Psychology of Survival - Ray Mears (youtube)
Psychology of survival - Ray Mears
This is available on you tube in 3 parts:
Part 1: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbwQErohYiw&feature=relmfu
Part 2: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJr8PPi_M94&feature=relmfu
Part 3:_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asJps5FLvQE
(10 mins each approx) and is presented by well known bush craft expert (in the UK at least) Ray Mears, who begins the programme asking:
“What is the most critical factor when it comes to surviving in a hostile environment?”
There are three main real life examples that clearly show that the answer is - the mind, and a couple of experts offer their views.
“It doesn’t matter how well your body is functioning, essentially if we’re talking survival, it is the mind that keeps you alive.”
Dr John Leach, Lancaster University
“Survival is psychology, because your head is what makes the decisions about how you perceive the threat that you’re faced with and whether you’re going to approach it with a realistic optimism or whether you’ll feel overwhelmed and quit and perish.”
Col. Bruce Jessen, US Forces psychologist
Part 1 highlights the two different approaches (mindsets) by the occupants of two life rafts with identical provisions, following the capsizing of their fishing boat.
Also, following the 1996 hijacking of an Ethiopian plane, which later crashes into the sea, the subject of denial and consequences of panic driven decision making (many died from drowning not impact injuries, as they had inflated their life jackets before the crash) are discussed.
“the problem with denial is that it prevents us from taking the basic actions that are required to survive.” Dr J. L
In parts 2 and 3, the extraordinary survival of the Wortman family is examined, following a boating trip in S.E. Alaska. Ray Mears uses the acronym, STOP, to explain how the family acted and how effective the strategy is in an emergency situation:
S - Stop, don’t panic
T - Think about your situation
O - Orientate yourself
P - Plan
He concludes, “We all of us, at some point in our lives find events spiralling out of control, at those times, its not what you know that counts but how you apply it.”
The true life examples presented in this programme, together with the fictional experiences in Terry Nations’ The Survivors TV series, can give us a valuable insight into our own respective situations and learning opportunities, past as well as present, and how we act(ed) or react(ed).
Personally after watching it, I vividly remembered a traumatic childhood memory of being stranded on a cliff on the West coast of Ireland, with an incoming tide. Although I was really scared, I had to shout at and slap my brothers face as he went into panic mode. After that he showed considerable bravery to stand on my shoulders on a narrow ledge and climb up and get the rescue team. I had nightmares about it for several months after, and despite being assertive then I have also reacted with fear in other situations. Consequently I try not to suffer from ’wishful thinking’ and assume I will have clarity of mind in any given situation. The follies of youth indeed, or rather, it was the lack of perception of the potential danger.
Yet sometimes even with a sense of awareness and armed with knowledge some still choose to live in a “hostile environment”.
In the recent thread, ‘Winter storm threatens East coast? Batten down the hatches’ Anart asked the question (page 21):
“I'm wondering if this storm has convinced any of you who reside in NY/NJ metropolitan areas to get the heck out of Dodge before whatever hits next?”
And responded to a few forum members:
“It sounds rather like you're all under the effect of the frequency fence - you are not reacting to an immediate threat in a normal way, the passivity of your reactions is quite noteworthy:
Quote from: 102304
Q: (Galahad) What is the major problem facing the group at the moment?
A: Stalling frequency waves.
Q: What can we do to jump-start the group?
A: Requires will and knowledge. You share, they find will if it is there to find.
Q: (A) What kind of knowledge do we need to share?
A: That their lack of ability to see and do is due to deliberate stalling.
Q: (Galahad) Can you elaborate?
A: They are in a frequency fence being stored for later food.
Q: (A) Are we also in a fence? Or, are we different?
A: Quite.
Q: We are quite different?
A: Yes.
Q: What makes us different?
A: Seeing and doing.
Q: Well, if we have a network, different people are doing different things. They are at different levels. Shouldn't we consider it in this light?
A: You were in as bad condition before leaving the USA, remember?
Q: (Galahad) Can they overcome the stalling?
A: If they wish.
“From what I understand, the only way to overcome the stalling is to push through with the force of your will - basically push the envelope and make something happen”.
I feel that this really deserved repeating, and highlights the importance of applying ones willpower , and the necessity of strengthening it - to strive to break through the ‘frequency fence‘. Obyvatel started an important thread on Willpower on this board.
It’s interesting to observe the reactions of self and others, when faced with danger or what we may perceive as danger. Whether we have no warning, such as the folks in the programme or we do, such as the folks on the US East coast recently, having provisions or knowledge is not enough if we don’t have the ‘will’ to use them.
;)
Since I didn't reply she switched the subject and started to talk about a situation that we had encountered at work the same day.