Art of Survival

Difference Between Protection and Dangerous

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

Recently in Norco, Calif., a man was arrested for stockpiling a lot of gunpowder and assault weapons. He also had an extremely large amount of ammo, rifles, and a tunnel under his home stocked with food and goods. He was described as a "survivalist" by law enforcement, but what does that mean? When and where is the line between self-preservation and extremism crossed?

Sincerely,

I Will Survive 

A:

Dear I Will Survive, 

 

As with any label, there are varying degrees. This is true with survivalism or survivalists. There are those who are radical in their practice of protecting themselves against something that is either real or imagined, and there are those who are practical in their implementation of survivalism.

 

When someone is arrested for survivalist behavior that includes stockpiling assault weapons, his behavior is deviant and unlawful. The psychology behind this person's behavior is probably troubled because by stockpiling enough gunpowder and assault weapons in case of an attack, the person is creating a dangerous situation in their own home. 

The key to knowing if someone is stockpiling healthfully or unhealthfully has to do with the amount of danger that they create by their actions and the interference with normal day-to-day life that the stockpiling creates. 

A person who stockpiles water and earthquake survival supplies in a pantry in case of an earthquake -- if they live in California or some other earthquake prone area -- is not aberrant behavior. If someone in California starts stockpiling supplies to help them in case of a volcano eruption, that would be pretty troubling.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

© 2004-2009 AskApril.com, LLC. All rights reserved. AskApril®, AskApril.com®, and Ask April® are registered trademarks owned by Masini Enterprises, Inc. This material can only be republished and redistributed if it is kept in it's original form, including, but not limited to, all AskApril branding, banners, links, books, and credits.