What is your post-apocalyptic occupation?

[forinborin]

AIBU to ask you what your post-apocalyptic occupation would be?

With all the recent news about the shortage of skilled workers - HGV drivers, farm labourers, and today there are news about an emergency visa scheme considered for abattoir workers, I started wondering what would I do if the modern society suddenly fell back into - well, not Dark Ages exactly - but, say, mid-late 19th century ways of living.

And realised that I actually have very little in terms of real-life tradeable skills. In a world without computers, my other skills are worth zero to the community, and I would probably immediately fall to the bottom of the newly established social order.

What about you?

@FindingMeno Acorn coffee?? It's a lengthy process to make it, but if I can sit by the fire with mead and sloe gin while you keep watch then I'm prepared to make the sacrifice!

LOL at the person who said sniper. I don't really have any practical skills beyond cleaning and looking after children. Am good at managing people though - could I still do that after the apocalypse?!

I'm decent at growing vegetables and could definitely also take care of chickens or other small livestock for food production. Also experienced with dogs, if that could be useful. I know how to fire a gun, though I haven't had much practice with "real" weapons. I'm a fairly good aim with a BB gun.

I can cook and bake, am trained to teach language (and could adapt that training to other subjects), and can knit and crochet. I'm experienced at operating sewing machines and own two treadle machines, so I can sew even without electricity.

I like to think I'd manage, from a skills perspective.

@MintyCedric

Sod waiting for the apocalypse, let's just start an encampment in a nice forest somewhere now where we can all live in out cosy huts, wrap up warm in fluffy hand-knitted blankets round the campfire at night eating pizza and drinking homebrew cider and sloe gin.

Who's with me?!

Yes!

Er... do we have anyone who can build huts?

I'm make a decent kids den. I'm sure under pressure I night be able to rustle up a hut. If I drink enough mead then I might even make little flags for the top of them!

@Pebble21uk I could work with that, particularly if someone could score some caramel syrup on a scavenging trip.

I'll join the defense team, I'm not a bad shot and I'll train the K9 units. I can also feedive so if we're by the sea, lobster dinners are on me 🌊

I'm pretty good at thinking outside the box so think I'd be good at coming up with innovative ideas for survival. Also work in operating theatres so would be useful for patching people up. Also a good cook. I think my main role would be riding around on my horse, delivering messages, looking important and so forth in some sort of raggedy cape and sword getup like Strider from LOTR.

I'm crap at anything related to growing stuff so would have to leave that to someone else!

Er... do we have anyone who can build huts?

I'm fairly handy with power tools and know a fellow MNr who's an architect.

I can build huts, we could do with a thatcher though to keep the roof watertight, as I doubt roofing felt or pitch will be readily available.

I'd be the counsellor/therapist considering there would be a shit ton of survivors with PTSD.

While I'm vegetarian, I do actually know how to butcher a cow, sheep or goat and also make useful things from the internal organs.

My cat has a habit of bringing in half dead mice/rats/birds.
I’ve learned how to kill them quickly to put them out of their misery.
So perhaps I can kill the rabbits chickens we want to eat?

@MintyCedric

Er... do we have anyone who can build huts?

I'm fairly handy with power tools and know a fellow MNr who's an architect.

I can make tents if that helps. Might be useful if we need to migrate.

I'm a cycling coach so I could teach people to ride bikes and do basic maintenance. Could be useful when there's no powered vehicles?

but I want to bring my dogs.

I've spent a fair amount of time in indigenous communities in North America and there's a tradition of 'res dogs'. Basically dogs on reserve, reservation or nation (depending on geography and parlance). They are typically let semi-feral and run in packs. Protecting the community from bears, wolves, cougars, coyotes and outsiders. Since post-apocalypse we are likely to see some rewilding (and gangs of wankers), we need dogs. Which means vets. Extremely useful as they double as doctors and a lot of vet meds are likely to be left after people meds are raided. And many vet meds can double as people meds.

Also cats for rodent control.

Oh, and I can sail too.
I could take charge of transport in general.
Or just sit in my boat wearing a hooded cloak and offer to take people "to the other side" in a slightly menacing voice maybe?

Sailing is such a great skill! I can’t do anything useful, but my DH is amazing with a shotgun, especially since getting his eyes lasered.

Myself I’m extremely short-sighted. Looking after your glasses would be so important in this apocalypse.

Have you read The Mandibles by Lionel shriver btw? That’s a great - and terrifying - depiction of this kind of apocalypse.

Shaman.

I could start an amateur dramatics group to keep the troupes entertained? I could put on dodgy pantomimes as some form of punishment for captured zombies. I could also write songs of woe to be passed down to future generations.

Oooh! I think I'd be a handy person to have around! I'm medical which is always useful, I can sew and actually really good at fixing things (just fixed my oven and most engineering type things)

I went with the shooting range and the owner told me I should take it up I had no issues hitting the tiny target. However, I'm a vegetarian and do t think I could shoot animals.

I'm also a crap cook and very squeemish with rats - this will negatively balance out my positive attributes.

@goldenlilliesdaffodillies

I could start an amateur dramatics group to keep the troupes entertained? I could put on dodgy pantomimes as some form of punishment for captured zombies. I could also write songs of woe to be passed down to future generations.

If you have read Station Eleven you will know that what we will really need after the apocalypse is Shakespeare.

@Livpool

I'm a test analyst so I could just find fault with lots of things?! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Useful skill for selecting the breeding males.

I'm a journalist/documentarian with a shallow knowledge of almost anything you care to ask about. So I think I'd be the travelling internet, sharing information about other communities and answering the kind of question we ask Alexa.

I'm training to be a doctor, so I imagine I'd still be a doctor/healer