It’s the end of another hectic yet productive week for most of us and it got me thinking about how most people in the emergency preparedness lifestyle are branded as extremist.
It may be hard to admit, but if SHTF today a majority of people would be caught completely off guard and turning to an inefficient government to save them. Even with advance warning about impending disasters like super storm Sandy – which rocked the east coast in late 2012 – people were still lacking even the most basics of preparations.
Even thought the emergency preparedness community is growing by leaps and bounds – and it shows – why is “prepping” still carrying a negative connotation in mainstream society?
There are many different hypotheses, but here are a few that make the most sense:
Self-Reliance Was A Positive Virtue
It wasn’t that long ago that being self-reliant was considered a virtue. Until the industrial revolution came along the majority of society grew their own food, raised livestock and traded goods that they produced for other goods that they needed.
Since everything you need is available at the store down the block, or just a mouse click away from being delivered to your home most people think it’s silly to produce your own goods.
Large goods producers rely on consumers for their profits so there is no motivation for them to promote self-reliance. In fact, many advertising campaigns past and present focus on how it’s silly, stupid and a waste of time to not rely on their products.
And our political climate isn’t very friendly towards self-reliance either. Some countries are so desperate to control their people that they are passing laws to control how much food a family can grow!
It may sound extreme – and it is, but there are groups here that are trying to control the food we grow in our backyards. It should be obvious that power comes from someone being reliant on someone else, and we’ve got the most powerful government we’ve ever had.
The Media Only Shows One Side
It could be easy to blame the media for shows that bring extremism into the living rooms of millions of Americans every evening. But we have to remember that they are only producing shows that people want. The most extreme shows – about the craziest people – produce the highest ratings. Why would they do anything else?
Shows about doomsday preppers and conspiracy theorist are entertaining to the masses and that’s why they’re on TV. But that’s also why the masses see prepping as a crazy hobby for paranoid people.
I’ve even heard that the government was behind shows that portray prepping in a bad light because they don’t want resistance in order to set up a police state. I seriously doubt this theory, the people want crazy on TV and that’s what they’re going to get.
A Society Divided
During times of social anxiety and tension it’s very easy to be seen as an outcast or extremist. Every aspect of society is under fire from many different directions. No matter who you are, which groups you identify with you’re going to be suspect to scrutiny and attack.
I’m telling you right now, that there is no way to make everyone happy. Everyone is so inherently different in his or her beliefs, feelings, goals and views that there will never be a magical “middle ground” utopia.
We preppers are a different and unique breed, and people aren’t programmed to like – much less tolerate – things that are different. It’s not in our nature.
But we shouldn’t despair. Our community is growing daily by leaps and bounds.
In the past you rarely met another prepper just going about your daily business. Now just about every time I have interactions with people in public I’m meeting preppers, or people who know preppers.
Just remember that when you’re interacting with society, it’s important to portray how we aren’t foaming at the mouths for TEOTWAWKI to occur and people need to know it! Our goal should be spreading the preparedness mindset so that everyone can handle a SHTF scenario.
It’s easy to put it into perspective for most people, just remind them about the massive numbers of people who were caught of guard and unprepared for Super storm Sandy, Hurricane Katrina, The Boston Marathon, wildfires, winter storms and all the other SHTF scenarios in our recent history.
Let’s end another week, glad that we’re all still happy and healthy. Keep prepping and let’s bring others into the community without fear mongering and trashing our opposition.
Jump to the comments to let me know what you’re stance on these issues are! We want and need your input to improve our community.
