Mainstream Media on "Practical Survivalism"
"Online, Malaysians are trading tips on practical survivalism, such as vacuum-sealing stockpiles of rice," says The Straits Times this weekend, having previously reported other outlandish measures such as restrictions on air conditioners (amid serious heat wave; thermostat rules) and commuting (travel) to work in the public sector. Now it seems like panic-buying or hoarding, foreseeing a shortage of energy (transport) and fertilisers (agricultural yields), set aside climate change as a factor. This latest war is still young (5 weeks, not in its fifth year like the one in Ukraine) but the survivalists' mindset already kicks in thousands of miles away from the conflict. This is beginning to resemble early 2020 (months after COVID-19 broke out), except there's more at stake in this and curfews won't solve issues.
Suffice to say, panic buying begets more panic and price surges. That's why the national media tries not to caution people "too much" about what's to come. █