Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why

by Laurence Gonzales

The farther one goes The less one knows. —Tao Te Ching

Only 10 to 20 percent of people can stay calm and think in the midst of a survival emergency. They are the ones who can perceive their situation clearly; they can plan and take correct action, all of which are key elements of survival. Confronted with a changing environment, they rapidly adapt.

Stress causes most people to focus narrowly on the thing that they consider most important, and it may be the wrong thing.

Laughter stimulates the left prefrontal cortex, an area in the brain that helps us to feel good and to be motivated. That stimulation alleviates anxiety and frustration. There is evidence that laughter can send chemical signals to actively inhibit the firing of nerves in the amygdala, thereby dampening fear. Laughter, then, can help to temper negative emotions.

The word “experienced” often refers to someone who’s gotten away with doing the wrong thing more frequently than you have.

Unfortunately, as Perrow comments, “It is normal for us to die, but we only do it once.” Which is too bad, for it might be the ultimate learning experience.

Although there’s wide variation, the rule of thumb is that you can survive three minutes without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food.

Mismatching the abilities of people in the outdoors is a sure way to get into trouble. People routinely fail to realize that they have to travel at the speed of the slowest member, not the fastest.

To be seen is to be real, and without another to gaze upon us, we are nothing. Part of the terror of being lost stems from the idea of never being seen again.)

Being lost, then, is not a location; it is a transformation. It is a failure of the mind. It can happen in the woods or it can happen in life.

“It’s amazing to see what fire can do. You’re out in the woods, you’re cold, you’re lost, you’re lonely. But the minute you light that fire, you’re home, the lights are on, and supper’s cooking. It made a world of difference going from complete darkness to light and warmth. It just turned everybody around.”

And starting off the next day, wearing high-heeled boots, a short skirt, and no underwear, she climbed and hiked for thirty-six hours to reach a small California town.

She even found time to stop and skinny-dip in an icy mountain pool and was moved to cry out with joy.

Survival is the celebration of choosing life over death. We know we’re going to die. We all die. But survival is saying: perhaps not today. In that sense, survivors don’t defeat death, they come to terms with it.

I WANT TO DIE IN MY SLEEP LIKE MY GRANDFATHER. And then, in smaller letters, Not yelling and screaming like the passengers in his car. Typical fighter pilot humor.