Summary:
Patriots begins with a man named Todd and his wife stressing about the situation the American economy is in. It is tanking fast and it looks like the country is on its way to a second Great Depression. It doesn't take long and rioting and looting in all major cities becomes prevalent. Todd decides to get a group of friends together and prepare for the worst in case they are having to fight for their lives or possessions. They decide to escape Chicago and move to Moscow, Idaho where there is far less crime and far more land. On their way to Idaho they face many difficulties and fend off attacks by people attempting to take food and gas.
Once Todd and his wife make it safely to Moscow they begin to prepare for attacks that they know will soon be coming when people realize they have food and shelter. The rest of their group has yet to make it to Idaho and still are fighting for their lives to make it their. One member of the group, Rose, was shot just before she made it safely to Idaho, all over a few gallons of gas. A gun fight ensued and many people wound up dead. After this incident everyone finishes their journey to Moscow from the mid-west and they begin planning for other attacks. The group fight off attacks from both the government and other people who want to kill and steal. Todd successfully fights off attacks and survives proving that he cannot be taken down.
Patriots begins with a man named Todd and his wife stressing about the situation the American economy is in. It is tanking fast and it looks like the country is on its way to a second Great Depression. It doesn't take long and rioting and looting in all major cities becomes prevalent. Todd decides to get a group of friends together and prepare for the worst in case they are having to fight for their lives or possessions. They decide to escape Chicago and move to Moscow, Idaho where there is far less crime and far more land. On their way to Idaho they face many difficulties and fend off attacks by people attempting to take food and gas.
Once Todd and his wife make it safely to Moscow they begin to prepare for attacks that they know will soon be coming when people realize they have food and shelter. The rest of their group has yet to make it to Idaho and still are fighting for their lives to make it their. One member of the group, Rose, was shot just before she made it safely to Idaho, all over a few gallons of gas. A gun fight ensued and many people wound up dead. After this incident everyone finishes their journey to Moscow from the mid-west and they begin planning for other attacks. The group fight off attacks from both the government and other people who want to kill and steal. Todd successfully fights off attacks and survives proving that he cannot be taken down.
Favorite Quote
"Food is power. We use it to change behavior"(188).
When people are hungry they will do anything for food. Their behavior will change drastically from normal to relieve their hunger. People who have food can use that to manipulate those who are hungry and don't.
This quote stood out to me because it ties in with the major theme in the novel of survival. The need for food can make people do crazy things just to survive.
When people are hungry they will do anything for food. Their behavior will change drastically from normal to relieve their hunger. People who have food can use that to manipulate those who are hungry and don't.
This quote stood out to me because it ties in with the major theme in the novel of survival. The need for food can make people do crazy things just to survive.
Themes
Survival:
When the country is at war with itself, Todd leads his wife and friends to safety by evading death over and over again.
Tyranny:
When the economy collapses the government tries to take most of America's freedoms in their attempt to restore peace.
Being Prepared:
Todd argues that being prepared for the worst is always necessary so that surviving bad situations will not be impossible.
When the country is at war with itself, Todd leads his wife and friends to safety by evading death over and over again.
Tyranny:
When the economy collapses the government tries to take most of America's freedoms in their attempt to restore peace.
Being Prepared:
Todd argues that being prepared for the worst is always necessary so that surviving bad situations will not be impossible.
Essay
Overview: Successfully living through all the troubles of a complete economic collapse requires access to food and water at all times, preventing tyrannical rule, and having the proper equipment to defend oneself.
Surviving an Economic Collapse
When the economy of a country collapses, chaos ensues. It can lead to disaster on multiple different levels, including everything from starvation to war between the government and the country. People panic and tend to make irrational decisions in attempts to survive the chaotic situation. Surviving an event as terrifying as this comes down to being prepared for the worst of outcomes. In the novel Patriots by James Wesley Rawles survival requires being well equipped and prepared for anything. Successfully living through all the troubles of a complete economic collapse requires access to food and water at all times, preventing tyrannical rule, and having the proper equipment to defend oneself.
When a country falls apart, food and water is not as readily available as it usually is. Food and water are the most basic necessities of life, and when people go without they look to do whatever it takes to survive. Rawles states in Patriots that if ”You take a large city like LA, New York, Chicago— their water supply comes from hundreds of miles away and any interruption of that, or food, or power for any period of time you’re going to have riots in the streets”(1). When people are deprived of basic necessities their instincts for survival kick in. It is seen throughout the world that people will do just about anything for food and water, even if that means rioting and killing. This makes food and water vital because without it all that there is to turn to is crime. Power, as Rawles includes, also can lead to awful actions when someone feels they can gain it because of the situation of the country.
In many countries the greed for power has led to tyranny and corruption. Governments have taken advantage of the people that are in need by creating a reliance on them when in reality they are not helping. Rawles writes that, ”The time to guard against tyranny and corruption is before they get ahold of us”(324). It is necessary to prevent tyranny before it happens or it is far too difficult to get it under control. The trick to avoiding tyranny many times is being aware that it is happening in the first place. Many people often do not even realize that it is a problem, and therefore don’t fight against it before it is too late. Most people though, do not want to be forced into government control but in order to avoid it, fighting becomes necessary.
If forced into war with people or war with the government, being properly equipped and prepared is vital. Being properly equipped for war would require having all the basic necessities of survival, but in particular weapons. Rawles argues in his novel that, ”Arms discourage the invader and preserve order”(188). In life, people are much more afraid to cause harm to someone if they know that person is likely to fight back. A person that is able to defend themselves is not as likely to face harm as someone who is unprepared. Guns become necessary more because they deter invaders and criminals than the need to actually use them. But, they can also come in handy if they are truly needed to defend life and liberty. Nobody in the midst of a war torn country would feel safe or be safe without proper weapons.
Being prepared for all outcomes of an economic collapse is key for survival. An economic collapse could potentially lead to a war filled country where nobody is safe. When people face situations such as this nobody can be trusted because people are willing to kill to survive. Starvation, rioting, and tyrannical governments are all likely possibilities of a country in disaster. Attempts to survive a horrific time like this require all basic tools for survival, which would include food, water, weapons, and the most powerful tool, a clear mind. Without these extremely important tools and possessions, survival is unlikely. Those who have properly prepared though are geared for success.
Surviving an Economic Collapse
When the economy of a country collapses, chaos ensues. It can lead to disaster on multiple different levels, including everything from starvation to war between the government and the country. People panic and tend to make irrational decisions in attempts to survive the chaotic situation. Surviving an event as terrifying as this comes down to being prepared for the worst of outcomes. In the novel Patriots by James Wesley Rawles survival requires being well equipped and prepared for anything. Successfully living through all the troubles of a complete economic collapse requires access to food and water at all times, preventing tyrannical rule, and having the proper equipment to defend oneself.
When a country falls apart, food and water is not as readily available as it usually is. Food and water are the most basic necessities of life, and when people go without they look to do whatever it takes to survive. Rawles states in Patriots that if ”You take a large city like LA, New York, Chicago— their water supply comes from hundreds of miles away and any interruption of that, or food, or power for any period of time you’re going to have riots in the streets”(1). When people are deprived of basic necessities their instincts for survival kick in. It is seen throughout the world that people will do just about anything for food and water, even if that means rioting and killing. This makes food and water vital because without it all that there is to turn to is crime. Power, as Rawles includes, also can lead to awful actions when someone feels they can gain it because of the situation of the country.
In many countries the greed for power has led to tyranny and corruption. Governments have taken advantage of the people that are in need by creating a reliance on them when in reality they are not helping. Rawles writes that, ”The time to guard against tyranny and corruption is before they get ahold of us”(324). It is necessary to prevent tyranny before it happens or it is far too difficult to get it under control. The trick to avoiding tyranny many times is being aware that it is happening in the first place. Many people often do not even realize that it is a problem, and therefore don’t fight against it before it is too late. Most people though, do not want to be forced into government control but in order to avoid it, fighting becomes necessary.
If forced into war with people or war with the government, being properly equipped and prepared is vital. Being properly equipped for war would require having all the basic necessities of survival, but in particular weapons. Rawles argues in his novel that, ”Arms discourage the invader and preserve order”(188). In life, people are much more afraid to cause harm to someone if they know that person is likely to fight back. A person that is able to defend themselves is not as likely to face harm as someone who is unprepared. Guns become necessary more because they deter invaders and criminals than the need to actually use them. But, they can also come in handy if they are truly needed to defend life and liberty. Nobody in the midst of a war torn country would feel safe or be safe without proper weapons.
Being prepared for all outcomes of an economic collapse is key for survival. An economic collapse could potentially lead to a war filled country where nobody is safe. When people face situations such as this nobody can be trusted because people are willing to kill to survive. Starvation, rioting, and tyrannical governments are all likely possibilities of a country in disaster. Attempts to survive a horrific time like this require all basic tools for survival, which would include food, water, weapons, and the most powerful tool, a clear mind. Without these extremely important tools and possessions, survival is unlikely. Those who have properly prepared though are geared for success.