Resilience in Crisis: Why Your Neighbors Are Worth More Than a Bunker
What’s the Most Important Thing to Have in Case of Collapse, Big or Small?
Let me explain…
My passion, my mission for the past 25 years has been: how to prevent societal collapse AND leave the best possible world (or the least bad one) for our children
And realistically, because our societies are in a chaotic phase, we will surely go through – unfortunately – a number of more or less significant crises.
If you just came back from vacation, you probably discovered you missed at least 3 wars…
That’s why I also work on resilience: how to navigate these crises in the best possible way.
I also work on anti-fragility: how to emerge even stronger from crises.
But let’s start with resilience.
The Secret That All Studies on Collapse Reveal:
From all my research, what stands out is that the most important thing in case of a major crisis is… other people!
To prepare for societal collapse, it’s better to stock up on friends, good deeds, and skills rather than weapons and canned goods
This is the central message that emerges from studies on past collapses and modern disasters. The communities that respond best to crises have broad and solid social connections.
They cooperate quickly when political structures collapse, with neighbors and acquaintances taking over from the state (sharing resources, medical aid, mutual protection).
Three Recent Examples That Prove This Theory
1. Hurricane Sandy 2012 – New York: When Neighbors Replace the State
When Hurricane Sandy hit New York in October 2012, leaving hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers without electricity, food, and drinking water, something extraordinary happened.
While the Red Cross struggled to organize itself, a group from Occupy Wall Street created “Occupy Sandy” – a mutual aid network that raised over a million dollars and organized thousands of volunteers.
The most striking part? Six weeks after the hurricane, it was the Red Cross calling Occupy Sandy to find out where to go and what people needed! The grassroots volunteers knew the needs better than the official organizations…
These self-organized neighborhood networks later served as the foundation for mutual aid groups that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The “tissue connectivity” had remained intact and strengthened with each crisis.
2. Hurricane Katrina 2005 – New Orleans: The Collective That Saved Entire Neighborhoods
After Katrina, when government services completely collapsed and armed militias were patrolling disadvantaged neighborhoods, a small group formed in Malik Rahim’s kitchen in the 9th Ward.
The Common Ground Collective started with 3 volunteers and 50 dollars. They became the first organization to open a medical clinic in the Algiers neighborhood and provide immediate aid (food, water, supplies) to the thousands of low-income residents who couldn’t evacuate.
The result: they grew to more than 40 full-time organizers and hundreds of volunteers, created health clinics, community gardens, a local radio station, and even a tool library.
Twenty years later, their structures still exist and continue to serve the community.
3. COVID-19 2020-2021 – Worldwide: The Explosion of Neighborhood Mutual Aid
During the pandemic, something fascinating happened: thousands of local mutual aid groups spontaneously emerged around the world.
In Brooklyn, the Bed-Stuy Strong group supported 28,000 people and raised 1.2 million dollars through community donations. Their secret? Multilingual flyers in the neighborhood with a simple phone number where residents could leave their shopping lists.
Nancy Perez, infected with COVID, stayed confined to her room for a month. Bed-Stuy Strong volunteers regularly delivered meals for her two sons and her 4-year-old grandson. After her recovery, Nancy became a volunteer herself.
The best part? These networks survived the pandemic and continue to function, creating lasting bonds between neighbors from different backgrounds.
Why It Always Works (And Why Billionaire Bunkers Won’t)
Today’s billionaires pursue an investment strategy in places rather than people. It won’t help them much in case of major crises… (although I imagine a few bottles of very fine wine might help for a while).
Here’s why the community approach is infinitely more effective:
- The network effect: A connected neighbor can give you access to dozens of other people with complementary skills.
- Local information: Your neighbors know what’s really happening in your area, the real available resources, the dangers to avoid.
- Natural reciprocity: Mutual aid creates lasting moral obligations. If you help someone today, they’ll help you tomorrow.
- Adaptability: Human networks adapt in real-time, unlike rigid bureaucratic systems.
How to Build Your “Rapid Reflection Force”
My friend Patrick Lagadec, crisis management expert, calls it the “rapid reflection force”: that small group of people you want to communicate and think with in case of crisis.
Here’s how to build it right now:
- Map your human resources: Who in your circle has skills complementary to yours? Doctor, handyman, gardener, mechanic, IT specialist…
- Create positive debts: Do favors without being asked. Create a network of reciprocity before you need it.
- Participate in local life: Town councils, neighborhood associations, community events… That’s where the connections that matter are woven.
- Develop useful skills: First aid, gardening, basic repairs, mediation… Become the person others naturally turn to.
Resilience Starts With Humility
Contrary to what you hear everywhere, being resilient doesn’t mean being totally autonomous. It’s exactly the opposite: it’s recognizing your interdependence and consciously cultivating it.
The most resilient communities aren’t those that stock the most canned goods… they’re those that share the most meals!
Questions For You (Or Your Organization)
So are you giving enough time to the human aspect, whether in your personal life or in your organization?
Just in case… take a few moments to check:
- In your personal life: Do you really know your neighbors? Do you have their phone numbers? Do you know who could help you and who you could help?
- In your organization: Have your teams created authentic connections? Can they self-organize without you? Do you have solid local partnerships?
- In your community: Do you actively participate in local initiatives? Are you known and recognized in your area?
So, for example, the most important thing about my resilient house in case of crisis is my neighbors!
Because as all studies show, when everything collapses around us, what saves us… is that invisible bond that connects us to others.
→ 5 tools to thrive in uncertainty
Bruno Marion is an expert in chaos theory applied to leadership and management. An international bilingual English-French keynote speaker, he works with executives and organizations in more than 40 countries. He is the author of Chaos, A User’s Guide and Not Everyone Will End Up with an Axe in the Forest.
