“Shelter in Place,’an awkward phrase devised by Homeland Security, means everyone except first responders must stay inside, presumably cowering in fear. It has been invoked twice in Boston this year. John Robb thinks this is self-defeating. I agree. It’s also Orwellian and trains citizens to feel useless.
However, over the long run, I believe this phrase is going to look as silly as “Duck and Cover” does to today’s world. The reason is simple. As the number of disruptions increase, we’re going to face a choice. We can either stay under constant lock-down, or we can become resilient.
Resilient communities don’t shut down due to security/food/energy disruptions. They can self-generate much of that themselves. Often at levels of quality better than what is available from global sources.
When terrorism and unrest occurs, resilient communities can maintain security, even if they are helping to neighbors in need.
In sum, resilient communities don’t shut down and cower when the going gets tough.
They are the first responders.