Preppers

[Anjobranco]

So a new topic Preppers.

 

I am not a prepper myself but i believe in being prepper to major accidents natural or man made, but not to the extreme some people tend to take it.

 

What do you thing it is the limit of it, when this stops being an reasonable precaution and becomes an unhealthy obsession?

 

And do you believe on the event of and major catastrophe local or global people should isolate them self's or congregate to better help there communities?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivalism

 

http://www.prepperwebsite.com/

 

http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/

 

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/doomsday-preppers/

[seabird]

There is a difference between being prepared and being a prepper. Being prepared  means that one takes reasonable precautions to be prepared for such events as would take place in the area in which one lives. For example, I live on the desert of the American Southwest, therefore, it would be normal for me to expect an occasional electric power outage, thunderstorms, windstorms and even sandstorms. Since grocery stores and other places that are required for the basic necessities of life are some distance away, it would be normal for me to have a stock of canned goods, dried foods, bottled water, perhaps a generator and that I keep an adequate supply of gasoline in my truck. Since I am elderly, it would be expected that I keep a supply of all important medicines and some basic first aid supplies. Everyone should have all their important papers, passport and such in a secure location inside their home A charged cell phone, flashlights and basic tools like a hammer, nails, screw driver and a role of Duct Tape are well worth their weight in gold. A little further out, one should have an emergency supply of cash tucked away, and possible some easily traded items like silver coins if one believed the emergency was going to last more than a couple of days. A small firearm and some ammunition if you live in an area that there might be some violence could possibly be a good idea, also. I am sure I am forgetting a few things, but I think you get the idea.

 

Now, a prepper is going to be much more all inclusive in his or her selections and will be prepared to live "off the grid" for an extended period of time and would be willing to forgo all creature comforts in exchange for his or her safety and/or survival.

 

 

Neither philosophy is wrong, it all depends upon one's interpretation of the circumstances. The danger of extensive preparation is that many items needed for such preparation have a limited shelf life and are quite expensive. One must balance the costs of such preparation against his or her needs for day to day needs that are not part of the emergency that one is preparing for. Even if an item will last on the shelf safely for five years, and the emergency takes place seven years later, it may no longer be safe to use or eat.

 

 

Younger people or those with children would be more inclined to take the longer view, while us "oldies" would be less inclined to tie up large amounts of funds on the proposition that we MIGHT need the "stuff" ten years down the road.

 

Charles Bird

SeaBird