Follow a fool or risk dying alone?

I would go solo. Finding food for one person seems like it would be a little bit easier. Also, if most of the other survivors had little to no survival knowledge, I wouldn't want to have to go around doing everything for them.
 
If you have the skill to help people, I feel it is your responsibility to do so to the best of your ability. This is the classic "Loner" syndrome and I blame modern media for breeding the kind of folks who would abandon fellow human beings because they think it might be "easier". Luckily it is "easier" said than done. Learning group dynamics is tough stuff and humbling but IMO, I don't have a choice... I could not "survive" a disaster, only to get back to my family and tell them I left people behind. I'm sorry, when someone tells me they would leave the group and go it alone because they feel they have a better chance, many thoughts go through my head and none of them are postable.
 
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WILLIAM.M said:
I would assign myself the leader...
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Of course real life doesn't always work this way. If it did Newt would already be running the country ;)

In this situation as written, I would try to align myself with the chosen leader, hopefully offering up my knowledge and helping to guide his decisions into what I think are better solutions. Behind all the best leaders are skilled seconds. I also recognize that I don't know everything and I'm open to listening to others ideas.

When/If group decisions started to become dangerous to myself/others I would probably try to sway opinions and convince as many of the group as I could that we need a change for our own good. If push comes to shove I would move on to my own as a last resort. I am not walking off a cliff just to be part of the group.
 
Rick,
Taking responsibility to help others is something I was raised on and something I have lived by- the problem comes when others decide they will not follow you or listen to your advice or accept your help.

To be willing to lead or help is wonderful but the question is more to the point of what do you do when people refuse your leadership/advice/help ??? Stay with them and risk your own life? or , if you feel your have done your best to help them from making bad decisions, stay and suffer due to their bad decisions.

I am not talking about leaving wounded/sick/ill prepared who want/need help. I am talking about those who refuse to be helped/advised and who will make decisions to put me and mine in peril.

Bill
 
Assuming temperatures are low enough, I'd kill everyone else and preserve them in the snow for future meals. Then I'd call my secretary and tell her to send a limo.
 
lmalterna said:
Rick,
Taking responsibility to help others is something I was raised on and something I have lived by- the problem comes when others decide they will not follow you or listen to your advice or accept your help.

To be willing to lead or help is wonderful but the question is more to the point of what do you do when people refuse your leadership/advice/help ??? Stay with them and risk your own life? or , if you feel your have done your best to help them from making bad decisions, stay and suffer due to their bad decisions.

I am not talking about leaving wounded/sick/ill prepared who want/need help. I am talking about those who refuse to be helped/advised and who will make decisions to put me and mine in peril.

Bill
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A thought that crosses my mind is since we can't stay put (except those who are already selected to remain and help the injured), so long as the leader is keeping everyone together it may be the best option to stay with them and assist in helping make appropriate decisions when there is a need. It's often easier to influence a Group when you are part of them (than to allow them all to bumble their way over a cliff).

If the circumstance is forced to a singular unsafe decision, i'd campaign against imminently harmful actions/decisions - citing why and simultaneously offering safer alternative(s). Mostly you can't separate a fool from his foolishness and it's best to not be in his way to it. If members of the Group chose to follow folly, i'd help if possible, but absolutely would not follow.
 
"Mostly you can't separate a fool from his foolishness and it's best to not be in his way to it. If members of the Group chose to follow folly, i'd help if possible, but absolutely would not follow. "

This is what I am talking about. Every one of us has at some time had a friend/coworker or family member making a decision we KNEW was stupid. But nothing we could do would change their mind- advance this forward to a real life or death situation and add more people. You can try all you want but there are times you cannot influence people. If others in that group beleive the "leader" is sound and are determined to follow him/her, you are left with a choice as I have said. Separate yourself from those bent on self destruction, or accompany them in the hopes that you MIGHT survive long enough to head them off.

Each person would have to make this decision and live with it. I cannot say 100% how I would react in a situation I have not actually been in but I have a pretty good idea.

Bill
 
I am more of a solo type. At the end of the day, survival is about me. Unless, of course, I have family involved. If the leader wants to play along and be a real leader, that means they will accept and organize the collective knowledge for the greatest mutual benefit. I will stay and offer support and help where I can. If I see the "leader" doing something that will negatively affect my chances of survival, I'm out.
 
lmalterna said:
Rick,
Taking responsibility to help others is something I was raised on and something I have lived by- the problem comes
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I think we are on the same page... no arguement there. I am talking about a different kind of loner mentality that is unhealthy from the get go. Refusing to go along with a plan that is clear folly is not my definition of "loner".... IMO, you are being forced out at that point.
 
I hear in a survival scenario fools are good eatin'!

Eat enough of them and you'll eventually be in charge.

:D

-Stan
 
Hi Stanley - how's your "One Year One Knife" project coming along?

OP - sorry for the temporary distraction.
 
I would stay with the group until it proved detrimental to my sustainment. I know that I have the skills to survive along the way, plus I may need people to eat. What? :D
 
Shotgun said:
I disagree with this. The most knowledgeable person isn't always the best leader and the best leader isn't always the most knowledgeable person. Like most things, being a leader is a skill and not everyone has it. I would hazard a guess that a lot of the people who post in this forum, the lone wolf types, are probably the worst leaders. I include myself in that.
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Well said. There is a phrase in the construction industry that goes "those that can do, those that can't boss". It's often stated in a sarcastic tone but it's still for the most part true and is based in real reasons. Just because a persona can't perform a skill as well as another person doesn't mean they don't know what needs to be done and how things need to be done in conjunction with other things. Such people can often do well in coordinating other's actions because instead of being so focused on all the fine details of every single subject the way the persons who can actually do those task well will be so they can be free to have a broader perspective of the over-all or bigger picture. People have different strengths. I am, or was a really good carpenter and not just by my opinion but several others who I can still be talked into doing work for, I am a fairly good problem solver in specific areas have been the punch list guy for a few construction companies going to fix things others couldn't. I have worked quality control and I have an eye for details and I am really good at seeing mistakes (luckily my own as well as others). However after being put in the position of foreman a few times I learned that I am neither a good leader/coordinator on a daily basis, nor do I enjoy it. The exception being that I do tend to be able to do it fine when the pressure is really on. For the most part I prefer to be responsible for a few specific tasks and let others be responsible for other tasks. I really don't have the temperament or patience to be responsible for the work or actions of other people. In other words, I'm an @$$hole to work for and nobody likes working for an @$$hole, it's bad for morale, creates unnecessary tension, and less work gets done. So no The most skilled person does not always or even usually make the best leader.

Personally I think there is always strength in numbers so I'd stick with the group until such a time as being a part of the group made me feel threatened enough to risk going off on my own. In most cases it seems, that as long as there is no employer involved setting policy, a group will in a fairly short time choose their own leader and decide all on their own who they are willing to follow no matter who tries to set themselves up as leader to begin with.
 
Hard to say, the best leaders are usually the ones that really don't want to be. If you just start using your skills and leading by example, maybe the desire to help see these people through the situation will convince you to step up and get the show going. Maybe get a couple of people to help you gather firewood, or take charge in setting up an area for the wounded, etc.
Staying with the plane or whatever it may be is probably the best bet, I don't think I would ever go off alone.
Maybe some loudmouth that just likes ordering people around starts trying to delegate, in this case if some guy that shouldn't be leader is taking charge, maybe try to "advise" him, so he's happy thinking he's boss, but stuff is actually getting done.
 
"Control", manipulation and bullying are too frequently confused with leadership. Even management is confused with leadership - very different functions.

Leading a group is about having an idea/strategy/vision/goal and encouraging/guiding others to assist in the fulfillment/completion of it. A significant part of successful leadership is determining the strengths/skills/talents of the members of the group and finding a way to integrate those in achievement of the idea/strategy/vision/goal.

Leading is about bringing folks together to accomplish the idea/strategy/vision/goal. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less and is *much* more complex than the brief explanation i've given here.

In fact, a "Leader" usually *is not* the most skilled at a given task nor the most knowledgeable. However, he/she *should* have a very clear idea of what needs to happen - the bigger picture.

Ego, individualism and self-centeredness is the enemy of any Team - Hollywood "Lone Wolf/Nostalgic Tragic Hero's" are outside of the truth. Every SpecOps A-Team or whatever designation, succeeds or fails as a cohesive unit. When that breaks down the mission/idea/strategy/vision/goal fails - every time.
 
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