{ Housekeeping - the quick reader poll below about a possible series on emergency preparedness for worst case scenarios resulted in 70% of readers liking that idea, 15% maybe, and 15% not really. This is helpful, as were the comments. I’m going to do just one post about this in the future instead of a series, which I think is a good plan in these apocalypse-saturated times. Thanks! And now back to the show. }
The world is not doing so well.
If we sped up the slow motion film of the past couple years, we might see the patterns more clearly. The dots are connecting between frequent natural disasters, floods, fires, wars, famine, dictators, climate refugees, gun violence, artificial intelligence, pandemic disease, and the registered trademark by Taco Bell of a food substance called the “Nacho Cheese Doritos® Locos Tacos Supreme®.”
A couple months ago, two local University of Pennsylvania alumni published the latest in their series of humorous yet practical Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbooks, this one centered on surviving the Apocalypse.
I read a very short excerpt from this book in The Pennsylvania Gazette. It’s darkly funny yet practical, and it got me to thinking… should I step up as a family doctor? What could I contribute to any preparations for the looming apocalypse(s)?
Perhaps I am decently qualified to write about this, having served on the front lines in small examining rooms through the worst pandemic in a century while my house was destroyed and Philadelphia descended into weeks of looting.
Primary care is founded upon prevention, early recognition of disease, and a coordinated synthesis of treatment plans between medical disciplines. Yet we need a supremely credible, expert framework for such massive apocalyptic considerations. Therefore, I’m going to start a series of posts, scattered among the regular Examined articles, based on the CDC’s Prepare Your Health website. The CDC used to have a much more zombie-themed emergency educational paradigm:
CDC published “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse” to the Public Health Matters blog in 2011. The post was an example of educational entertainment. It used a popular cultural reference to zombies to promote preparedness for different emergencies and disasters. The campaign is now retired. You can still learn how to prepare yourself and others by visiting the Prepare Your Health website http://www.cdc.gov/prepyourhealth.
In keeping with our role as generalist physicians, it is probably best to keep this Family Medicine Guide to the Apocalypse a general handbook as well. I’ll incorporate and adapt several posts I’ve written over the past 2.5 years on this Substack. I reserve the right to include new thoughts on specific agents of doom, which according to ChatGPT (ironic that I’m consulting an artificial intelligence, I know!) might include:
Nuclear War: Global conflict leading to widespread destruction and radiation.
Pandemic: A highly contagious and deadly virus wipes out a significant portion of the population.
Climate Change: Catastrophic environmental changes render the planet uninhabitable for humans.
Asteroid Impact: A large asteroid collides with Earth, causing massive destruction and triggering a nuclear winter.
Alien Invasion: Advanced extraterrestrial beings invade Earth, seeking its resources or for other unknown reasons.
Zombie Outbreak: A virus or pathogen turns humans into mindless, flesh-eating zombies.
Robot Uprising: AI or robots gain sentience and revolt against their human creators.
Supervolcano Eruption: The eruption of a supervolcano causes widespread devastation and a volcanic winter.
Mass Extinction Event: Rapid loss of biodiversity leads to ecological collapse and the collapse of human civilization.
Solar Flares: Intense solar activity disrupts Earth's electromagnetic field, causing widespread technological failures.
Biological Experiment Gone Wrong: A bioweapon or experimental pathogen escapes containment, leading to a global pandemic.
Cosmic Event: Gamma-ray burst, black hole, or other cosmic phenomena threatens Earth's existence.
Genetic Engineering Disaster: Genetic manipulation leads to the creation of deadly organisms or unforeseen consequences.
Resource Depletion: Exhaustion of essential resources such as water, food, or energy triggers societal collapse.
Alien Technology Malfunction: Activation of alien technology results in unintended consequences, leading to global catastrophe.
Nanotechnology Run Amok: Self-replicating nanobots consume all matter, including organic material, in a runaway scenario.
Time Travel Paradox: Interference with the past causes a chain reaction leading to the collapse of the timeline.
Psychic Phenomenon: Mass emergence of psychic abilities leads to societal breakdown and chaos.
Geomagnetic Reversal: Earth's magnetic poles reverse, causing widespread disruption to ecosystems and technology.
Rogue AI Decides Humanity's Fate: An artificial intelligence tasked with managing global systems decides to eliminate humanity for perceived efficiency.
Parallel Universe Collision: Interaction with a parallel universe results in catastrophic consequences for both worlds.
Catastrophic Economic Collapse: Global financial systems collapse, leading to widespread chaos and societal breakdown.
Mind Control Device: A device or technology capable of controlling human minds falls into the wrong hands, leading to mass manipulation.
Invasion of Mythical Creatures: Legendary beasts, monsters, or mythological beings emerge and wreak havoc on humanity.
Reality Simulation Shutdown: Humanity discovers that it's been living in a simulated reality, and the system is shut down, leading to the collapse of existence as they know it.
A couple weeks ago, Atomic Scientists left the Doomsday Clock at 90 seconds to midnight for civilization… so we still have time to avert the worst of several human-caused global catastrophes.
I believe there is still time for good primary care inspired prepping. But I will need your feedback and help.
If we decide to proceed with this project together, I will continue to post timely and varied medical content as usual, and pledge not to let this apocalypse theme take over Examined like a zombie. But before I spend any more time typing…
You will lose me as a paying subscriber if your newsletter focuses on gloom and doom scenarios in an already fraught and angst-creating election year.
In some parts of the world it already seems apocalyptic… I appreciate something practical, but how would this differ from survivalist guidance? Survivalists for Good vs those colored by red politics? Think I’ll pass on this one, but please keep sharing your updates and usual content.