarios, the rich survivors and their clans would devolve into medieval fiefdoms. Security forces would be given honorary titles and authorities over lesser beings while the brain trust would be given aristocratic status. They'd organize raids on other survivors to quell internal unrest and promote unity within the tribe. The sponsor/ruler's ability to survive the apocalyptic event would be dependent how good they are at political/psychological manipulation/intrigue. I'd say most upper management would survive.

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ryandrake 8y ago
If it's truly a post-apocalyptic environment, your "pre-war" wealth won't matter. Nobody will care how many zeros are in your bank's (non-functional) computer database. Your ability to survive and cause other people to survive would be all that counted. I've always thought of it as "having Mad Max skills." What are your Mad Max skills? If the nuclear apocalypse comes and you survive, what useful skill do you have that will let you continue to live without the rule of law? Can you build a house? Fix a car? Grow crops? Butcher an animal properly? Land an airplane? I've always though everyone should have at least a few of these practical hands-on skills, in case the shit hits the fan. What good are your computer programming skills when there's no more electricity, let alone functional computers? So, you're a social media marketing manager for a global brand? If that's all you know how to do, you'll end up some local warlord's sex slave. Why would "security forces" listen to some formerly rich corporate CEO? What has he to offer them?
- bilbo0s 8y ago
  "...Can you build a house? Fix a car? Grow crops? Butcher an animal properly? Land an airplane?..." You have a SERIOUSLY optimistic view of the Mad Max type aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse. Fix a car? Land a plane? Those questions imply an assumption on your part that an awful lot of support systems will have survived. (For instance, I'm not at all sure that fuel deliveries would continue to be made after a nuclear apocalypse. I'm even less certain that the electronic systems of most planes and autos will survive the nuclear unpleasantness unaffected.)
  - ryandrake 8y ago
    Sure, there is a spectrum of hands-on skills that could be important or not, depending on how much was blown to bits. My overall point is that "staffing coordinator" and "business analyst" are nowhere on that spectrum. Learn a trade as a hobby.
    - AstralStorm 8y ago
      They actually are. Plus the person who controls the most force. (And can project it or blackmail.) Indeed the main item as usual is how to get your army to listen to you. A hard people skill. Logistics is always useful as well. A trade or skill is a good fallback in case of exile or loss of resources.
- pmoriarty 8y ago
  You don't necessarily need "Mad Max skills" as long as you're part of a group of people. The ones to dominate in groups tend to have social engineering skills, or "Ben Linus skills" you could call them. They don't need to know how to start a fire, or fire a gun, or fix a car. They can just get other people to do it for them -- not for money, but because they can con them in to it, or exploit their weaknesses, set them against one another, or bribe them with promises.
  - AstralStorm 8y ago
    Someone needs those skills though. This is a problem is too small group in a survival situation. A viable group should have the size of a village at least - over 100 people of some diversity. Otherwise it is very fragile. Obviously enough resources to start with.
- balladeer 8y ago
  I think doctors and surgeons will still be valued. A lot. Maybe mechanical and civil engineers too. I am not so sure about software ones though.
  - sritrisna 8y ago
    In Stephen King's book 'The Stand', he comes to the same conclusion: Doctors and surgeons to keep people from dying. Mechanical and civil engineers trying to get electricity back up etc. Groups of people will fiercely fight for 'this talent' and do whatever it takes to keep it.
- rl3 8y ago
  >So, you're a social media marketing manager for a global brand? If that's all you know how to do, you'll end up some local warlord's sex slave. Setting aside how loaded that statement sounds, the role in question could easily involve espionage and assassination.
BerislavLopac 8y ago
> the rich survivors and their clans would devolve into medieval fiefdoms After all, the medieval feudalism did arise in what was essentially a post-apocalypse world.

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ryandrake 8y ago

If it's truly a post-apocalyptic environment, your "pre-war" wealth won't matter. Nobody will care how many zeros are in your bank's (non-functional) computer database. Your ability to survive and cause other people to survive would be all that counted. I've always thought of it as "having Mad Max skills." What are your Mad Max skills? If the nuclear apocalypse comes and you survive, what useful skill do you have that will let you continue to live without the rule of law? Can you build a house? Fix a car? Grow crops? Butcher an animal properly? Land an airplane? I've always though everyone should have at least a few of these practical hands-on skills, in case the shit hits the fan. What good are your computer programming skills when there's no more electricity, let alone functional computers? So, you're a social media marketing manager for a global brand? If that's all you know how to do, you'll end up some local warlord's sex slave. Why would "security forces" listen to some formerly rich corporate CEO? What has he to offer them?

bilbo0s 8y ago
"...Can you build a house? Fix a car? Grow crops? Butcher an animal properly? Land an airplane?..." You have a SERIOUSLY optimistic view of the Mad Max type aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse. Fix a car? Land a plane? Those questions imply an assumption on your part that an awful lot of support systems will have survived. (For instance, I'm not at all sure that fuel deliveries would continue to be made after a nuclear apocalypse. I'm even less certain that the electronic systems of most planes and autos will survive the nuclear unpleasantness unaffected.)
- ryandrake 8y ago
  Sure, there is a spectrum of hands-on skills that could be important or not, depending on how much was blown to bits. My overall point is that "staffing coordinator" and "business analyst" are nowhere on that spectrum. Learn a trade as a hobby.
  - AstralStorm 8y ago
    They actually are. Plus the person who controls the most force. (And can project it or blackmail.) Indeed the main item as usual is how to get your army to listen to you. A hard people skill. Logistics is always useful as well. A trade or skill is a good fallback in case of exile or loss of resources.
pmoriarty 8y ago
You don't necessarily need "Mad Max skills" as long as you're part of a group of people. The ones to dominate in groups tend to have social engineering skills, or "Ben Linus skills" you could call them. They don't need to know how to start a fire, or fire a gun, or fix a car. They can just get other people to do it for them -- not for money, but because they can con them in to it, or exploit their weaknesses, set them against one another, or bribe them with promises.
- AstralStorm 8y ago
  Someone needs those skills though. This is a problem is too small group in a survival situation. A viable group should have the size of a village at least - over 100 people of some diversity. Otherwise it is very fragile. Obviously enough resources to start with.
balladeer 8y ago
I think doctors and surgeons will still be valued. A lot. Maybe mechanical and civil engineers too. I am not so sure about software ones though.
- sritrisna 8y ago
  In Stephen King's book 'The Stand', he comes to the same conclusion: Doctors and surgeons to keep people from dying. Mechanical and civil engineers trying to get electricity back up etc. Groups of people will fiercely fight for 'this talent' and do whatever it takes to keep it.
rl3 8y ago
>So, you're a social media marketing manager for a global brand? If that's all you know how to do, you'll end up some local warlord's sex slave. Setting aside how loaded that statement sounds, the role in question could easily involve espionage and assassination.

BerislavLopac 8y ago

> the rich survivors and their clans would devolve into medieval fiefdoms After all, the medieval feudalism did arise in what was essentially a post-apocalypse world.