The mindset of ''doomsday preppers''

[TwoNineMarine]

It's normal and rational to have food and water supply. It's a little less normal to specifically (and eagerly, should I say) except a society collapse in which you would have the occasion on firing on people.

If there was truly a major disaster (a realist disaster, let's say an avian flu outbreak), a lot of prepper would likely fire on FEMA workers, which is extraordinary unhelpful.

I highly doubt it would be preppers firing on FEMA. Mainly because they wouldn't be the ones seeking help from the government. It would be those who only have 2 days of food and can't run to the store to get more because it was looted.

And let's be honest. They'd only fire on FEMA once they realize that FEMA won't be able to help them for shit because even the government doesn't have enough food to feed everyone if shit went downhill.

im sort of a moderate prepper, not for doomsday or for the collapse of the country type prepper.

got enough food and water for 2 months, enough gas to keep 2 generators going for a while, have my own little farm going as well. Also have enough flashlights and backup lights in every room along with enough batteries for all of them to last a while, etc etc.


Friends laugh at me all the time for it and call me paranoid.

They all were begging to stay with me the past 3 days after the hurricane hit and they were all woefully unprepared and had no idea what to do.

Haha well good for you. Hopefully it shows them to be able to sustain themselves. Especially living in an area where hurricanes can get ya.

I follow a similar kind of mindset but one born of caution and not of an alarmist mindset.

For example I have roughly 3 months of canned food, 3 months of medication I need stockpiled, a first aid kit and bits and bobs in case power goes out and I need to rely on gas.

What I don't have is a 50 ft deep concrete fall out bunker stuffed to the prim with harddrives containing all the porn on the internet.

Well then you're missing out.

There have always been survivalists but I blame the boom/resurgence in the 90s on Tremors. People saw Burt's wall of guns and explosives and thought that was badass as hell. Plus the idea of hidden monsters scared the fuck out of em.

To be fair Burt was the best character in that movie lol

[BannedForViews]

The people depicted for trash TV are chosen specifically because they are cooks. There are plenty of very normal people who stockpile food and ammunition for far more likely scenarios. The supply chain for food is longer and more vulnerable than it ever has been. The average American household has 3 days worth of food and supplies. A significant natural disaster or short term economic crisis is all that it takes to turn your neighbors into starving assholes breaking down your door. I was on the ground in New Orleans a couple of days after Katrina hit. It was startling what those people did to each other. Mind you, stockpiles would not have done much for the people who's homes were underwater, but they would have done a great deal for those who were holed up on the high ground fending off looters. Anything is better than sitting and waiting for men like me to arrive with supplies to feed you and guns to protect you.

Lastly, even if these peoples' notions are grandiose and their behaviors odd, does their stockpiling of beans hurt you in any way? They're no more odd than those people who are really into those model train sets, or the RPers on Moonguard.

Well written response. Also far too rational for this site. Prepare to be excoriated.

[sarahtasher]

I highly doubt it would be preppers firing on FEMA. Mainly because they wouldn't be the ones seeking help from the government. It would be those who only have 2 days of food and can't run to the store to get more because it was looted.

And let's be honest. They'd only fire on FEMA once they realize that FEMA won't be able to help them for shit because even the government doesn't have enough food to feed everyone if shit went downhill.



Haha well good for you. Hopefully it shows them to be able to sustain themselves. Especially living in an area where hurricanes can get ya.



Well then you're missing out.



To be fair Burt was the best character in that movie lol

Yes, yes, yes, you are ''a free man'', cause you don't need ''the gubinement'', just your guns. Question, the road to go to the Wallmart to buy more guns, you digged it with a gun ? The internet to watch Alex Jones scream you to buy his pills and more guns, you use it with a gun ?

The attitude ''yah wuk, yah uze the gubinement'' is so cute. People imagining that with their 10 cans of beans and ten of thousands of ammo they are self reliant..

Once again, that people prepare for doomsday scenarios systematically by stockpiling guns above everything else is a dead giveaway about what they really want.

[Breccia]

Well hold on. Let's run some numbers here.

Leaving out the building and real estate (which varies too much to work with), how much does this cost? CNN of all people has a list of things from an...er..."expert" (not calling them a nutbag) in the field. Included:
1) Face mask with filter for volcanic fumes ($150)
2) Quality hunting bow ($800-$1000) and arrows ($40/6pk)
3) the Boatsman or equivalent ($160)
4) a Geiger counter ($100+)
5) Well water filter/softener ($2000)
6) Broad-spectrum antibiotics (not sure how many of which you'd want, but penicillin runs at $0.25 a pill at a discount site, so a full list should be a few hundred bucks)
7) Food of course. This is going to vary a ton, but if you wanted, say, a can of Spaghetti-O's every meal for 6 months, you're talking $500. Better quality food of course will be more.
8) Waterproof hiking boots, $100 and up, but you get what you pay for
9) Books, such as "How to Survive the End of the World" $13.99
10) And the big one, guns. For this I default to the Zombie Survival Guide's philosophy of 0.22 rimfire carbine/pistol combo, such as the Ruger 10/22 series with the Ruger SR22 handgun, combined $700 plus 4 boxes of 50 shells for another $40

The above alone already hits more than the average US salary take-home for a few months. Now, a few thousand dollars isn't that bad for a hobby, in the overall scheme of things. But this is a hobby you hope you'll never use.

Unless you're really into Spaghetti-O's.

[sarahtasher]

Well hold on. Let's run some numbers here.

Leaving out the building and real estate (which varies too much to work with), how much does this cost? CNN of all people has a list of things from an...er..."expert" (not calling them a nutbag) in the field. Included:
1) Face mask with filter for volcanic fumes ($150)
2) Quality hunting bow ($800-$1000) and arrows ($40/6pk)
3) the Boatsman or equivalent ($160)
4) a Geiger counter ($100+)
5) Well water filter/softener ($2000)
6) Broad-spectrum antibiotics (not sure how many of which you'd want, but penicillin runs at $0.25 a pill at a discount site, so a full list should be a few hundred bucks)
7) Food of course. This is going to vary a ton, but if you wanted, say, a can of Spaghetti-O's every meal for 6 months, you're talking $500. Better quality food of course will be more.
8) Waterproof hiking boots, $100 and up, but you get what you pay for
9) Books, such as "How to Survive the End of the World" $13.99
10) And the big one, guns. For this I default to the Zombie Survival Guide's philosophy of 0.22 rimfire carbine/pistol combo, such as the Ruger 10/22 series with the Ruger SR22 handgun, combined $700 plus 4 boxes of 50 shells for another $40

The above alone already hits more than the average US salary take-home for a few months. Now, a few thousand dollars isn't that bad for a hobby, in the overall scheme of things. But this is a hobby you hope you'll never use.

Unless you're really into Spaghetti-O's.

Not to mention that a lot of this stuff is not working...

[TwoNineMarine]

Yes, yes, yes, you are ''a free man'', cause you don't need ''the gubinement'', just your guns. Question, the road to go to the Wallmart to buy more guns, you digged it with a gun ? The internet to watch Alex Jones scream you to buy his pills and more guns, you use it with a gun ?

The attitude ''yah wuk, yah uze the gubinement'' is so cute. People imagining that with their 10 cans of beans and ten of thousands of ammo they are self reliant..

Once again, that people prepare for doomsday scenarios systematically by stockpiling guns above everything else is a dead giveaway about what they really want.

Man you sure are angry towards people who choose not to rely on the government.

Interesting.

Also why are you so focused on the guns? That had almost nothing to do with my post outside my difference in opinion in regards to who would be taking shots at FEMA/government entities.

You do realize that most "preppers" focus on food/water/other supplies and rather little on weapons. They generally have weapons and ammo certainly but that isn't the focus.

The people you are thinking about are those whose goal is to take from others. They will have their weapons and will take what they want. Preppers focus on NOT having to get anyone from others, including the government.

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Not to mention that a lot of this stuff is not working...

Is not working how?

[sarahtasher]

Man you sure are angry towards people who choose not to rely on the government.

Interesting.

Also why are you so focused on the guns? That had almost nothing to do with my post outside my difference in opinion in regards to who would be taking shots at FEMA/government entities.

You do realize that most "preppers" focus on food/water/other supplies and rather little on weapons. They generally have weapons and ammo certainly but that isn't the focus.

The people you are thinking about are those whose goal is to take from others. They will have their weapons and will take what they want. Preppers focus on NOT having to get anyone from others, including the government.

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Is not working how?

I dunno dude, I might be a sheeple, but I kinda have doubts that a gas mask sold by Alex Jones for volcanic fumes actually work.

[Deleted]

I follow a similar kind of mindset but one born of caution and not of an alarmist mindset.

For example I have roughly 3 months of canned food, 3 months of medication I need stockpiled, a first aid kit and bits and bobs in case power goes out and I need to rely on gas.

What I don't have is a 50 ft deep concrete fall out bunker stuffed to the prim with harddrives containing all the porn on the internet.

We must preserve our cultural riches at all costs.

[Deleted]

Strikes me as paranoid.

I think its arrogant to think a world ending event will happen in our lifetimes. Proper special snowflake shit.

Think there are some wierd cunts who prep in the UK but this strikes me as an American gun owner sort of thing to do.

[TwoNineMarine]

I dunno dude, I might be a sheeple, but I kinda have doubts that a gas mask sold by Alex Jones for volcanic fumes actually work.

Fair enough. Maybe it will maybe it won't.

But how about you address the first part of my post there.

I'll even post it below so you can't miss it:

Man you sure are angry towards people who choose not to rely on the government.

Interesting.

Also why are you so focused on the guns? That had almost nothing to do with my post outside my difference in opinion in regards to who would be taking shots at FEMA/government entities.

You do realize that most "preppers" focus on food/water/other supplies and rather little on weapons. They generally have weapons and ammo certainly but that isn't the focus.

The people you are thinking about are those whose goal is to take from others. They will have their weapons and will take what they want. Preppers focus on NOT having to get anyone from others, including the government.

[Damajin]

Man you sure are angry towards people who choose not to rely on the government.

Interesting.

Also why are you so focused on the guns? That had almost nothing to do with my post outside my difference in opinion in regards to who would be taking shots at FEMA/government entities.

You do realize that most "preppers" focus on food/water/other supplies and rather little on weapons. They generally have weapons and ammo certainly but that isn't the focus.

The people you are thinking about are those whose goal is to take from others. They will have their weapons and will take what they want. Preppers focus on NOT having to get anyone from others, including the government.

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Is not working how?

Just ignore sarah and her stupidity, really is just bitter and lives to take potshots at anyone or anything that doesn’t fit her/it/whatevers point of view. When it comes down to it if shit did hit the fan sarah would be just like the rest of the non preppers, fucked and looking for a savior while the preppers would have vanished into their property, surviving and thriving.

I remember reading an article awhile back where the author was going over the mentality of a survivor and they said that survivors won’t be wolves, they’ll be rabbits. They’ll hide away, safe and secure and wait for all the danger to end and having sustained themselves, come back out and go about their life and do what they can to help with the aftermath. People like sarah like to imagine the Mad Max movie style world that she thinks would be the case, but preppers would be the last ones looking to participate in that type of thug lifestyle which is what it is at its core.

But don't bother arguing with her about it, there's ideological and then there's sarah.

Infracted - Flaming

[sarahtasher]

Just ignore sarah and her stupidity, really is just bitter and lives to take potshots at anyone or anything that doesn’t fit her/it/whatevers point of view. When it comes down to it if shit did hit the fan sarah would be just like the rest of the non preppers, fucked and looking for a savior while the preppers would have vanished into their property, surviving and thriving.

I remember reading an article awhile back where the author was going over the mentality of a survivor and they said that survivors won’t be wolves, they’ll be rabbits. They’ll hide away, safe and secure and wait for all the danger to end and having sustained themselves, come back out and go about their life and do what they can to help with the aftermath. People like sarah like to imagine the Mad Max movie style world that she thinks would be the case, but preppers would be the last ones looking to participate in that type of thug lifestyle which is what it is at its core.

But don't bother arguing with her about it, there's ideological and then there's sarah.

With this insult, you will surely allow me to point out that you, yourself, said that you believe that once the disaster will strike, preppers will finally be able to thrive compared to other people

I completely concur that a meteor strike is indeed the only chance of a listener of Alex Jones to achieve any kind of measurable success in life. Like, for instance, eating rotten beans inside a corrugated container during a nuclear winter for one more week than other people. You have to set yourself achievable goals.

Short of that, I have a game to propose to you. A very simple one. Go to prisonplanet, and take one ''survival'' item they sell and come post it here. Please. It's going to be fun.

This one is my favorite.

http://www.infowarsstore.com/super-male-vitality.html

Alex Jones certainly known his public. Please note here that to continue on the ovine metaphors that Jones is so keen one, he is fleecing his customers with charging them for more than plain old Viagra.

[Damajin]

With this insult, you will surely allow me to point out that you, yourself, said that you believe that once the disaster will strike, preppers will finally be able to thrive compared to other people

I completely concur that a meteor strike is indeed the only chance of a listener of Alex Jones to achieve any kind of measurable success in life. Like, for instance, eating rotten beans inside a corrugated container during a nuclear winter for one more week than other people. You have to set yourself achievable goals.

Short of that, I have a game to propose to you. A very simple one. Go to prisonplanet, and take one ''survival'' item they sell and come post it here. Please. It's going to be fun.

This one is my favorite.

http://www.infowarsstore.com/super-male-vitality.html

Alex Jones certainly known his public. Please note here that to continue on the ovine metaphors that Jones is so keen one, he is fleecing his customers with charging them for more than plain old Viagra.

Hahaha see, this is what I was talking about.

You're so fixated on the Alex Jones crowd you have literally no idea that there are tons of people out there living this lifestyle to whom that whole descriptor and mindframe doesn't even apply. You've completely bought into this tiny little image of things and there's nothing else.

As to those whom it doesn't apply, I don't need to defend them. You haven't even disparaged them, because frankly you don't even know about them. Ignorance is bliss sweetheart, and you are indeed blissful.

[TwoNineMarine]

Just ignore sarah and her stupidity, really is just bitter and lives to take potshots at anyone or anything that doesn’t fit her/it/whatevers point of view. When it comes down to it if shit did hit the fan sarah would be just like the rest of the non preppers, fucked and looking for a savior while the preppers would have vanished into their property, surviving and thriving.

I remember reading an article awhile back where the author was going over the mentality of a survivor and they said that survivors won’t be wolves, they’ll be rabbits. They’ll hide away, safe and secure and wait for all the danger to end and having sustained themselves, come back out and go about their life and do what they can to help with the aftermath. People like sarah like to imagine the Mad Max movie style world that she thinks would be the case, but preppers would be the last ones looking to participate in that type of thug lifestyle which is what it is at its core.

But don't bother arguing with her about it, there's ideological and then there's sarah.

Yeah good point. I was starting to realize that as I saw her other posts but I've never interacted with her outside of this thread.

The sad thing is all people do see are the crazies they put on that show. They fail to see the people that simply don't want to rely on the government for their every need and if they end up not needed the extra stuff then so be it.

I know I personally end up giving some of my extra food to various shelters and schools that end up giving the food to kids who need it. Sometimes we just aren't able to eat through our stock before it's about a month from expiration and gladly give it to others to use.

All the preppers I've ever known have similar views. They want to be able to provide for their families when things go downhill and don't want to rely upon others to survive.

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Also I'd be willing to bet she knows several people who are preppers and she doesn't even know it.

[Hammerfest]

I love doomsday preppers.

[Guy4123]

Well hold on. Let's run some numbers here.

Leaving out the building and real estate (which varies too much to work with), how much does this cost? CNN of all people has a list of things from an...er..."expert" (not calling them a nutbag) in the field. Included:
1) Face mask with filter for volcanic fumes ($150)
2) Quality hunting bow ($800-$1000) and arrows ($40/6pk)
3) the Boatsman or equivalent ($160)
4) a Geiger counter ($100+)
5) Well water filter/softener ($2000)
6) Broad-spectrum antibiotics (not sure how many of which you'd want, but penicillin runs at $0.25 a pill at a discount site, so a full list should be a few hundred bucks)
7) Food of course. This is going to vary a ton, but if you wanted, say, a can of Spaghetti-O's every meal for 6 months, you're talking $500. Better quality food of course will be more.
8) Waterproof hiking boots, $100 and up, but you get what you pay for
9) Books, such as "How to Survive the End of the World" $13.99
10) And the big one, guns. For this I default to the Zombie Survival Guide's philosophy of 0.22 rimfire carbine/pistol combo, such as the Ruger 10/22 series with the Ruger SR22 handgun, combined $700 plus 4 boxes of 50 shells for another $40

The above alone already hits more than the average US salary take-home for a few months. Now, a few thousand dollars isn't that bad for a hobby, in the overall scheme of things. But this is a hobby you hope you'll never use.

Unless you're really into Spaghetti-O's.

A lot of what you just listed is one time buy though. The hunting bow, the knife, geiger counter, water filter system, the book, the boots depending on if your saving them for then you actually need them and aren't wearing them all the time.

The only things that would need to be replaced are probably the face mask filter (not the mask itself so less than the initial price), the food, and antibiotics which I'm not entirely sure on the shelf life of spaghetti-O's but I think it's over a year and the antibiotics would probably last a year too.

[Slant]

Nah, grocery stores, hardware stores, and gun shops will be the first places hit.

And a preppery house has all of those in one... Prime target.

[TwoNineMarine]

And a preppery house has all of those in one... Prime target.

I imagine you can't really tell a prepper house from a normal house though. So how would you target them specifically?

[Mafic]

I imagine you can't really tell a prepper house from a normal house though. So how would you target them specifically?

A lot of preppers use bunkers or sheds which are obvious as they are not covered in camo.

Smart preppers camo their bunkers/sheds or they prefer to stay mobile by having a get out of dodge/bag gear.

I am not against the prepper mindest, but most smart, and experienced preppers realize that moiblity and taking only what you need with you is way more important than staying put. Only scenarios you stay put temporarily is during a catastrophic event. But even then you have to be prepared to move on.

[Slant]

I imagine you can't really tell a prepper house from a normal house though. So how would you target them specifically?

If i see a barricaded house in a street full of smashed windows, i know i got a good target.