Bitcoins & Bunkers

Did you know there are full-fledged secret shelters to survive catastrophes? What’s your survival plan?

- PATRICIA PEREIRA-SETHI

With the virus running rampant around the word, the wealthy are anxiously turning towards safe havens to preserve their fortunes and their lives. Their assets are solidly parked in precious metals and crypto-currencies, and they are busy purchasing bunkers that will protect them from physical harm.

Many of the prosperous form part of survivalist groups: the so-called Preppers who actively prepare for emergencies which could seriously disrupt the social, economic or political order on a scale which careens across local and international exigencies. Survivalism also encompasses planning for personal emergencies such as a job loss, a pandemic, being stranded in the wild, or adverse weather conditions. The stress is on self-reliance, stockpiling supplies, and gaining endurance knowledge and skills. Survivalists acquire emergency medical and self-defence training, even as they build retreats and underground shelters that will help them outlive a catastrophic event.

They have coined a terminology to go with survivalist concepts. Acronyms like EOTW: End of the World; WROL: Without Rule of Law; POLLY: Someone who is in Pollyana-ish denial about the disruption that could be caused by a large-scale calamity. But while some sections of the upper middle-class have merely created clandestine sanctuaries in inaccessible locations, furnished with non-perishable food, water, clothing, seed, firewood, defensive weapons, agricultural equipment and medical supplies – the affluent have different demands.