From Rilla to TikTok: Rebuilding Modern Society's Resilience
Britain has been warned to prepare for possible war by 2030. What can Rilla of Ingleside teach us about hardship, resilience and today's youth?
By Elke Porter | WBN News Vancouver | October 26, 2026
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There is something unsettling about the number 1,000. It sounds like plenty of time—roughly 2.7 years—unless you are preparing for war.
Recently, Britain’s Defence Secretary warned that NATO allies have just over 1,000 days to prepare for the possibility of military conflict by 2030. Simultaneously, the UK launched its “Be Ready” campaign, asking households to keep three days of emergency supplies: bottled water, non-perishable food, flashlights, radios, and power banks. While intended for power outages or severe weather, it prompts a larger question: Is modern society actually prepared to endure real hardship?
Lessons from Rilla of Ingleside
If you grew up reading L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series, you might remember its final book, Rilla of Ingleside. Set during World War I, it follows Anne’s youngest daughter, Rilla—a teenager initially concerned only with dances, boys, and fashion.
When war arrives, Rilla’s world transforms overnight:
- Sacrifice became routine: Rilla commits to wearing the same velvet hat for four consecutive winter seasons—a staggering contrast to today’s culture of fast fashion and instant online ordering.
- The home front mobilized: Household cooks faced baking without butter or sugar, and young women took over agricultural labour.
- Young people adapted: The boys sent to the trenches were not hardened soldiers; they were students and brothers and sons, while girls became nurses or joined wartime committees to raise funds.
None of them posessed inherent "superhuman" strength—circumstances simply forced them to build resilience. But when it came to the boys - this is where Rilla of Ingleside becomes particularly uncomfortable reading.
Walter Blythe, Rilla's brother, struggles with the question of enlistment. He eventually receives a white feather, a symbol used to shame men regarded as cowards for not enlisting. His internal struggle is not treated lightly. He is terrified of killing and of being killed.
Eventually, the young men who went to war found themselves in trenches, under fire, surrounded by mud, disease, rats, death and unimaginable violence. Some of them came home with one leg, one arm or blind for the rest of their lives. Then they were expected to function in conditions most of us cannot imagine. And many came home carrying wounds that could not be seen.
This will also be a good test - This is where our modern society will see how comfortable they will feel in actually promoting equality when it comes to who gets called upon to serve, sacrifice, or adapt when crisis hits.
Throughout history, moments of widespread disruption—whether from wartime mobilization, economic strain, or natural disasters—have forced societies to re-evaluate what true equality looks like in practice. During the events described in Rilla of Ingleside, World War I radically reshaped gender roles as women stepped into agricultural and industrial labour to keep society running while young men were sent to the front lines.
When modern discussions shift from day-to-day conveniences to fundamental survival and national resilience, several key tests of equality emerge:
- Conscription and Service: Should civic obligations, emergency duty, or military draft apply equally to all citizens regardless of gender?
- Resource Distribution: When supplies, energy, or services are rationed during grid failures or climate emergencies, is access truly equitable across different socio-economic groups?
- Shared Hardship: Is society prepared to expect the same sacrifices, self-reliance, and basic duty from everyone, or do certain groups bear a disproportionate burden when modern comforts disappear?
True equality is easy to promote in times of abundance and convenience; the ultimate test comes when society must determine how responsibilities, risks, and hard decisions are shared when resources are scarce.
The Modern Convenience Trap
Critiquing today's youth isn't about blaming Gen Z. Older generations helped build the world of instant gratification: food delivery apps, continuous streaming, GPS, and online shopping. As a result, we have raised generations who have largely avoided large-scale hardship.
Today, a dead phone battery or dropped Wi-Fi signal can provoke a minor existential crisis. In a genuine emergency—where power, internet, and delivery services vanish—the modern definition of "inconvenience" changes drastically.
Building Resilience Before Crisis Strikes
Resilience is a trainable skill, and we shouldn't wait for a war to practice it. Preparing for potential disruption doesn't require living in a trench; it starts with small, deliberate habits:
- Learn to cook a meal from scratch without relying on processed food.
- Practice navigating without relying constantly on Google Maps.
- Know where the home emergency flashlight and supplies are stored.
- Spend 24 hours away from smartphone screens.
- Wear last year's coat instead of buying a new one.
If Western nations really have 1,000 days to prepare for an uncertain future, the preparation shouldn't happen only in defence ministries. It should happen at home—not because war is inevitable, but because self-reliance and resilience are vital skills in an unpredictable world. Deprivation isn't triggered solely by military conflict; severe natural disasters, climate change, widespread grid failures, and cyber-attacks can plunge modern life into chaos without warning.
Even away from home—whether navigating the wilderness on a hike or travelling to places without modern infrastructure—knowing how to adapt, ration supplies, and stay calm without digital devices isn't just a matter of convenience. It is a fundamental life skill that could one day save your life or the lives of those around you.
Elke Porter at:
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