France is reportedly preparing to issue a 20-page survival booklet to its citizens this summer, advising them on how to respond to an “imminent threat”. While the manual is officially intended for natural disasters or medical emergencies, many interpret it as preparation for a potential nuclear attack. The advice includes closing doors and windows, emergency numbers, radio channels, and encouragement to volunteer in civil defence efforts.
This move comes amid rising global tensions, with defence spending prioritised over foreign aid, Russia perceived as a renewed threat to Europe, and uncertainty over US support. The author reflects on her own family history of preparedness, recalling her mother’s extensive stockpile of Tupperware and plastic bags, which would have been valuable in a barter economy. However, she notes a generational decline in prepping, citing her own experience during a 2019 New York blackout when she relied on a ladybird-shaped torch and social media.
The author argues that true preparedness requires more than official advice. She suggests heading north to a national park to outrun cannibals and hunt game, or barricading oneself in an apartment for three months until initial anarchy subsides. Crucially, she emphasises the overlooked importance of alcohol in a post-collapse world. Alcohol serves as anaesthetic, steriliser, sedative, and a form of currency. Her advice: stock up on premium whisky and gin, and resist the temptation to drink them until the bombs start falling.
