We will have the last laugh

[2die4]

The author will be the first one in the FEMA camps complaining how come he is not getting enough food.

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/09/why-i-hate-preppers-by-allen-c.html

[Evolver]

He's just prepperphobic. He's a prepper but just doesn't want succumb to a title that isn't as cool as the title of "SURVIVALIST". ;)

[The Stig]

I have to be brutally honest........I agreed with some of his major points.

:(

I think there are some preppers who think because they have some water stored they will survive anything and everything. In my early days of prepping I certainly had bouts of "I've got it figured out, those stupid sheep don't" type thinking.

I think there are some preppers who fall for every "I was told by a friend of a friend of a friend who knows a guy" type warning email. There's a reason why we don't allow tinfoil nonsense here.

As a certified gear whore I still fight off this temptation but I do think there are some preppers who feel gear trumps skills, knowledge and experience.

I'd like to think the Ants here at the Colony are a little different than most preppers. I honestly think we are but I know my view point is skewed and biased. Reading and exploring other pepping sites and discussions.....there's a kernel of truth in this guy's article. I don't agree with the broad brush he's using but he does hit on some truth.

Sorry...just calling it as I see it.

ETA: At the very least I think we should guard ourselves against the type of thinking this guy describes.

[Evolver]

To the point. The more you have... the less you need, Period. All thing's are included... Knowledge, Gear (tools), Food (Beans to Bullets). Being preprepared for anything that might happen is my goal and I'm proud to be a Prepper. :)

[The Stig]

Being preprepared for anything that might happen is my goal and I'm proud to be a Prepper. :)

Well said and couldn't agree more.

[4suchatimeasthis]

I can see how his tone may have come across as offensive, but I agree that he has some valid points.

I think the thing that bothered me the most was the idea of criminal types actively searching out preppers in their local to, shall we say "exploit" when the time is right. That is creepy. I will keep that in mind!

[Evolver]

I know what you mean. I think that some people think that they don't need to worry about storing food because they plan on "gathering'' it from what ever source when needed.

[Twitchy]

I know what you mean. I think that some people think that they don't need to worry about storing food because they plan on "gathering'' it from what ever source when needed.

Don't forget the, "I have a gun, and will use it to feed my family by any means necessary" crowd... That is a scary thought...

[2die4]

Don't forget the, "I have a gun, and will use it to feed my family by any means necessary" crowd... That is a scary thought...

I have always looked at my weapons as a means of defense and to hunt for food. Never as a tool to take from someone else. I think this crowd will be the most
dangerous.

[4suchatimeasthis]

^^^ agreed

[mitunnelrat]

I don't know that I want to flat out disagree, as some of them will be, but I think a good number of them will go down fast. Too confident in having a gun to recognize any shortcomings.

Others in that demographic will obviously use them to destructive effect.

What worries me more is the percentage of desperate who will be more cunning and brutal in their lack...

[Willie51]

I have to be brutally honest........I agreed with some of his major points.

:(

I think there are some preppers who think because they have some water stored they will survive anything and everything. In my early days of prepping I certainly had bouts of "I've got it figured out, those stupid sheep don't" type thinking.

I think there are some preppers who fall for every "I was told by a friend of a friend of a friend who knows a guy" type warning email. There's a reason why we don't allow tinfoil nonsense here.

As a certified gear whore I still fight off this temptation but I do think there are some preppers who feel gear trumps skills, knowledge and experience.

I'd like to think the Ants here at the Colony are a little different than most preppers. I honestly think we are but I know my view point is skewed and biased. Reading and exploring other pepping sites and discussions.....there's a kernel of truth in this guy's article. I don't agree with the broad brush he's using but he does hit on some truth.

Sorry...just calling it as I see it.

ETA: At the very least I think we should guard ourselves against the type of thinking this guy describes.

Well said Stig. He does have some very valid points that I agree with. One part that I disagree with is he assessment of the 3 day supply of foods, etc. at grocery stores. I don't know really how long the supplies would last, but common sense tells me that the stores could be ransacked and empty within a week, and this probably would happen before martial law and troops were put in place. And besides, I would not want to be fighting that crowd of unpreppared panicked people. My family does not prepare for anything in particular, we try to prepare for everything and want to be self reliant whether it's a minor hurricane or something as bad as an EMP or total collapse. It's like buying insurance- I hope my house never burns down or my truck gets totalled, but the insurance and preps are there just in case. Like I read somewhere in the past that a prepper wrote, "I want to sleep when the wind blows".

[hank2222]

Like a few others here he does bring up some very thought out points on some of the people who came into the movement at a later time and date i like to call them yuppie prepper types that used to be in the socalled harley motorcycle cycle rider circle back in the 90's time .It seamed every person on the block had a harley and was out trying to show off his or her knowage of motorcycle upkeep or how to customized a bike back then

That way i got out riding a harley because of every tom dick or harry who never thought about riding harley was driving up the price's intill you could not aford it on a working man paycheck .It seam to me that a part of the socalled prepper's movement is in the latest fad and will move on to something else here in a year or less time frame if something does not happen in there socalled life .

As for some they will find it away to help themself in time of need and other's it just a fad and they are waiting for the next big fad to get into

[Fatty]

I agree with yah hank. For many its a fad. I thought thats what it was for me when i first started in 08 after i was laid off. Now i know for certain it's become a level of awareness i will never be able to ignore.

[prepguide]

I've debated back and forth about posting in response to this thread so here goes. First I do believe that some (!!) of his points have merit. I personally hate to be referred to as a survivalist or as I call it "the S word" because I feel that this lifestyle is much deeper than that (strictly my own opinion). I do believe that there is a certain arrogance that some (if not most) serious preppers have but that arrogance is earned because we are doing things that many in this country refuse to do often in spite of consciously knowing better.

Just because someone has a few bottles of water and some candles tucked away does NOT make them a prepper. To me it isn't about the stuff it is having the mindset. You can have all the goods in the world but if you are not practicing with it, networking, training and improving yourself (which imo is something we should all be doing anyway) then you are NOT a prepper. You are just someone with a few more things than someone else.

[izzyscout21]

Just because someone has a few bottles of water and some candles tucked away does NOT make them a prepper. To me it isn't about the stuff it is having the mindset. You can have all the goods in the world but if you are not practicing with it, networking, training and improving yourself (which imo is something we should all be doing anyway) then you are NOT a prepper. You are just someone with a few more things than someone else.


"sound of nail being hit on head"..............

[greg48]

the problem with this guy's thinking is he thinks he's really smart adding math to the equation and how long food will remain on the store shelves. without any math skills i can see the bread trucks, milk and dairy product trucks every morning at my local store. my self i am not a prepper, i'm a survivor. "be a sheep or be a wolf..."
i concure with those that plan on the squirrels and his friends in the forest to provide me with a meal, problem being is there are more people than during the depression, the rabbit, deer and squirrel population was nearly extinct. planning beyond what we can harvest from the forest will be a challenge.

[Stormfeather]

the problem with this guy's thinking is he thinks he's really smart adding math to the equation and how long food will remain on the store shelves. without any math skills i can see the bread trucks, milk and dairy product trucks every morning at my local store. my self i am not a prepper, i'm a survivor. "be a sheep or be a wolf..."
i concure with those that plan on the squirrels and his friends in the forest to provide me with a meal, problem being is there are more people than during the depression, the rabbit, deer and squirrel population was nearly extinct. planning beyond what we can harvest from the forest will be a challenge.

Im a sheepdog, we guard against the wolf that preys on the sheep.

I know what you meant though.

[Sniper-T]

Here boy...

c'mere...

good boy...

*sniper scratches Stormy behind the ears*

lol

[Jimmy24]

I have for many many years tried to avoid the S word...but in the big sheme of things, I guess it fits to a point.

I don't plan for any particular event, I hope to have them all somewhat covered. I chose 25+ years ago to make it a life style. I live in my BOL.

I garden, I have minor livestock, I can most of my garden, I have minor solar and wind power, my cabin is as fire-resistant as I can make it, I have a well + community water + a barrel system. I have tried to plan for most anything, but there will be something missed.

We just try to cover our needs and some wants and hope it will be enough when needed.

Jimmy

[eagle326]

When I was a young lad ; Yes I was actually young once. :D My grrandma Frizzell and grandpa Clayton would be called preppers by today's standards.
Born in the late 18 hundreds they lived like a prepper today. They had a garden and canned veggies ; meat ; sauces ; fruits you name it . If it could be canned or dry stored they did it. They only went to the store for things they couldn't grow or hunt.

Gandma used to send grandpa and I out to get wild onions ; and dandelions ; she also had us catch younger groundhogs which she would gut skin and cook up for us whenever we caught one. Tree rats weren't safe either. Now she could have went to the store like everyone else but like she used to say why go there when you can grow your own for free and save the seeds for the next crop. To her it was a waste of money to buy that which you could produce yourself.
She always had shelves of canned and dried goods. She always like to have enough to carry them and my mom and 6 kids thru whatever . Everything she made was from scratch right down to cookies ; cakes ; pies bread. Nothing went to waste that could be used somewhere else.

We would go berry picking along the railroad tracks and get tons of berries that turn into jelly or jam. Old clothes were sewn into new clothes ; she didn't throw out useable cloth or garments.
Now to them this was just everyday living ; They looked just like everyone else in their life style except they never told anyone what was behind the curtains in the long hallway or other places in the house.

Now how long could they ; my mom and 6 kids survive I don't know but we had a far better chance than most people today because of their knowledge and talents.

So as I've said before on this site ; It's not a matter of are we preppers or survivalist ; It's a lifestyle of living thru whatever life may throw at you. And what gives this site the edge over the others is the fact that every ant checks their ego at the door before they enter and only want to learn from or help teach if they can so the entire colony can make it thru whatever happens.

Sorry for the long ramble; Hope I didn't de rail the thread.

[bacpacker]

Excellent post Eagle! I share your sentiment of the last paragraph.

[Evolver]

Really when it comes right down to it we're all doing the same thing... We are all preparing (Preppers) for a better chance of survival (Survivalist) right? :) So we really are all the same.

[bacpacker]

Just livin life! It makes sense to me. Folks have done it for hundreds of years. There is no reason we can't.

[eagle326]

Just livin life! It makes sense to me. Folks have done it for hundreds of years. There is no reason we can't.


Exactly B.P. ; Just living life while knowing that as there were hard times in the past . They understood that putting up stores could help carry them thru the seasons till they could replenish. Modern man is the man of easy living. My wife often says most people don't have the mind set or knowledge to live as our grandparents did . She actually wishes that we all have to go back to that life in some ways so as to teach people what's really important about life.

[bacpacker]

I like my conviences as much as anybody. Hell we wouldn't be on here without them. But I think going back to the old would be sweet at times. A lot of work, but not near the stress of life today.

[eagle326]

I like my conviences as much as anybody. Hell we wouldn't be on here without them. But I think going back to the old would be sweet at times. A lot of work, but not near the stress of life today.


Right ; She says even if you still have some of today's conviences but had to use the older ways to just afford things like utilities then you'd spend more time together gathering stocks and such rather than being a busy body.

[helomech]

A lot of what he says is true. As far as the 90% death rate I and no one else can even come close to guessing this. It could be accurate or it could be completely wrong. But to the store shelves anyone who has been through a hurricane knows the shelves will not last 3 days. I have seen every store in my home town get empty shelves in 1 day. Even walmart did not have any real food. And I have seen those shelves stay empty for weeks, and that was just a local event.

[apssbc]

I as everyone else has said agree. Ive gone through the stages of prepping. At one point I spent many hundred on what I though would be the best plate carrier and what not. Too bad I didnt take that money and put it in food, or pm's or anything else. Moral of the story the gear sucked and I learned right then and there I needed skills and supplies not the plate carrier that weighed 70 pounds lol.

As others have said there are plenty of people who think having a few more items than others will help you survive forever. Truth be told you dont need to have any preps. If you have the knowledge, a place to go, and a good blade you can survive. Humans have done it for millenia theres no reason we cant. I look at my gear now and what I had before, its stupid how much shit I carried. Just ask MTR, he saw my 7000ci backpack :rolleyes:. Thats been condensed into a medium alice pack with a modified "cowboy roll". Skills took the place of the gear, and myback is tankful for it.

Criminals and undesirables will be situation we will have to deal with post shtf. Whether its criminals who have tracked us down, or people who feel they can just take what they want..we all know they will be out there. They may get a few of us but they cannot take us all. They will pay for their violations no matter what, and it will probably be at the hands of our survivng brothers, sister, and friends.

This is why one person, or even one family cant truly "survive." We need communities for defense, supply, skills, and a multitude of other human needs. We cant grow or rebuild civilization with one family...well end up with children that come out all sorts of messed up. Surviving alone only leads to death even if you extend your life another 20 years we all die. To truly survive we will need to rebuild. There are too many who think They can do it all alone.

I also have thought it would be great to move back to the days of old. I am not 100% self reliant and many people arent. However Id be willing to do it right now if there was a way. Its a better life in the long run. Im proud to be a prepper!

[mitunnelrat]

I have indeed seen that pack, and I believe even then we did more talk of skills than gear. I'm not gonna lie though, as a confirmed gear whore I liked that pack.

Skills though, that is where its at.

[apssbc]

I wont lie it was a nice pack, actually carried well and suited my purposes at that time. Since things have changed the ALICE works great for me. However I too am a gear whore and to be honest.....I kinda like it ;)

"Skills...its where its at", or "I got skills" <----Morale patch! Maybe a picture of a monkey f'ing a football. It has potential ;)

[bacpacker]

Apsbcc, You've got my interest peaked. What kinda pack was the 7000ci pack.

I have a Kelty external and a MountianSmith internal that are both in or close to that range. They will handle way more gear and weight than I want to carry. But the way the harness is made in them, they are still pretty comfortable.

[apssbc]

It was the Kelty eagle 7850. That thing was pretty good carries well but I don't need all that stuff and weight. It was a nice pack for sure, coyote and a full rain cover.

[mitunnelrat]

"Skills...its where its at", or "I got skills" <----Morale patch! Maybe a picture of a monkey f'ing a football. It has potential ;)

You've got me thinking now... Pretty good idea there, actually.

[DarkLight]

In that case you have GOT to visit http://www.mybadco.com. Nuff' said.

[2die4]

Probably the best morale sticker I've ever seen. By the beard of Zeus they need to make this as a Velcro patch.