Rebuilding Civilization

JCavSD said:
If given the opportunity to choose, is it wise to build one ant hill on top of another on top of another until the whole thing ends up in a pile? Looking at this question as "localized" may be short sighted. Could be useful to look at the question from a broader perspective.
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Then allow for it to evolve it something grander and more complex.

I bet all those "beginner" civilizations started out in that mode (i.e. - a localized smaller populace emerging and evolving into a more complex and larger one later on).

As for whatever darker aspects of human nature that goes along with this development, that deserves another discussion.
 
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Books worth saving: Bible, Medical Books (there's no sense in being set back 100s of years clinical research), some philosophy texts or other iconic literature.
Books I'd actually try to save+carry in pack considering it's the end of the world: Survival book, preferably with tips on building traps, and edible/poisonous foods.
 
A common trope in post-apocalyptic science fiction has crowds of peasants hunting down scientists to lynch them. “Those damn eggheads got it wrong and wrecked the old culture, leaving us in this mess!” Check out Edgar Pangborn’s Davy for a readable example. In the fifties and sixties this was just a plausible plot point.

Today, even without a collapse, science is under assault from many directions. Some from power players who don’t want those damn eggheads interfering with profit. “Don’t talk to me about extinctions and ecological ruination when there is money to be made!” Mostly it’s from scientific illiterates who don’t want to examine their preconceptions. According to Wikipedia A 2009 poll by Pew Research Center found that "Nearly all scientists (97%) say humans and other living things have evolved over time – 87% say evolution is due to natural processes, such as natural selection. The dominant position among scientists – that living things have evolved due to natural processes – is shared by only about third (32%) of the public." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_of_support_for_evolution Include other examples like the “anti vaccination” idiots and “the moon landing is a fake” clowns and the numbers add up.

How many scientists know how to build a fire and rig a shelter? How many “We don’t need no stinking science” good old boys do? Outside of secure enclaves guarded by the military, scientists may become an endangered species.

If America becomes a land of The Road or The Book of Eli, that’s one thing. The scientifically based high tech culture will continue elsewhere.

If it’s a worldwide collapse, we might need hidden caches for science books and priest holes for scientists.
 
In my B.O.B. are a small copy of the New Testament and the U.S. Constitution, so those would definitely be kept safe. Realistically, I'm not sure if I would think to grab any others if the SHTF. I'd be too busy loading up all my guns, ammo, and blades!
 
On some topics much of the general public (talking about the USA...don't know about other countries) is scientifically illiterate. I'm guilty of this myself. But what's freaky is that some actually champion illiteracy, and if these people get into power it could be a real setback for a budding society. Even before science and scientific method come into play it's important to have some basic level of critical thinking skills. I'd grab "How to Think About Weird Things" by Schick and Vaughn and "The Demon-Haunted World" by Sagan. Easy to read primers for how to think more effectively and how to to avoid thinking like a doof. This type of knowledge may keep us from entering an unpleasant stage that could include "human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!"
 
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