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Why do you prepare? Luck favors the prepared is what I say. This can be for anything..a natural disaster, or worse. We have emergency bins that we keep well stocked and have used twice now. Its been kind of nice not to run out to stores and have shelves empty.
Do you think it is possible to over prepare? sure maybe a little, having a plan, basic necessities is never a bad thing though.
Why do you think preppers are often looked at as loonies? they are? I think any person who radical in either direction can be called a loon. Most people just don't care til their lives are directly affected though.
What do you think of the people that don't prepare? Not much. Every person does what they find important. Maybe they're too busy,or don't care, think they are entitled to help or expect someone to do it for them or take care of them in a major disaster (aka the government)...I don't know. I'm prep for everything, not just possible emergencies.
Ithnik it has alot to do with Y2K and the reaction .Its alos maybe to do with what you read on thier thinking they can survive on their own really.Its kind of strange when you read about people talking about survival and not putting guns and ammo at teh top oif the list.
For what? I don't live in an area where earthquakes, volcanoes, or hurricanes will be a problem. My most likely scenario is a severe winter storm that cuts power for a day or two. If this happens, and the power outage goes on too long, we would get in the car and drive somewhere else.
Are you okay with a certain level of preparedness, but think that some people go overboard?
Absolutely. I have some emergency gear in my trunk, but I think it's insane to carry around a backpack with survival gear everywhere I go "just in case." Just before Y2K I saw a young couple at the store buying hundreds of rolls of toilet paper, enough to last a year. If conditions are so bad that it's impossible to obtain TP for a year, I think TP is the least of your worries.
What level of preparedness would be acceptable to you?
For me, not much.
Why are preppers looked at as loonies by some people?
Because they seem fixated on disaster and paranoia, spending too much time worrying instead of living.
curious....so if your worst case scenario is a severe winter storm, what would you do if you were unable to drive somewhere else due to visibility, road conditions, dead battery in the car?
I like to prepare, because I like to save money. If I have a well stocked pantry, I can buy staples while they're on sale and not pay full price. I also like not having to go to the store every two to three days or because I'm out of a certain ingredient. To me, prepardness is not only responsible, but it's convienient too. Now, I don't have a year's supply of food or lots of cold storage but I wish I did . I've started out little by little and I'm liking the results. I don't focus on doom and gloom by any means, but I've turned the whole process into sort of a challenge and learning experience. I now have a wheat grinder and grind my own wheat berries for flour, I try to make as much of our food from scratch (though I do enjoy eating out when we can ) , I have started a supply of non-perishable personal needs stuff too. In short, I do it because I think it's fun, and learning new skills facinate me, but I could understand how others might not feel the same way...
Why do you prepare? I must have been a Mormon in a previous life as I have adopted much of what the Mormons believe in preparedness. I have lived through hurricanes, tornadoes, malnutrition and hunger, periods of unemployment or lay offs and have myself been both recipient and server in soup lines. I guess you have to experience a soup line on the receiving end before you understand the sensibility of preparedness.
Do you think it is possible to over prepare? Certainly. In all things, there are those who go way overboard on just about everything they do. However, I don't believe it is prudent to judge others on what they think is right for themselves. They may be the ones that have it right and we may be the ones that are sorry in the long run.
Why do you think preppers are often looked at as loonies? They aren't. It's the other guys that give preparedness people a bad name.
What do you think of the people that don't prepare? They are entitled to do as they please within the law. I'm OK and they are OK.
Again, thanks for the replies. Oh man, I wish that we had heard MORE, from those that are against the preppers, but their replies are powerful. I admit, I'm a prepper but I do want to understand the anti-prep position.
I've noticed a lot of insulting comments made towards those who prepare. Although I don't have a problem with differing opinions, I am curious as to why some people seem to be against preparedness. I have my own personal theories but would like to hear from both those that prepare and those who don't. I will list some questions for both groups, but feel free to add other thoughts you may have on the subject:
For the preppers:
Why do you prepare? Because I believe any part of our nation is subject to a disaster of any level; I also believe that the WHOLE NATION is subject to a disaster, and THAT one is likely to be very detrimental and long-term. (I'm also married to a jack-Mormon.)
Do you think it is possible to over prepare? No. Whatever space allows, how thorough one wants to be. And, boy, we are thorough!
Why do you think preppers are often looked at as loonies? Denial. I think they are leaving themselves at risk.
What do you think of the people that don't prepare? If the need for our preparedness ever arises, they will soon realize 'why'. If a disaster is bad enough, people will NOT be so quick to share.
For the non-preppers:
Why don't you prepare?
Are you okay with a certain level of preparedness, but think that some people go overboard?
What level of preparedness would be acceptable to you?
Why are preppers looked at as loonies by some people?
Personally, I prepare because I don't want to be caught with my pants down if something bad happens. I guess, being prepared provides me with a sense of security. My preparations have taken on a new sense of urgency as I watch the economy deteriorate. Further, I'm concerned about natural disasters, our dependency on oil, and possible terrorism. I have no way of knowing if any of the things I fear will ever come to pass but I do know that I will face some type of disaster in my life. This could be a personal disaster or wide spread disaster. My preps will help me get through anything that might come my way; it is like an insurance policy for me.
I do think it is possible to go overboard; but, who am I to judge? I'm just happy that those going overboard are preparing but I believe that we should be mindful not to focus our entire lives on doom and gloom.
With that being said, I think that those who don't prep have a variety of reasons. Some don't prep because thinking about disaster makes them uncomfortable. Others are too dependent on government and think somebody will help them if disaster strikes. There are also those that don't want to be associated with the 'nuts'. Finally, there are those that think they don't have the resources to prep. Those who reside in multi-family dwellings would have the most limits. They'd have a lot less ability to grow their own food (in a long-term disaster), and less storage space for extra food.
Thoughts?
We haven't had a national disaster yet, but Katrina itself should have been enough reality check for people. It certainly was for us, and we live in the PNW! In fact, where Katrina is concerned, we were HORRIFIED at how unprepared it's people were! A national disaster could very well mean loss of electrical power. Just imagine everything around you shutting down (services, groceries, etc) because the world is run "electronically". And it may never happen. But, like you, I don't want to be caught with my pants down, either. I'd rather be over-prepared than not at all. But I suppose I could be included in the "overboard" group (will not disclose further).
I agree with other posters. Katrina was a wakeup call and that was just one city we saw and heard about on the MSM. Other cities affected by this were even more on-their-own.
And don't for one minute think that the government has fixed it and it won't happen again.
theres nothing wrong with being prepared, but if your stockpiling more automatic weapons than you are food, that tends to raise an eyebrow..ya know?
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. I've started out little by little and I'm liking the results. I don't focus on doom and gloom by any means, but I've turned the whole process into sort of a challenge and learning experience. I now have a wheat grinder and grind my own wheat berries for flour, I try to make as much of our food from scratch (though I do enjoy eating out when we can 
) , I have started a supply of non-perishable personal needs stuff too. In short, I do it because I think it's fun, and learning new skills facinate me, but I could understand how others might not feel the same way...
