Dancing at Armageddon: Survivalism and Chaos in Modern Times

By Richard G. Mitchell Jr.

Book Overview

Winner of the Charles H. Cooley Award from the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction.

Richard G. Mitchell Jr. spent more than a dozen years among survivalists at public conferences, private meetings, and clandestine training camps across America. He takes us inside a compelling, hidden world more connected to the chaos of modern life many of us experience than the label separatist suggests. In survivalism Mitchell found a profound and meaningful critique of contemporary industrial society, a subculture in which the real evil is not repressive government but the far more insidious influence of a Planet Microsoft mentality with its abundance of empty choices. Survivalists, Mitchell shows us, are seeking resistance, not struggling against it; they are looking for ways to define themselves and test their talents in a society that is becoming devitalized and formless.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226532445
• ISBN13: 9780226532448
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 275 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Walden III

A remarkably engaging piece of scholarship, ethnograpny, and insight. In a world that is increasingly commodified, time-pressed, confusing, interdependent, and distorted by the orchestrated fears of the moment, one might well ask how sociology (reflecting this sense of urgency) will enter the 21st century? Where is the academic research that is compelling, highly readable, relevant, informative, and challenging? A tall order, indeed. "Dancing..." qualifies in all these regards. This book is fantastic: a fine example of fastidious scholarship coupled with keen observation. One will never look at the woods in the same way again, nor run to philosophy books to explain a quest that lies deep in the hearts of all modern peoples: the search for meaning in a complex society. What "survivalists" have to teach us is that they are less alien than most will admit. An understanding of this warrants serious attention. There is also a deeper lession here: urgencies of the moment which create the chaos of the day, e.g., wars, terrorism, inequalities, have deep social roots. Understanding this offers much promise as we take our first tentative steps into the new century. Sociologists have long argued that to understand the social world deep and sustained immersion in the field is a necessary requirement. Perhaps the audience will widen for this type of scholarly research, thanks to Mitchell's accomplishment. Sociology students will also be delighted to discover that the imagination that launched this discipline is still very much alive, and is actively exploring what, at first glance, appear to be very strange and mysterious places. I suspect that this work will become a classic.

Stunning Accomplishment.

The Reader from Arizona who states that Professor Mitchell does not yet have his PhD is inaccurate. If Reader is so definite and so wrong about such a simple fact, then you might do well to question his review, too. In fact, I read the book, and I know it's terrific. Read it. It's a university press book, so don't be really knocked out surprised that it's occasionally academic, but Mitchell is a raconteur, and the book has some of the best stories I've read in a long time--Michael Moore and TV Nation found it worth their time, and so do the academics.

Things ain't what they seem to be...

Dancing at Armageddon: Survivalism and Chaos in Modern Times Richard G. MitchellThings ain't what they seem to be. The world turns, the media spins, and the author yarns a tale 20 years in the making. Mitchell jimmies open the bomb shelter for a glimpse of its denizens- survivalists who foresee trouble, make dark warnings, and prepare. Foreboding events call for a "creative transcendence of calamitous cultural change," and lead to surprising solutions. Better bury your house, stockpile your pins, and keep your Charmin dry. The truth is as close as your local coffee shop and flea market. On the topic of survivalists, not all readers who wonder are lost, but many are mistaken. Be prepared. You'll find yourself yanked from an armchair into pup tents, pawnshops, and the proper use of the garrote. Mitchell shares his fears transparently, his gaffes candidly, and the chocolate cake story as with a close friend; seamlessly weaving narrative, observation, and analysis. Don't confuse good reading with poor sociology. The insights and methodology sneak home with you like campfire smoke after a weekend in the woods. Learn about survivalism from a man who teaches survival skills himself; it's a tonic for pulp media depictions. Fear whom you will, but first meet the people who are dancing at Armageddon. Reviewed by: Christopher Schmitt

Terrific Book!

A fascinating, beautifully written warning of what American social life is and might become-frightening and encouraging. Read this book to the last page! It is almost a novel in places. As the chapters unfold, people and events that seem obvious in the beginning are revealed to be both subtle and complex, at once hilarious, poignant and terrifying. I especially enjoyed the mixture of detailed stories with a sociological critique I found convincing and surprising. Survivalism is not all wrong-headed nonsense for marginal losers. I think many of us may long to be survivalists in our own ways. This is a book of interest to everyone who wonders about our future and the possibilities for evil and good in our society and ourselves. It made me laugh and cry and think. Adele Kubein, San Francisco.