We are living in the era of quickly evolving fashion trends. One day it is cool, on the next day it is outdated as a pair of tacky crocs.
The latest “trend” emerged from the quintessential home of fashion, France, but first Poland, then, in a few days, the EU itself embraced the latest “must-have accessory”: the survival kit.
Goodbye, designer handbags and Jimmy Choos.
It’s time to make room for bottled water and canned beans.
France, a nation renowned for setting global trends started the craze.
The French government is preparing to distribute a 20-page “survival manual” to every household.
The booklet aims to help citizens prepare for crises such as armed conflicts, natural disasters and/or medical emergencies. Thanks God, zombie apocalypse’s been out of fashion for a few years, would be hard to fit into 20 pages.
The manual is full of useful tips and ideas on how to put together a “survival kit”, including essentials like at least six bottles of water, about a dozen tins of food, batteries, flashlight and basic medical supplies.
A game changer, indeed.
Poland might not be a fashion powerhouse but felt compelled to join the preparedness movement.
Deputy Interior Minister Wiesław Leśniakiewicz advised individuals to store essentials, including items such as food, water, medicine, and power banks, to ensure self-sufficiency for three days without official aid.
In his views, this effort demonstrated the government’s commitment to building national resilience.
The European Commission couldn’t be left out.
EU chief crisis manager Commissioner Hadja Lahbib told journalists that the idea was part of a broader “preparedness strategy” for the bloc.
In light of the previous announcements, the EU version looks like the fast fashion copy of the haute couture designs.
A (surprise) comprehensive plan that encourages households across the continent to keep a 72-hour stockpile of basic goods. Hopefully, this would enhance crisis management for future threats, ensuring that citizens are well-equipped to handle emergencies ranging from natural disasters to geopolitical tensions.
Long gone are the early days of COVID, when governments tried to convince citizens that they didn’t need to prepare for disruption of service.
While these initiatives are presented as measures for citizen safety, which in itself is a commendable endeavor, the timing is curious, at best.
As the conflict in Ukraine seems to arrive at some sort of a (temporary) resolution, discussions about increasing defense budgets have intensified.
The EU’s emphasis on preparedness aligns with plans to bolster military capabilities, with significant financial resources earmarked for defense.
And the best way to ensure that citizens support military spending in times of woeful fiscal times when budgets are tight and scares funds need to be diverted from social expenditure? Fuel the sense of insecurity and fear.
Of course, there is nothing new in fashion, that has its own cycles of borrowing elements from past trends.
It has happened before.
Across the Atlantic, the United States provides a historical example of this phenomenon.
In the early 1950s, the U.S. government launched extensive civil defense campaigns, producing educational films, organizing drills, and distributing pamphlets to prepare citizens for potential nuclear attacks.
These efforts coincided with significant increases in military spending, notably the implementation of NSC 68 in 1950, which advocated for a substantial boost in defense expenditures to counter the Soviet threat.
Heightened public awareness and fear generated by these civil defense initiatives provided a conducive environment for policymakers to justify increased military budgets. The emphasis on preparedness underscored the perceived immediacy of the Soviet threat, aligning public sentiment with the government’s defense strategies. Then, as the threat was gone, the bunkers remained, supplying film makers with ideas (think Blast from the Past).
As Europe collectively tightens the lids on its jars of non-perishables, it is evident that leaders are thinking ahead. Whether driven by genuine concern for public well-being or as a strategic move to bolster defense budgets, one thing is clear: preparedness has become the latest fashion.
