SHTF
Society breaks down
SHTF is survivalist and prepper slang for "shit hits the fan"—a catastrophic breakdown of social order requiring self-reliance.
It envisions scenarios like economic collapse, pandemic, or grid failure: When SHTF, you'll wish you had stored water.
SHTF planning involves stockpiling supplies, learning skills, and preparing escape routes.
The acronym treats civilizational collapse as a when, not an if.
One who stockpiles for catastrophe
- bugoutRapid emergency departure
- stockpileAccumulated reserve supply
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- doomsdayProphesied world's end
bunker · cache · provisions · contingency · readiness · self-reliance · off-grid · homestead
Total civilizational collapse
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
anarchy · martial law · societal collapse · emergency · crisis · meltdown · upheaval · lawlessness
Global disease outbreak
- EMPDisruptive energy burst
- nuclearOf atomic energy
- warArmed struggle between groups
- famineSevere food shortage
earthquake · hurricane · terrorist attack · cyber attack · financial crash · hyperinflation · civil war · biological
Hasty emergency departure
- foragingSeeking wild food sources
- huntingPursuing wild game
- barteringExchanging goods directly
- rationingLimiting distribution during scarcity
defense · perimeter · OPSEC · gray man · situational awareness · scavenging · water purification · fire starting
prepper
One who stockpiles for catastrophe
- bugoutRapid emergency departure
- stockpileAccumulated reserve supply
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
doomsday · bunker · cache · provisions · contingency · readiness · self-reliance · off-grid · homestead · supplies
apocalypse
Total civilizational collapse
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
chaos · anarchy · martial law · societal collapse · emergency · crisis · meltdown · upheaval · lawlessness · looting
pandemic
Global disease outbreak
famine · earthquake · hurricane · terrorist attack · cyber attack · financial crash · hyperinflation · civil war · biological · chemical
bugging out
Hasty emergency departure
rationing · defense · perimeter · OPSEC · gray man · situational awareness · scavenging · water purification · fire starting · navigation
- Preppingbug out bag, bug-out bag, go bag, stockpile, stockpiling
SHTFnormalcy
State of being typical
business as usual · peacetime · stability · status quo · everyday life
first world problem · non-event · false alarm · nothing burger · hiccup