What do you think about preppers?

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Rob's picture
What do you think about preppers?

I have noticed that there are more and more people who are becoming preppers now a days. Just in case some of you don't know what this means, a prepper is someone who is always preparing for an impending war or apocalyptic event. They gather food supplies, weapons and all sorts of gadgets in order to have some sort of backup for SHTF situations, which stands for "shit hits the fan".

I myself do not prep except for having some basic survival items because I love in a very active zone for earthquakes, but for me having some flashlights, a few bottles of water and some extra bateries is about enough. I just feel like stacking up with months of supplies will only turn you into a target for looting and you would need a very strong bunker type of hideout to keep yourself secure at all times.

Is anyone here actually a prepper?

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Walker's picture
I have tried doing some

I have tried doing some prepping but I always end up eating the stuff I'm supposed to store lol.

Zaphod's picture
LOL, yeah I run into the same

LOL, yeah I run into the same problem, I store stuff but end up eating it because if I don't it will eventually go bad as the it never hits the fan in time.

I think its a good idea to prep for major catastrophic events because if you do and a major event you have prepped for does occur at least you have already thought out your plan. It also makes your not so major events easier to handle. We at my house do minimal prep and because of this we have in the past been able to be there for others during major storms that have left people with no power roads ect.. without having to break the bank on food water ect.. and we have been able to avoid the last second hunts for items that get scarce in such events. But we don't prep like some of the people you may see on prepper shows. I think it takes a certain degree of mental to be so certain at this point a very specific event will happen before one of the many other possibilities that could greatly alter the way life is lived on this planet were to occur. but one thing is certain someday something will happen. and a little prep with food stock and water along with other essentials will not hurt in most cases. Of course none of this applies in some events so you can rule out trying to prepare for some types of events. If you really want to plan for a possible major event I advise go basic and just try to cover you essentials and have planed evacuation routes with planned meet up places in case communication goes down. As far as batteries go where you can, get rechargeable batteries and use them regularly it will save you money don't buy disposables if you can help it.

I also feel prepping helps you to shop smarter because it tends to lead people to buy in bulk, this means you can spend less on food or other things you might need.

John Browning's picture
Then you're doing it right.

Then you're doing it right. Rotate your preps to keep things fresh. That's why you should only buy food preps that you like to eat.

SammyShazaam's picture
Lmao, yeah. My prepping

Lmao, yeah. My prepping friend bought a few cases of Vienna sausages, canned ham, and nasty canned chicken and keeps trying to convince me to take some now that the world didn't end!

mysticrose's picture
Prepping for unavoidable

Prepping for unavoidable natural calamities is a good way in order to survive but prepping for the end of the world is foolishness. If the world will really end, then no one will survive despite of all the preparation but just like all the doom's day lies no one really knows when or how the world will end. Probable supernova may possibly happen but that will be around million or billion years from now so we should not think of it yet. Apocalyptic revelations are just made-up stories meant to scare everybody who believes.

AnimalLeader's picture
I have been thinking that its

I have been thinking that its a good idea to prep up a little bit. I have been procrastinating that for a while but I should get some stuff stored just in case.

James's picture
I think prepping is necessary

I think prepping is necessary in case there is a natural disaster, or war, that way you can survive at least till you get the change to obtain oher stuff

SammyShazaam's picture
Always be prepared. I really

Always be prepared. I really don't care if it makes me look crazy. It also saves me a bunch of money.

It *also* makes me the neighbor that everyone on the block calls if they run out of any kind of food item.

Zaphod's picture
That can be annoying if when

That can be annoying if when you need a food item they say no. But also a handy chance to say when all hell breaks loose remember all the times I shared with you.

John Browning's picture
I have been a prepper for a

I have been a prepper for a long time. Because of the show Doomsday Preppers, there is a huge misconception about who and what a prepper is and what we do. The vast majority of us are not waiting on looming Armageddon doomsday. We prep for a multitude of reasons all at once. I want to be prepared from everything from flood or blizzard to world changing catastrophic event. Being a prepper helped me through a tough time after losing a job. Our money was tight and one area I could save money was on groceries. I had enough food put away to get us through tough times.
Depending on your age and where you were raised it is safe to say your parents, grandparents or most assuredly your great grandparents were preppers. They gardened and canned and always had food and other supplies on hand that could last for an extended period of time. It was just the way life was back then. Super Wal Mart and our fast paced instant gratification lives have killed that lifestyle. Save for the modern day prepper, even most farm families have abandoned the practice of putting away supplies.
One stereotype that does seem to hold up about preppers is the Christian element. Mormons prep and have done so from the beginning. It is part of their charge. Fundamentalists seem to be the norm. They talk of sticking together which means they will exclude any who don't share their beliefs. That seems to be "the Christian way". I am sure there are exceptions to the rule but by prepping for yourself and your family you would never have to rely on the "Christian compassion" of others. But if you can have friends that do the same thing you can have the security of alliance. Strength in numbers.
Many people hear preppers talk about the zombie apocalypse. Zombies are as real as death and taxes my friends, but they're not the undead, no they are the throngs of people unprepared after a massive disaster. They are the hungry and unsheltered who want your food and shelter. When faced with the agony of starving and watching their loved ones starve, many will do horrific things in order to survive. That's why we have firearms and learn to use them in a very proficient manner. Not because we are bloodthirsty warmongering psychos. But try to harm my family and I will morph into that guy in an instant.
I hope this gives some of you some insight into what a real prepper is and is not. I also hope that you will make preparations of food and supplies for those bumps in the road that might make a zombie out of you.

Zaphod's picture
I really like this response

I really like this response and agree with most of it for sure. Thanks for sharing your thoughts John Browning

SammyShazaam's picture
Excellent response :) I

Excellent response :) I believe the zombie apocalypse is already upon us!

mattyn's picture
I think preppers get a bad

I think preppers get a bad wrap because of all of the extremists out there. As with anything, even religion, you are going to have some crazies that mess it all up for everyone else.

Zaphod's picture
For sure! Could not have said

For sure! Could not have said this better myself!

Walker's picture
The real problem is that

The real problem is that prepping only lasts so long, so you're basically just delaying the inevotable outcome of having to migrate looking for food if the situation is a doomsday type thing.

SammyShazaam's picture
I think that most people who

I think that most people who are realistic about these things would agree. Prepping isn't just about stockpiling food. Also make sure that you have plenty of water filtration straws, pocket chainsaws, socks, and other things that will come in ultra handy when you do have to leave your shelter :)

If you're lucky enough to be able to stay put, awesome! Then you get to use your 5 year's supply of vegetable seeds to start farming and replenishing your supplies.

Are there really many people who think just 3 months worth of food would get them to the end of any disaster? Even in the best case scenario, you're going to faced with the challenge of protecting your hoard against the people around you who were caught unprepared.

ginamoon's picture
I am a bit prepper.

I am a bit prepper.
I just have some canned goods, liters of water, some medicines and other no cooked foods just in case of anything.

efpierce's picture
My version of prepping is

My version of prepping is buying seed. You can stockpile food and use it for a year, but seed will enable you to grow your own food when everything settles back down.

mysticrose's picture
That's a good idea. Seed is

That's a good idea. Seed is very useful especially if you have land to plant it on. Unfortunately, people in the city will find those seeds useless for them because all they have on their surrounding are buildings and cemented roads.

Zaphod's picture
You will need seed but in the

You will need seed but in the meantime, unless you want to eat seed and sprouts you will need other sources of food. Always remember though successful germination to fruition rates drop the longer seed is stored so eve still with seed you will still need to renew them before they become useless.

ginamoon's picture
A lot of natural disasters

A lot of natural disasters have been happening nowadays so I think being a pepper is a need now. Hard to just wait for things to happen without being ready even a little for it.

SammyShazaam's picture
It's true, you never know

It's true, you never know what the world is going to throw at you next! We have the awareness that allows us to be ready for it to some degree, so we might as well :)

Steven Hewett's picture
I am a prepper, been doing it

I am a prepper, been doing it for a few years now. The only problem I run across in the FB prepper/militia pages are the religious nuts that want to push their Jesus on you as part of the group. Most Prepper groups are christian so that leaves out those of us Atheists that want to prep whether its for a natural disaster or the collapse of society as we know it.

I'm wondering how many of you would be interested in starting a FB Atheists Prepper Page to share information?

SammyShazaam's picture
I'm not a part of any

I'm not a part of any "prepper" groups, but I do a lot of reading on sustainable and independence building practices in agriculture, architecture, and domestic affairs. anyway, I have noticed that a lot of writers and readers on those sites are christian, but I've never noticed any of them trying to push it on me at all. Maybe I'm thick skinned, but most likely I'm just not visiting the same groups as you are :) How are they pressing on you?

Also, rest assured there are places that teach good prepping and sustainability practices without religious agendas.

Lmale's picture
If i had the money i would be

If i had the money i would be the ultimate prepper. I think its just a matter of time before the proverbial hits the fan.
Id have a concealed underground home and everything.
As it is all i have is a substantial melee and throwing weapon collection best i could do stupid britains weapon laws.

Lmale's picture
When it hits ill start a

When it hits ill start a collection of crosses from christian preppers that got in my way lol
I joke but those guys on tv blew the secret so everyone knows about preppers and neighbours who didnt prepare will gang up with others and take it from the preppers because they know where they are.
Or try. It will not be nice win or lose.
The key is secrecy if they dont know where you are then you wont have to defend against a hungry angry mob.

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