The Alpha Strategy

The Alpha Strategy is a conservative investment approach first mooted in 1980 by John A Pugsley in his survivalist classic 'The Alpha Strategy- the ultimate plan of financial self defense.' It may be read free of charge here
The book starts from the basic question 'what is wealth?' and concludes that wealth is anything that makes life better. In other words your home is wealth, as is the food in your pantry and the clothing you wear now. Your share certificates may or not be wealth. In fact they will only truly become wealth the day you sell them or when you receive dividends from them. This is because you can only exchange them for things of actual use when this happens. Paper money is never wealth as it only has whatever value other people ascribe to it. In other words- a pound or a dollar is a scrap of paper that may be exchanged for wealth but it is not actually wealth itself.
This may sound like a spendthrift manifesto but is not because it identifies two other forms of wealth. Wealth can be expressed as personal knowledge and tools. This need not even cost any money. Alison is a series of free online courses that anyone may access. Wealth may also be expressed as gold and silver (even though these metals are really just alternative currencies.) The way to become truly wealthy is therefore to exchange fake wealth such as paper banknotes for real wealth such as useful tools and skills. This may include a conventional education and career but is should contain other skills as well. This will make life more interesting and provide a hedge against future uncertainty.
One way to combine the Alpha Strategy with prepping is to compile a 'survival C.V' '. This is a list of self reliance skills one has acquired. This can include quite ordinary skills such as elementary plumbing or first aid that are useful in everyday life. The survival C.V may be posted online so that people may contact one another in advance. The information would be removed in the event of any real emergency so that the survivalist is not contacted by people who have nothing to offer.
It is also useful to keep a record of intangible assets. This can include anything from the people you know to obscure facts and inside information. It has two purposes. First of all it reminds the writer of all the resources at his disposal. Secondly, it may be posted online as a networking tool and a record of what the writer can do for others.
I am also creating a page on projects and requests. This is basically a list of things that I need and that other people may be able to help me with. If you can help then please let me know and tell me what I can do for you in return.
I will eventually offer a Ghost Nation diploma that will also be free of charge. It is unlikely that an employer will be very impressed by this but I believe it can be made into a genuine resource.
The prepared individual should see his life as a total wealth account. He should constantly add to his stock of skills, personal qualities, friends and useful contacts. Intangible assets (such as friendship) are particularly useful because they cannot be redistributed in any divorce court.
This fits very well with my own approach to survivalism which is to survive by helping others to survive. I intend to acquire survival skills that would make me useful in a crisis. The great thing about this approach is that it is possible to be open about it. Many U.S survivalists are secretive about their physical preparations because they have purchased a great deal of desirable survival kit. They fear that their less well prepared neighbors may kill them for their generators and their supply of dehydrated food. This is not a problem if you choose to put your money into acquiring skills rather than things.
N.B One side product of this philosophy is that it promotes good neighborly behavior. The goodwill your neighbors have towards you is an intangible asset- which is inherently more valuable than cash because it can neither be eroded by inflation nor taxed.