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A Survivalist in Vegas

No, this is not another guide to surviving the excesses of the Las Vegas strip, conventions, or bachelor parties with “hookers and blow.” For that, I recommend watching “The Hangover.” Instead, this is about the conundrum of being a person with a survivalist mentality while living in a crowded city built on tourism and vice. While everyone is subject to the concept of survival, it should be pointed out that most people consider a classic survivalist to be anyone who seems like they’re from the country.

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll consider how Vegas sells survivalism as part of a vacation package, while the act of actually being here would pose a tactical disadvantage to a “true believer.”

What Does a Survivalist Look Like?

Ask this to most people under 30 or in major cities, and they’ll tell you that a survivalist is someone with a camouflage cap and gung-ho about guns. So, what differentiates a survivalist from your everyday red-blooded American who enjoys the thrill of target shooting, hunting, camping, and the clothing accessories thereof?

Analysis

While there is some overlap in the cultures, a survivalist is anyone who chooses to live in an underground bunker, off the radar, doesn’t use money, catches their own food, and doesn’t pay taxes or send their kids to school. What unifies these people is their mutual distrust of authority and unwillingness to subject themselves to it. As a result, many don’t travel, and those who do prefer to drive.

So, how does any of this tie into Vegas? Simple. Those of us who live here see the different people from different walks of life, all Siamese twins joined by the tourist dollar. While most seem to agree on the Strip or the Fremont area, it’s not until you go south of the Strip that you see a different picture. The Silverton has Bass Pro Shops, an indoor gun range, archery range, and they sell guns, knives, bows and arrows, camping gear, boats, you name it.

Sure, these tourists are more likely to pay to shoot machine guns than to pay to see musicals like Jersey Boys, but many are not within driving distance and thus fly here. Considering the difficulty of traveling with a gun in your below deck luggage, even if taken apart and locked in place, most will not risk losing their flight and being detained by security to bring a sidearm on vacation.

So, even if they own 100 guns, chew tobacco, eat BBQ, and ride horses when they enter that airport and fly here, they’re as vulnerable as the rest of us. So, unless you’re flying from your deluxe compound in a private jet loaded with guns and booze, chances are they’re as much of a tourist as all the rest.

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Rich Dad, Poor Dad – Survivalist’s Edition

In Robert Kiyosaki’s bestselling book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, the notion of class inequality is presented as the difference in what kids learn from their parents and how it affects their attitudes and expectations about success in life. In financial terms, this equates to money, but from a survivalist’s POV, this mirrors the jungle. Everything and everyone will kill or be killed. As humans, we’re at a disadvantage physically, so we must use our wits and judgment correctly.

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll compare the notion of financial success principles in rich Dad, Poor Dad, with the survival success principles demonstrated in the book “The Most Dangerous Game.”

Rich Dad, Poor Dad vs. The Most Dangerous Game

In Rich Dad, Poor Dad, two boys of similar age, location, and social class learn concepts and advice from their fathers. In The Most Dangerous Game, a man’s boat capsizes at sea, far from civilization, and he swims to the shores of a remote island ruled by a tyrannical despot who hunts people for sport. In both stories, good sense, reason, and strategy win. One with money, the other with survival.

Analysis

In both stories, characters are facing obstacles that stop most people, one with money and one with survival. In both stories, the winner demonstrates an awareness of the importance of adhering to good sense, an awareness of the importance of staying in control, and ultimately knowing which side their bread is buttered. Without this, there’s no amount of money, tools, or weapons to substitute for a winning strategy worked with discipline.

From a survivalist standpoint, we must conclude that rich dad, and one day his son, would be better poised to survive in the most dangerous game, where wits beat strength. The variable here is rich dad’s ability to remain calm in a fearful state. Everyone who’s ever had to face fear has surely learned how smart or prepared they were. The old saying, “Better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war,” applies here.

Therefore, the only conclusion, from a millionaire survivalist’s standpoint, is that the island must be purchased and turned into a theme park so the “most dangerous game experience” can drive tourism. The hunt will be recreated as a show for tourists or participated in for corporate retreats. The merchandising alone would be more than enough to pay the licensing fee to the author’s estate.

The final phase is when Robert Kiyosaki can host live broadcasts of his self-help lecture on the island for the many who believe his methods can help them succeed, even though we know they can’t. This is why we must assume the real motive is for Robert Kiyosaki to hunt them like animals and reward the sole survivor with a free apprenticeship. No problem here…