# Are we ignorant and selfish as preppers or survivalist?



## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Somebody asked me the other day, during a shtf event, how I would feel, knowing there are elderly and mentaly handicapped people who will be left behind or not taken care of when it all goes down?!?!
I ignored the question, then really thought about it! It never really occurred to me! I knew I would have to make a choice with certain family members, knowing they will not be joining us on our journey! But being my heart isn't completely hardened yet, it made me think of all those who will be left behind and have to fend for them selves! I really don't know how to answer his question!?!? 
Can anybody help me answer his question without sounding completely selfish...or is it something we will just have to deal with internally?!?!


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

the very young and very old will suffer the most .... nothing new about it .... along with them will be just about everyone dependent on life sustaining drugs/med care .... you can throw in the crap that are addicted to drugs also - slow lingering death ....

a serious SHTF will be a life sorting event - you have a responsibility to yourself & yours - nobody else in this life .... seeing people suffer and die - that you might know well - will be the most difficult part of a SHTF .... I don't anything short of combat duty that can get you prepared ... talking about it, realizing what to expect, reading about it happening elsewhere during other SHTFs is about all you can do .....


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

Bad stuff happens every day to good people.. My job is to prevent what I can for those that I can.. If I start to worry about everyone's grandpa and pet when the SHTF, I will not be doing my job for those closest to me. Will I take in a stray child who needs help? probably... will I take in every stray that wanders across my AO? no... and I hope to not lose any sleep over that when the time comes to make those decisions.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Those that believe that they will be able to withdraw to their BOL and weather the storm by themselves or with a very small group are just kidding themselves. Those that close in and around small communities (where I live we have several small semi self contained communities - what in the old days would have been called villages) where there will be strength in numbers. Folks like Doctors and vet's won't be able to look after their own families and still help those that need it. And just remember if your wife is away visiting Momma when the SHTF how do you expect her to return home to safety without the help of others.


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

Do what you can for those around you. First person to take of is yourself. If you don't, how can you help others?


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Illini Warrior said:


> the very young and very old will suffer the most .... nothing new about it .... along with them will be just about everyone dependent on life sustaining drugs or the crap that are addic ted to them ....


The thought of it hurts! I suppose my grandad lost his youngest brother when they fled Poland during the nazi occupation! A way of life I suppose? Accept it and move on?!?!


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

jro1 said:


> The thought of it hurts! I suppose my grandad lost his youngest brother when they fled Poland during the nazi occupation! A way of life I suppose? Accept it and move on?!?!


What else can you do? Take the hit, and move on. Grieve when time permits if you choose. It is a terrible thought, but it is reality. You won't make it if you let it bother you. Sometimes you have to a heartless asshole.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Protecting you and yours is prime.
If it is an extended SHTF, YOU cannot look out for others, only yours.
Helping someone out during a three day or a week long event is fine if you choose to do so, not so if things are not coming back for a long time if ever.
If you try to divide yourself into outsiders, you will loose in the long run.
It sounds barbaric, but you have to let others outside of your circle get on the best they can without your help.
If they die, they die, nothing you need to care about or should.
Being a good Christian has nothing to do with these events, you should have no burden of guilt from it either.
Example, people die every day, 99.99999% have no impact on your life, nor should they, they have nothing to do with you.
this aloofness should apply to those who would scavenge from you in a crisis.
Everyone out there has had the same opportunity to prepare as you have, they have to face the consequences of their decisions.
A good dose of surviving in a war zone will teach you that.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks SOCOM42! Everybody's response so far is starting to help clarify a few things!


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

jro1 said:


> Somebody asked me the other day, during a shtf event, how I would feel, knowing there are elderly and mentaly handicapped people who will be left behind or not taken care of when it all goes down?!?!
> I ignored the question, then really thought about it! It never really occurred to me! I knew I would have to make a choice with certain family members, knowing they will not be joining us on our journey! But being my heart isn't completely hardened yet, it made me think of all those who will be left behind and have to fend for them selves! I really don't know how to answer his question!?!?
> Can anybody help me answer his question without sounding completely selfish...or is it something we will just have to deal with internally?!?!


Curious; is the person who asked you that doing anything to prepare?


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

same reason the instructions for the oxygen mask on planes says to put yours on first, before you help those around you.. would I give my O2 to my wife or kid? yes.. would I give it to another kid and risk my wife or kid being without me so a stranger can survive? no.. does that make me a monster? not to my wife and kids.......


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

Real Old Man said:


> Those that believe that they will be able to withdraw to their BOL and weather the storm by themselves or with a very small group are just kidding themselves. Those that close in and around small communities (where I live we have several small semi self contained communities - what in the old days would have been called villages) where there will be strength in numbers. Folks like Doctors and vet's won't be able to look after their own families and still help those that need it. And just remember if your wife is away visiting Momma when the SHTF how do you expect her to return home to safety without the help of others.


there is a difference between helping neighbors and helping strangers... I know every single family that lives in a 15 mile radius... I know the names of their kids and pets.... my wife babysat some of them.... I am not going to shoot them on sight and live in a hole...we will work together, but if we don't know you, why should we take food from our children's mouths to give to you if you are of no use to us? because it is the right thing to do? maybe. I have a strong belief that it will become a case-by-case decision.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

You must take care of the people in your inner circle first. You and your families life may depend on it. 

If you were at the beach and one of your children (someone else you love)and someone else were caught in an undertow which one would you help first? 

If you take care of a stranger to the detriment of your family then you are hurting your family. If you can help your family and someone else then great, not everyone has the resources to do that. I would have asked the person what they are going to do to help the others that are left behind, I am always open to suggestions.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Auntie said:


> You must take care of the people in your inner circle first. You and your families life may depend on it.
> 
> If you were at the beach and one of your children (someone else you love)and someone else were caught in an undertow which one would you help first?
> 
> If you take care of a stranger to the detriment of your family then you are hurting your family. If you can help your family and someone else then great, not everyone has the resources to do that. I would have asked the person what they are going to do to help the others that are left behind, I am always open to suggestions.


I just need to know I'm not going to pay for this when I meet the big guy! I dont want to be judged as a selfish person!


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

if my Brother has to BO from Iowa to ND.. he and I both agree he won't stop and pick up our mother in MN.. and we are ok with that...


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## homegrownrose (Mar 24, 2016)

This is a very hard situation to process for all of us. I am especially sensitive to this because my oldest daughter is severely mentally handicapped, and my mom lives with us because she cannot care for herself. If left to their own devices, those two would not make it on a normal week, much less when SHTF. That said, living in a big city, we see people on every single street corner - many (granted not all) who are truly suffering. Most are veterans missing limbs, clearly dirty and wasting away thin. We give $5 to them when we see them - a sense of compassion and karma I suppose. Even still, we don't give them our rent check because we know that even though we are VERY lucky to have what we do, our family depends on that. I won't give away the house, but I will share what I can without hurting my family. I trust that the same will be true in the SHTF situations. As a part of my preps I am putting together family-size meal preps that I can trade or give away. I'm saving plastic and glass jars from things like jelly and mayo and peanut butter, and filling them with beans and rice, and maybe some spices, with printed instructions on how to prepare. If I see someone while we're out in a SHTF situation and they are hungry and trying to feed their family, I won't ignore them, but I won't take them home either. I will have something to ease their suffering and perhaps get them to the next compassionate person to help them, or on their feet a little. Sometimes it takes a little good will and a full tummy to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and have some hope.


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

homegrownrose said:


> This is a very hard situation to process for all of us. I am especially sensitive to this because my oldest daughter is severely mentally handicapped, and my mom lives with us because she cannot care for herself. If left to their own devices, those two would not make it on a normal week, much less when SHTF. That said, living in a big city, we see people on every single street corner - many (granted not all) who are truly suffering. Most are veterans missing limbs, clearly dirty and wasting away thin. We give $5 to them when we see them - a sense of compassion and karma I suppose. Even still, we don't give them our rent check because we know that even though we are VERY lucky to have what we do, our family depends on that. I won't give away the house, but I will share what I can without hurting my family. I trust that the same will be true in the SHTF situations. As a part of my preps I am putting together family-size meal preps that I can trade or give away. I'm saving plastic and glass jars from things like jelly and mayo and peanut butter, and filling them with beans and rice, and maybe some spices, with printed instructions on how to prepare. If I see someone while we're out in a SHTF situation and they are hungry and trying to feed their family, I won't ignore them, but I won't take them home either. I will have something to ease their suffering and perhaps get them to the next compassionate person to help them, or on their feet a little. Sometimes it takes a little good will and a full tummy to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and have some hope.


I can agree with this... until in a long-term SHTF and you have to do beggar triage. I have 2 kids under 4, I'm going to have a hard enough time with that, to worry about my wife's grandparents or anyone else for that matter.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Survival of the fittest, plain and simple. Been that way for thousands of years. It won't change in a SHTF scenario and in fact will return to the old darker days from centuries past.

As a society we are carrying a lot of excess package that we won't be able to sustain. Don't lose sleep over it.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I will never forget a valuable life lesson I learned as a young man in a dangerous part of a dangerous country - where the SHTF quite literally for many people each and every day.
I was new in Vietnam and had finally reached my final destination, a combat base in Indian Country. One of my first nights there I had perimeter bunker guard duty.
Several of us were sitting on top of the bunker (only dire straights would drive someone inside), when a fire fight started a few hundred yards outside the wire. Tracers flying back and forth, explosions, etc. 
I noticed the others present didn't seem bothered at all, so I asked one, "Isn't some one going to go help those guys?" The answer has stuck with me for almost 50 years. "Better them, than us."

Better them than us.
Better them than us.
:armata_PDT_25:


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

rice paddy daddy said:


> I will never forget a valuable life lesson I learned as a young man in a dangerous part of a dangerous country - where the SHTF quite literally for many people each and every day.
> I was new in Vietnam and had finally reached my final destination, a combat base in Indian Country. One of my first nights there I had perimeter bunker guard duty.
> Several of us were sitting on top of the bunker (only dire straights would drive someone inside), when a fire fight started a few hundred yards outside the wire. Tracers flying back and forth, explosions, etc.
> I noticed the others present didn't seem bothered at all, so I asked one, "Isn't some one going to go help those guys?" The answer has stuck with me for almost 50 years. "Better them, than us."
> ...


Thank you for your services by the way!


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

We will be held accountable for how we treat others. There is a difference in those in need and a thief.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

What a great discussion.

Denton's question has me curious to the answer of it as well.

I've heard it from a few people now, 'when the zombie apocalypse happens, we're coming over!' - my response? "You better have the same quantity and quality of skills, food, tools, ammo that I have - or something very very useful that I don't."

We are taking the time, energy and effort NOW, planning, thinking, plotting, preparing, spending our money and resources - for us. For our families. I will forgo a trip to an inclusive resort somewhere tropical to use that money to prepare with. That money would be much better used for food, tools, seeds, books, classes, firearms and related consumables than sitting somewhere for 5 days getting fat and doing nothing.

They aren't giving those things up. They take the trips, talk about it until they take the next one, yadda yadda yay. 

I go places with my family. We camp. We hike. We hunt. We bike. We learn, together. ANd yes we do fun things too for the sake of fun - but never at the expense of not being ready.

People have been crying doomsday for centuries. In North America, during WWII you just didn't see it. But the Jews did. And many others too. A SHTF isn't EOTWAWKI - just our world.

So you best believe, WROL, you better know me well, and have something to offer. I won't turn a friend away, but only for a meal and clean a bottle of water. Then they need to go home. There are few welcome inside.

Now, I will work with my neighbors to help secure our neighbourhood. I will work to organize.

But I know for a fact within 2 weeks most of the retired people will need holes. So that is the first thing I will do. Am I cold? Am I heartless? No. But rotting bodies are not healthy for the body or mind. 

My plan, and the work I do NOW - is make sure my family makes it through, and emerges on the other side ready to rebuild and move FORWARD.

So, are we Ignorant? No, I say we are better informed than almost everyone else. Far from ignorant. Are we selfish? No. We have our resources that we work for. We use them NOW as we see fit. So does everyone else. And if they aren't paying attention to the world we live in, the sheer evil that runs the show even now, if they want to live with their heads in the sand - that is, not now, not after some event, any of your business. That's there's. And this is yours. So what you do is none of their business. And our business is bring prepared. 

I will help a friend. I will help my community. But what I've done to be ready is so I can be ready. And it will take an extrodinary circumstance for me to just 'give it up' for nothing.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Denton said:


> Curious; is the person who asked you that doing anything to prepare?


Sorry Denton! I completely missed your question! 
I don't think they are doing anything at all to prepare! He said it was greedy and selfish to prepp! Strange cause he's conservative!


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

With a comment like that, your acquaintance will be one of the early ones to go. I advocate taking care of your immediate family first then see what makes sense without endangering those dependant on you.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Why make a distinction between preppers and survivalists?
They are the same.
We were survivalists long before prepper became the label!


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

jro1 said:


> Sorry Denton! I completely missed your question!
> I don't think they are doing anything at all to prepare! He said it was greedy and selfish to prepp! Strange cause he's conservative!


So, who am I to assist?

I think of my neighborhood. Of course I prepare for my elderly parents who live across the street. What about the other neighbors who find money for beer and smokes yet no time to better themselves or their financial positions, let alone think about a future that brings chaos and need? Heck, they can't even be bothered to keep up their property so that the neighborhood value doesn't plummet. Far from thinking about helping them, I view them as a threat and will treat them as such.

What about the traveler or the truck driver who gets stuck in a sudden situation? Will I help them? Yes. Could it be that they are no different than the neighbors I do not like? Sure, but I don't know it. Such is not knowing, huh?

What about those who are in the same financial position as I am yet does nothing to prepare for bad times? You know the type; coworkers who spend money on exotic trips or lavish vacations while people like us save money and spend it for bad times. They should not take my silence as an invitation when they suggest they will come to my place if things go bad. My silence is only so that they will not know what to expect when they arrive.

Would I like to spend my vacation time and my money on fun travels and vacations? Of course. Who wouldn't? Thing of it is, I do not. That being said, I am not going to fund other people's fun times by supporting them when they find the world has turned very real, while I prepared for real times by not spending my resources on fun trips.

There are two widows down the street. Who is it that will be able to take them a meal or two? Me, or someone like that "conservative" with whom you talked?

Tell me again; who is the selfish one?


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## Slippy2 (Mar 19, 2016)

jro1 said:


> ... I don't think they are doing anything at all to prepare! He said it was greedy and selfish to prepp! Strange cause he's conservative!


jro1,

This guy sounds mentally ill. He obviously does not understand what greedy and selfish mean.

Riddle him this;

What is the opposite of love?

Most people answer quickly..."hate". But the real answer is "selfishness". By preparing you are showing true love to your family. By not preparing you are showing selfishness.

He most likely needs an open palm to the nose, not to kill him but just to bring a few tears to his eyes. Then shown the door.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

I you do a little home work you will find it is conservatives that do the most for others out of their own pocket. The other side talks a lot but never reaches in the pocket. What they do raise to help others they pocket. Example Hillary,Bill,Nacy, Obama ect


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## SAR-1L (Mar 13, 2013)

CERT training teaches a few things, "Do the greatest good for the greatest number of people." 
and in order to be an effective emergency responder you and your family have to be safe first
before you can provide aid to others.

Now here is another thing, working with disabled war veterans, one of the things I am doing is designing
training for people with amputations, TBI etc how to help themselves in defense/crisis situations.

Disability does change things for a person, but it doesn't render them useless. If they have training based
on their needs pre-crisis they can be just as effective if not more than a normal able bodied individual with no training!


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

SAR-1L said:


> CERT training teaches a few things, "Do the greatest good for the greatest number of people."
> and in order to be an effective emergency responder you and your family have to be safe first
> before you can provide aid to others.
> 
> ...


Danged skippy. They are already prepared to overcome crappy odds.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

I dont mean to sound selfish but,Family first.everyone else has to wait.family first.


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## Slippy's-Attorney (Sep 23, 2015)

Real Old Man said:


> Those that believe that they will be able to withdraw to their BOL and weather the storm by themselves or with a very small group are just kidding themselves.


I must be kidding myself then - depending on the event, I will stay here or move my family and preps about 12 miles to a friends house and a small group...

The larger the group, especially if they are thriving, the more bad folks will want to take it from them... best bet is off the beaten trail.

as to the OP - there are going to people die from lack of meds and others will be going crazy after their meds run out and others will go nuts after the meth and crack stop. Some folks will be left in old age homes, others will starve...

txmarine had it right, you have to take care of yourself or how do you help others... some people will say...I will feed my kids before I eat - of course after you die of starvation they will be next!

We prep so we do not have to see our kids/mothers/fathers die of starvation -

there are two books that give a good view of things

1. One second after - talks about the elderly in homes and feeding the fighters

2. The Jakarta Pandemic - there is a scene where the neighborhood watch wants to consolidate food supplies and gets mad at the one guy who prepped.. he explains that his supplies will feed HIS family for a little over a year.. even if he divides it up among everybody they will all be starving within 2 weeks...


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

jro1 said:


> Somebody asked me the other day, during a shtf event, how I would feel, knowing there are elderly and mentaly handicapped people who will be left behind or not taken care of when it all goes down?!?!
> I ignored the question, then really thought about it! It never really occurred to me! I knew I would have to make a choice with certain family members, knowing they will not be joining us on our journey! But being my heart isn't completely hardened yet, it made me think of all those who will be left behind and have to fend for them selves! I really don't know how to answer his question!?!?
> Can anybody help me answer his question without sounding completely selfish...or is it something we will just have to deal with internally?!?!


A good question, I have not been sent to save the world, so I decide to save what is precious to me.

So as opportunity arises I will help all that I can, but when push comes to shove family comes first.

That is just how it is, and I've got the means to support it.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

While I believe in family first, I realize that I can not succeed in surviving with just my wife and I for a lot of different scenarios. My basic idea is to bug in if at all possible. If it is so bad that I must bug out, one fellow prepper I know has offered to take me and the wife in. Fortunately we have complimenting training and supplies and some overlapping skills and supplies. I would find it hard to just ignore the young mother knocking on the door with her 2 kids in tow, asking for some food. I would have to help if at all possible. But then again she could be a spy to see what I have. Even if not a spy, she might tell others and tomorrow there could be 10 young mothers looking for a hand out. I guess it would all depend on the scenario. I would find it very difficult to turn away friends and family even though I know they would not have squat to contribute except their skills. I for one will not judge anyone's decision about who to help or not help.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

You put yourself in your own scenerio

Arizona which is mostly desert and then big population centers and 60 people per square mile and me poor ole me in Montana with 7 people per square mile, I guess I win.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

tango said:


> Why make a distinction between preppers and survivalists?
> They are the same.
> We were survivalists long before prepper became the label!


Some people don't like to be called preppers for some reason! They don't want to associate themselves with the National Geographic TV preppers! Some just prefer "survivalist" I suppose!


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Of course, I would face death to protect my loved ones, but strangers?


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## chocks141 (Nov 21, 2015)

I look at the question from the other side....if my grandkids endangered their survival by dragging my old, cripples butt along, I would be mad as hell at them.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

jro1 said:


> Some people don't like to be called preppers for some reason! They don't want to associate themselves with the National Geographic TV preppers! Some just prefer "survivalist" I suppose!


The term "Survivalist" seems to carry a bad connotation too. Any ideas for a new term? 
Sounds funny but how about "preppy"

While looking for new terms, I found this on line. I especially like the last paragraph.
*Prepper*
Someone who can't wait for the end of the world, and 'prepares' for it by hoarding food, 
guns, ammunition, water purification tablets, paracord, rice, MRE, camouflage clothing, 
Walmart gift cards, and pretend "Tea Party money" that they think will be worth some-
thing someday.

Often this fear/hope that society will end "any day now" is related to religious beliefs, 
distrust of a government they didn't vote for, and/or a shared delusion among their 
peers that only they are intelligent enough to "see the signs" of our collective impeding 
doom.

A strong paramilitary aspect usually goes with the Prepper lifestyle, even though most 
of them couldn't run a mile to save their own lives, never mind carrying some of the 
heaviest items possible on their backs; batteries, water, bullets, and gold.

Up to this point, 100% of "preppers" have been wrong so far, a trend likely to continue 
for a very long time.

It has been theorized that in the unlikely event of an actual catastrophe large enough 
to actually destroy society, that Preppers would be the first to be 'pushed out' by a 
new society, since honestly,* who wants a bunch of ignorant aggressive selfish loudmouth 
jerkoffs *around when it's time for everyone to put aside their differences and rebuild a new 
society?

*I don't know who this guy (Beargod) is on Urban Dictionary: prepper 
but talk about loud mouths.*


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

paraquack said:


> The term "Survivalist" seems to carry a bad connotation too. Any ideas for a new term?
> Sounds funny but how about "preppy"
> 
> While looking for new terms, I found this on line. I especially like the last paragraph.
> ...


"preppy" is too much like like "hipster" we dont like them!! I'm guessing "beargod" is related to "manbearpig"


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

You could have just told him that it was the Natural order, or the rules of nature that apply themselves during a Natural Disaster. JMHO.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

My wife and I are disabled ,, we are stocking up on everything we will need when SHTF ,, the only thing for me is I will not be able to use my power chair I will have to go back to a manual one or use a walker ,, I have both ,,, I am hoping that once I have my operation I will be able to walk some .. other then that ,, we are as ready for SHTF as any one else ,, if not better.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

M118LR said:


> You could have just told him that it was the Natural order, or the rules of nature that apply themselves during a Natural Disaster. JMHO.


I hate to think he may end up that way! but you cant rape the willing!


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## Slippy's-Attorney (Sep 23, 2015)

Targetshooter said:


> My wife and I are disabled ,, we are stocking up on everything we will need when SHTF ,, the only thing for me is I will not be able to use my power chair I will have to go back to a manual one or use a walker ,, I have both ,,, I am hoping that once I have my operation I will be able to walk some .. other then that ,, we are as ready for SHTF as any one else ,, if not better.


get a solar panel and a spare battery .. I am sure your chair works off 12 VDC


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## SAR-1L (Mar 13, 2013)

I don't know about anyone else, either you go without a term as prefer or something like... trained civilian.
I believe it is accurate cause most of us are civilians, some are retired servicemen. Nothing wrong with being civilian or being trained.

Also when people ask me, and I say well I teach search and rescue as a volunteer for the office of emergency management,
and I teach public safety for the local police department, this explanation is much more palatable than... "I am preparing for the apocalypse."


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

SAR-1L said:


> I don't know about anyone else, either you go without a term as prefer or something like... trained civilian.
> I believe it is accurate cause most of us are civilians, some are retired servicemen. Nothing wrong with being civilian or being trained.
> 
> *Also when people ask me, and I say well I teach search and rescue as a volunteer for the office of emergency management,
> and I teach public safety for the local police department, this explanation is much more palatable than... "I am preparing for the apocalypse."*




that also answers the question of why the distiction between being called a "survivalist" vs being known as a "prepper" 
Its that word Apocalypse!


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

jro1 said:


> [/B]
> 
> that also answers the question of why the distiction between being called a "survivalist" vs being known as a "prepper"
> Its that word Apocalypse!


While I was in the Military I held many Instructor Titles, I was even Certified to qualify Instructors. There are Multiple Certified Survival Instructor Titles in the Military, but "Prepper" isn't associated with any of them. (AST, DWEST,JEST,SAR,SERE,etc...) Perhaps we should start using the term Emergency Preparedness Practitioner, or EPP for short.


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## warrior4 (Oct 16, 2013)

Nat Geo's "Doomsday Preppers" was both blessing and curse. Blessing in that it did show people what prepping can mean. I'll admit I was skeptical of the show and about prepping in general before I watched it, but it at least got me thinking about emergency preparedness. So if it inspired more people to be self-sufficient and more able to take care of themselves that's a good thing. Curse in that the people who were on the show were what one might call the "crazies" if you want to call it that. By that I mean the show depicted them as each prepping for just one very specific event, tidal wave, series of EF-5 tornadoes, Pole reversal, economic collapse, solar flare, etc. That it was so specific was slightly off putting I think.

As I've gotten more and more into prepping I've found that most "preppers" are actually a lot more realistic when it comes to what might happen. Take Auntie for example and her thread "You Missed All the Fun." That is being prepared. Snow came, power went out, and because they were ready for it, it was no big deal. I'm talking in general terms of course. We all know of the "well what about this one time or this one guy..." outlier. 

Are we being selfish? Only if we fail to also inspire others to be prepared as well. When the subject comes up in my day to day living, and when I explain the reason for what I do, most people seem to be receptive to it. Even if they only buy a couple extra cans of chunky soup every time they go to the store, it's something. As to what would happen post-SHTF, that's a huge questions that depends on a lot of different factors and variable to answer with any depth.


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## Farva (Aug 26, 2015)

There are a lot of folks sucking hind tit right now in my city-state-country, and it hasn't impacted my beer and Marlboro supply one iota. I'll help out now and again, but it's mostly for me. So I feel like a big man, or one of the good guys. I'm not a heartless [email protected]#$, but I'm getting old, got a young child and a wife, and am not going to take even one cookie out of my kids mouth to feed another family for their 100th time over. I know some of them had a lot of bad breaks, it can happen to me too, but I want my boys life to be the best available to me to give to him. I want what's left of my life to be the best available to me.

I think I'll be keeping that attitude regardless of the situation.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

TacticalCanuck said:


> What a great discussion.
> 
> Denton's question has me curious to the answer of it as well.
> 
> ...


My thoughts as well TC. Protect you and yours first and then worry about the neighbors and alliances.( A just god could not find fault for that ) Lights go out, people will die. It's just the way things will be.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Targetshooter said:


> My wife and I are disabled ,, we are stocking up on everything we will need when SHTF ,, the only thing for me is I will not be able to use my power chair I will have to go back to a manual one or use a walker ,, I have both ,,, I am hoping that once I have my operation I will be able to walk some .. other then that ,, we are as ready for SHTF as any one else ,, if not better.


Wish you luck on your surgery. I had surgery a year ago and it had a pretty decent outcome, but now I am in the same boat as you, again. Going in for an EMG in a few minutes to see what's going on. Unless the water is lapping at the back door (i'm at 2650 feet) the odds are against me bugging out.
I'll keep you in my prayers. Let us know how the surgery turns out.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

I don't refer to myself as a prepper, or a survivalist. To me a survivalist is someone who can survive in the mountains, with nothing but a backpack of a few things and a gun. I could not do that for more than a week. I would not survive.

I call myself old fashioned. When someone asks why I can I respond why not and it tastes better, or if it was good enough for my grandmother it is good enough for us. I tell people we live in Colorado can you feed your family for a week during a blizzard or a flood. If they say no then I ask them why not, isn't it irresponsible to not be able to do so when you live in an area that has a history of shutting down for a week or more due to blizzards or floods?


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## Hillbilly (Mar 29, 2016)

Illini Warrior said:


> the very young and very old will suffer the most .... nothing new about it .... along with them will be just about everyone dependent on life sustaining drugs/med care .... you can throw in the crap that are addicted to drugs also - slow lingering death ....
> 
> a serious SHTF will be a life sorting event - you have a responsibility to yourself & yours - nobody else in this life .... seeing people suffer and die - that you might know well - will be the most difficult part of a SHTF .... I don't anything short of combat duty that can get you prepared ... talking about it, realizing what to expect, reading about it happening elsewhere during other SHTFs is about all you can do .....


100% agree.....it's reality....if one has to ask the question...they won't be able to cope....it's as simple as that.....


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