Misrepresentation of preppers

[user 7704]

As I was going around the Internet tonight, (bored), it amazes me how people really have no clue what a prepper really is.

It seems that the majority of people think we are just a big militia, everyone always in camouflage with 3 guns strapped on.

They don' realize that we usually chat about food, heating options, etc.

We would bore them to death if they gave us a chance.

 

[user 6493]

THE MEDIA ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,paints a false picture of what prepping is really about

 

[toexist]

I mean even look at the logo of this website. Lol.

I dislike the term/label prepper as it has too many negative connotations to it. The problem is that there are in fact extremist types but they don't represent the majority. Unfortunately this is how preppers are depicted in the media.

I don't like labels. I think they're ridiculous. How can one word define anyone? People are more complicated than one word. I'm sure most here have many other interests.

 

[user 6493]

and there is not much anyone can do about it

 

[Maverick]

Like the media the majority of people take prepping out of context and focus on one small element of prepping thus focalize the most visual element and that be firearms. The media and these tv shows not only make us appear nuts but dangerous nuts. Google search, type preppers the click image, notice the common searches... bunker gun weapon ammo.... The media goes to these search engines and searches for the most used key words under preppers. The images are really depressing if taken out of context and that's the plan

 

[toexist]

and there is not much anyone can do about it

Well I simply don't consider myself a prepper for that reason. I just enjoy preparedness among many other things but they don't define who I am.

Look at all the characters we have on this forum. Everyone is so different even though we all have mutual interests. I never met any of you but you all have very unique personalities that make up who you're.

We're not all the same...no one is.

 

[user 6493]

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I mean even look at the logo of this website. Lol.

I dislike the term/label prepper as it has too many negative connotations to it. The problem is that there are in fact extremist types but they don't represent the majority. Unfortunately this is how preppers are depicted in the media.

I don't like labels. I think they're ridiculous. How can one word define anyone? People are more complicated than one word. I'm sure most here have many other interests.

toexit now think,,,,if the world should go to **** being armed is vital to survival,but it is only one piece of the puzzle ,,,,survival after the SHTF hinges or 4 things,,,,,,,,,,,,,,food ,,,shelter,,,,water,,,and being able to protect yourself if needed,,,,what emblem do we put up there,,,a table full of food and water and a house,,,,, the rifle is the one that comes to mind first

 

[user 6493]

Well I simply don't consider myself a prepper for that reason. I just enjoy preparedness among many other things but they don't define who I am.

Look at all the characters we have on this forum. Everyone is so different even though we all have mutual interests. I never met any of you but you all have very unique personalities that make up who you're.

We're not all the same...no one is.

and what a boring world it would be if we were,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I like a little variety

 

[user 6493]

well I can't hang out here I have work tomorrow ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,g-night

 

[toexist]

The SHTF fantasy narrative gives people a bad rap. It appears that many "preppers" speak as if SHTF is a FOR SURE thing or subconsciously seem to be hoping for it which boggles my mind as if they even understand what that means.

Preparing for worst case scenarios even highly unlikely ones is one thing but speaking as if such an extreme occurrence is inevitable is kinda off putting.

I mean really? In the few months I have been here there have been numerous mini catastrophes including forest fires, floods, hurricanes and several mass shootings. Yet all some want to talk about is SHTF. Then they wonder why preppers are portrayed the way they're.

People should have their priorities straight. Nothing is impossible sure but in the grand scheme of things it's kinda ridiculous in comparison to many other scenarios which are FAR MORE likely.

There are so many levels to this game.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I've never really liked the term "prepper" or "survivilst", but I have been called much worse. To me prepping is more about living independently and self sufficiently as possible. And to have the skills, tools and items necessary able to get through anything that may impact our normal day to day life. This is the way my parents, grandparents, etc, etc have always lived, long before it became a fad. Labels tend to taint people's perception of ones ideas and lifestyles. As important as "prepping" is to me I still have a limitless list of other interests.

 

[toexist]

I've never really liked the term "prepper" or "survivilst", but I have been called much worse. To me prepping is more about living independently and self sufficiently as possible. And to have the skills, tools and items necessary able to get through anything that may impact our normal day to day life. This is the way my parents, grandparents, etc, etc have always lived, long before it became a fad. Labels tend to taint people's perception of ones ideas and lifestyles. As important as "prepping" is to me I still have a limitless list of other interests.

Exactly.

 

[Maverick]

When Mount St Helens blew we couldn't use our land, cattle had to be moved, creek was unusable, no garden, couldn't hunt or fish out here for a year and no feed for the animals could be produced from the land for a year, it took nearly two years to fully recover, we had no power for 14 months, some would call that SHTF. Now they talking Mt. Adams blowing and the so called big-one (earthquake) either one of them would be far more catastrophic, Mt. Adams would make St. Helen's look like child's play. It is these that I prep for, figure if I'm prepped to the best I can be than I would be prepped for about anything (within reason) except the end of times aka doomsday.

 

[toexist]

At least we can all agree on one thing. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Silent Earth]

Many people even within our community confuse Survivalism and Prepping with Bushcraft and Wilderness Survival.

 

[Maverick]

Many people even within our community confuse Survivalism and Prepping with Bushcraft and Wilderness Survival.

Same on this side of the pond SE. many people planning on bugging out without the skills of woodcraft/bushcraft nor wilderness survival strictly relying on the content that’s in the backpack.... A flawed decision

 

[toexist]

Same on this side of the pond SE. many people planning on bugging out without the skills of woodcraft/bushcraft nor wilderness survival strictly relying on the content that’s in the backpack.... A flawed decision

They figure they can just Google the rest.

 

[Dani]

For the most part we are already living the way we would live in a situation. . . proved it this year in the 'great flood'. Don't want to rely on anyone for anything. A SHTF situation is going to vary from person to person depending on where they live. Here its mainly hurricanes and tornadoes, but sometimes you get a curve ball thrown your way, like a flood. . .

The media does paint preppers out to be crazies. . . just look at all the stupid shows that focus on the extremists. Majority are not this way but some people think that is how they all are because that is the only thing they have seen. Even had criminals that kidnapped kids and went to hide in underground bunkers. I can think of two that did that but sure there are more.

 

[DrPrepper1]

They figure they can just Google the rest.

HA HA HA

 

[DrHenley]

My introduction to survivalists was back in the 1970s when I worked for a startup company in Atlanta (actually Decatur). The company had a couple of houses in a depressed area of Decatur that all the company employees lived in (to offset the low wages). The owner was a full on survivalist/hoarder. Both houses were heated entirely with wood stoves and wood fireplaces - and that year was the coldest I ever remember in the South, going into the negative teens. The big house had a wall of commercial freezers full of food. It was funny because there was a pot-belly stove that was so close to the freezers that the freezer handles got too hot to touch when we fired that baby up to red hot...not exactly the most efficient or intelligent arrangement...

This guy had a thing about glass jars. He had a storage room full of them. He was also a penny hoarder (this was when pennies were still copper) because pennies were the only non-fiat form of currency at that time. The rumor was that the dollar was about to be devalued, with new dollars being issued on a 8:1 exchange rate with old dollars. Pennies, of course, would not lose any value.

Anyhow, this guy was out there...a few fries short of a happy meal so to speak, and his flawed thinking carried over into the operation of the company which self destructed in short order. It made me wary about conspiracy theories and survivalist ideas, but it did wake me up to a few things.

 

[Maverick]

They figure they can just Google the rest.

Until they get out of cell range... oops, these are the same people that rely on GPS unbeknown to them the DoD controls GPS signal

 

[DrPrepper1]

My introduction to survivalists was back in the 1970s when I worked for a startup company in Atlanta (actually Decatur). The company had a couple of houses in a depressed area of Decatur that all the company employees lived in (to offset the low wages). The owner was a full on survivalist/hoarder. Both houses were heated entirely with wood stoves and wood fireplaces - and that year was the coldest I ever remember in the South, going into the negative teens. The big house had a wall of commercial freezers full of food. It was funny because there was a pot-belly stove that was so close to the freezers that the freezer handles got too hot to touch when we fired that baby up to red hot...not exactly the most efficient or intelligent arrangement...

This guy had a thing about glass jars. He had a storage room full of them. He was also a penny hoarder (this was when pennies were still copper) because pennies were the only non-fiat form of currency at that time. The rumor was that the dollar was about to be devalued, with new dollars being issued on a 8:1 exchange rate with old dollars. Pennies, of course, would not lose any value.

Anyhow, this guy was out there...a few fries short of a happy meal so to speak, and his flawed thinking carried over into the operation of the company which self destructed in short order. It made me wary about conspiracy theories and survivalist ideas, but it did wake me up to a few things.

I have ready about penny hoarders. It is amazing how much money they actually collect. Did he ever say what it was about the glass jars that he found so valuable?

 

[toexist]

Until they get out of cell range... oops, these are the same people that rely on GPS unbeknown to them the DoD controls GPS signal

 

[Maverick]

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Lol ok

 

[DrHenley]

I have ready about penny hoarders. It is amazing how much money they actually collect. Did he ever say what it was about the glass jars that he found so valuable?

I guess he was going to take up canning at some point??? Maybe when the grid went down and he had to do something with the ton of food in the freezer??? Just guessing, I have no idea. He was off gallivanting around the world supposedly getting contracts while we were left struggling to keep the company afloat. Most of the information I got about his "survivalist" ways were from first hand observation and from a friend that had known him for a while.

I did start hoarding pennies after that, but not on any grand scale, just a few jars full. And wouldn't you know it...not long after that, the government stopped making them out of copper! The copper in a copper penny is worth 2 cents now.

Now the only "real money" we have is nickels. Although the melt value is slightly under 5 cents currently, it does get above that occasionally. I think a nickel actually costs something like 10 cents to make.

If he (and I) had just bought gold instead of pennies, gold was around $200 an ounce at the time. It jumped to over $450 an ounce the very next year...

 

[Gazrok]

Being prepared for the WORST, means you're well prepared when a temporary situation calls for it.

For example, when Hurricane Irma rolled over us, even though without power for about 5 days, we still had frozen food (without a generator), plenty of water (even though we have a well, so no power = no water pump), and plenty of normal food for we humans, and all of the animals we have, and then took in.

For family and friends, we watched animals, and for others, we offered some pain emergency board options (as we have a couple of very safe barns on the property, that had openings at the time). During the storm, we had 49 animals we were caring for, lol!

And we still had about a week's worth of water stored when the power came back on.

I've still got about 2 years left of work, of the 5 year plan to be pretty much where I'd want to be, but still, this much in, and being able to hold out as we did, certainly justified my prepper ways to me, and to the wife and the kids. They got it. And that was cool to see.

 

[Gazrok]

Even copper currency is technically fiat money. It's all about someone considering it valuable....

 

[DrPrepper1]

When Mount St Helens blew we couldn't use our land, cattle had to be moved, creek was unusable, no garden, couldn't hunt or fish out here for a year and no feed for the animals could be produced from the land for a year, it took nearly two years to fully recover, we had no power for 14 months, some would call that SHTF. Now they talking Mt. Adams blowing and the so called big-one (earthquake) either one of them would be far more catastrophic, Mt. Adams would make St. Helen's look like child's play. It is these that I prep for, figure if I'm prepped to the best I can be than I would be prepped for about anything (within reason) except the end of times aka doomsday.

I read on the US Geo Survey that
Mt Baker
Mt Rainier
Mt St Helens
Glacier Peak are listed as: very high (potential for eruption).

Mt Adams is listed as: high

Looks like the whole area could go. I wonder if one strong eruption from one would set others off?


I find this fascinating. I remember as a kid when Mt St. Helens blew, I lived down about an south of Houston. My parents drove a dark blue Chrysler. I walked outside to go to school and the whole top of the car looked like it was painted in primer grey. I thought we had been vandalized. I am sure it was much worse with the ash where you were. I was just amazed that it could travel that far in the air before landing in Texas.

 

[Maverick]

I read on the US Geo Survey that
Mt Baker
Mt Rainier
Mt St Helens
Glacier Peak are listed as: very high (potential for eruption).

Mt Adams is listed as: high

Looks like the whole area could go. I wonder if one strong eruption from one would set others off?


I find this fascinating. I remember as a kid when Mt St. Helens blew, I lived down about an south of Houston. My parents drove a dark blue Chrysler. I walked outside to go to school and the whole top of the car looked like it was painted in primer grey. I thought we had been vandalized. I am sure it was much worse with the ash where you were. I was just amazed that it could travel that far in the air before landing in Texas.

As far as science knows one volcano doesn’t cause another to erupt, but ya, we have a share of ‘not if but when’ same be told with earthquakes ‘....but when’

 

[Silent Earth]

As far as science knows one volcano doesn’t cause another to erupt, but ya, we have a share of ‘not if but when’ same be told with earthquakes ‘....but when’

I could have sworn i read some place that a chain of volcanoes sharing one magma chamber can trigger a multiple eruption as the first volcanoes eruption alleviates the pressure holding everything in place and the drop in pressure causes the gases suspended in the magma to explode and burst out of neighbouring volcanoes. whats your dear lady says she is brighter than both of us?