I’m not fooling myself… I know that prepping and survivalism will never become part of our mainstream culture.
I’m okay with that- there will be less competition for me in case of a disaster. I have no sick desire to see people suffer in the face of a horrible event, but it’s pure human nature to fend for yourself and your closest family in the face of a tragedy.
Often when people find out that I’m a prepper, they automatically assume that I’m a little certifiable (nuts)… But they’re jumping to conclusions- at least about my concern for survival.
It’s easy to get carried away and start building a bunker and storing thousands of pounds of long term stable foods. Personally I prefer a targeted and managed approach to my prepping needs. Is a bunker filled with 30 years of survival supplies over the top and unnecessary? Probably, but it’s up to the individual to decide what they think they will need to survive and prosper in the face of the threat they think is most eminent.
Now would I like a bunker with 30 years of supplies? Hell Yes! That would be totally awesome, and I know that there most likely wouldn’t be any situation I couldn’t handle with those preps. I don’t foresee myself going to those extremes, but you never know what the future holds.
Lets take a moment and consider the people who actually prep. You might be surprised. To be a “prepper” you don’t have to be an extreme conspiracy theorist or a paranoid recluse. If you live anywhere that is prone to large storms then you most likely have prepared to handle the inconveniences and life threatening situations that those storms may cause.
Just think about the extra supplies that you and your neighbors put back when there is a big storm coming your way. It could be snow, ice, hurricanes and flooding to name a few. When a storm of any real magnitude is headed your direction supplies can be hard to find at the store because of the rush on the stores.
Nowadays more people have realized that they can’t just wait until the last minute to go get their batteries, water, canned food, plywood to board their windows, gas for the generator, life sustaining medications, and more.
It’s better to have it on hand for when you need it. And that in is essence is the whole reason for prepping.
When I explain what prepping is to people I meet that think preppers are crazy, they usually wind up realizing that they themselves are preppers as well. Most of us prep, and it’s a natural activity that we’ve been doing since the dawn of mankind. Yes there may be extremist, but I challenge you to name a group of people who don’t have extremist.
I want to share some interesting things with you that I’ve observed about modern preppers.
1. We assume that you think we’re crazy, but we still care about your wellbeing.
The prepping community knows that most people think they’re nuts. But a large majority of preppers are really just normal people. They have normal jobs, normal families and fairly normal lives.
A lot of preppers may come across as a little extreme but it’s mainly because they want to share their lifestyle; not to convert everyone they meet into preppers. It is beneficial to raise awareness that you should have some plans and supplies in place of an emergency. Most preppers I know go to great lengths preparing to help as many people during a disaster as possible. I have yet to meet a “greedy” prepper.
2. They became preppers for sensible and sane reasons.
A lot of preppers have experienced events where they weren’t prepared. That in turn made them realize that they didn’t want to be in that same boat again. You know- the one up a really dark creek without a paddle. These events can be as simple as being snowed in for a couple of days, or living in the aftermath of a severe hurricane such as Katrina. Often, witnessing the aftermath that lasted weeks from the events of 9-11 is quoted as a reason many people start preparing.
3. They might just sleep better than you do.
When you have plans, and supplies in place to handle a majority of all situations, it makes everyday life a little easier. And I know that my preps help me sleep better at night. Having enough supplies put back to know that my loved ones and I will be able to eat if the stores can’t get supplies sure puts my mind at ease. Just think of all the people that couldn’t get groceries on the east coast after superstorm Sandy damaged their infrastructure.
4. Most aren’t excited at the thought of eating grubs and rodents while living without modern conveniences.
We’ll do what we have to do to survive, whether that’s eating unsavory food, using outhouses and living without power and water. But it’s not what any preppers I know want to do. I have yet to meet or talk with a prepper who wants to have to rely on their preps to survive.
What do you do to prep that you may not have realized was prepping? Let me know by going here www.facebook.com/prepcabin and making your voice heard.