How Do You Think People Will Act When Things Go Bad?

Part 1 of the Apocalypse Approved Reality Series

How do you think people are going to act when things go bad? Not how you hope they’ll act. Not how movies say they’ll act. How they will actually behave when stress, fear, and uncertainty are layered on top of everyday life.

Most people think they know. I can tell you from experience—you don’t. You can have a theory, a plan, or a mental picture of human behavior under pressure, and people will still challenge it in new and creative ways every single time.

Think about how people behave right now. You watch short videos online—reels, clips, security footage. How do people act when society is functioning, when rules exist, when there are cameras everywhere? It’s entertaining when you’re killing time or scrolling before bed.

Now add an emergency. A collapse. A disruption. Everything changes.

NORMAL BEHAVIOR VS STRESS

Think of it like this—you watch reels on the internet, right? How do people act when they know there are cameras running on them from every angle? How do they act while society is still functioning normally? You see this behavior and it’s entertaining while you’re trying to fall asleep or waiting in a lobby. This is how people act during normal, everyday interactions.

Now complicate things by throwing an event—or a collapse of some kind—into the mix.

This will be like throwing gas onto a campfire, waiting a few minutes, then tossing in the match. The point is simple: people are going to explode into a fury of bad behaviors, and they may direct it at you.

Have you thought about that?

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

In real life, I work at a mostly urban healthcare facility, but it’s surrounded by rural areas. I’m also responsible for several urban facilities. You’d think people would know how to act and still have some manners left. You’d be really surprised.

Sweet older ladies turn into the old lady from the movie Legion. I haven’t seen them crawl on the ceiling or grow sharp teeth yet, but I’ve been surprised more than once.

These people are stressed because of medical issues, and under that stress they become different creatures. Add drugs and alcohol to the mix and you enter a whole different realm of problems altogether.

The truth is simple—you never know how people are going to react.

FALSE COMFORT & SYSTEM LIMITS

In the beginning of a major event, people may stay relatively calm. They believe the “authorities” will swoop in and make things better.

But do you really know how well emergency services are set up to respond to large-scale emergencies? They tell you things will be okay. They say order will be restored.

How did people react when toilet paper and hand sanitizer disappeared? COVID, while a real event, was relatively mild for a disaster. Healthcare was hit hard, but most people weren’t hit hard at home when it came to food and water.

Did you learn anything from COVID-world?

THE HARD TRUTH

I’m here to tell you that while emergency agencies do have resources, those resources are limited. They are limited in scope and limited in deployment ability.

If an event is big enough, it will overwhelm agencies quickly. If it’s widespread enough, it will overwhelm even the largest municipalities. There is just enough stuff to go around—and they don’t tell you that.

TV shows, Hollywood, and your internet connection have you duped if you believe for one second that the government will be there to help for an extended period. Things will go from bad to worse in a fraction of the time you think.

PREPARATION REALITY

You don’t have time to prepare then. You have time now. So what can you do? A lot, actually. Gather some items. Start small and scale up as you see fit. Just start, and keep going. What if I never have to use it? “Oh Whale,” I say.

You’ve heard that having a fire extinguisher and not needing it is a good thing. This is the same principle. Do you need a bunker and three years’ worth of food? No. But you do need to give yourself an advantage.

HUMAN NATURE UNFILTERED

Some people say, “I’ll just wait until it happens and take from those who are prepared.” Nice plan. I have a plan for that too. Will it work? Maybe. Will it be a dogfight? Yep.

The people who think they’ll just take from the prepared are in for a bigger surprise than they realize. And those who are prepared had better be ready for people like them to come knocking.

Never underestimate anyone or their abilities.

REAL LIFE CONSEQUENCES

You could be tending your garden during a collapse and someone hidden in the tree line could zap you. You could get caught in a roadblock while bugging out.

You can’t predict everything—but you can count on people behaving in ways that benefit themselves. You can’t prepare for every outcome. The goal is to keep the wheels turning in your head and give yourself the best chance possible.

PERSONAL STAKES

I have a long list of issues I must prepare for on top of dealing with other people. I have two Type 1 diabetics living with me, and keeping them alive is non-negotiable. I have a coffee addict in the house, so I store green coffee beans—mainly so I don’t have to end them myself.

There are a million things that can and will happen. I’m set up to make my own ammo, alcohol, and other items for barter when the dollar becomes toilet paper.

Prepare for the scenarios that are most likely in your area and start there.

Just start!

APOCALYPSE APPROVED CTA

Apocalypse Approved Takeaway

Preparedness isn’t about fear. It's about awareness, responsibility, and staying ahead of reality.

Apocalypse Approved exists to cut through fantasy, hype, and bullshit—and focus on what actually works when things don’t.

Start small. Think ahead. Stay ready.