People have all sorts of reasons why they are prepping. Some reasons are very specific and others span a range of risks. The wide array of reasons that people prep sometimes invite criticism as to the rationality of this or that logic, as some of the reasons may seem far-fetched or highly unlikely to some while at the same time there are other risks and rationale that seem more likely to others. In my opinion, regardless of the reason, the action of prepping is a responsible thing to do as a human being.
Prepping can be taken lightly; it can be taken to the extreme, and all sorts of in-between. Without looking at the extent or methods of prepping, lets look at the reason ‘why’…
Reasoning. Use of reason, especially to form conclusions, inferences, or judgments. Evidence or arguments used in thinking or argumentation.
People ‘reason’ that there is a risk or group of risks sufficiently dangerous to one’s survival or well-being that they feel compelled to prepare for it. They believe that the ‘it’ will be something that requires preparedness action on their part, in order to survive the effects.
So… what is ‘it’?
I believe that the majority of preppers have become preppers because their reason is the apparently broken economic system of today.
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital, manufacturing, production, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area.
In the U.S., it is apparent that much of our manufacturing (and its labor jobs) are gone (overseas).
Government unemployment figures are well known to be manipulated with seasonal adjustments and such. Unemployment numbers are truly a joke, as those who fall off the roles are no longer part of the workforce and conted.
Capital for the most part is being withheld from main street.
Production is stagnant (efficiencies have already been optimized and there’s not much left to increase profits other than price increases).
Trade is mostly one-way (products from China to the U.S. and debt from the U.S. to China – and others).
Distribution systems are just-in-time with virtually zero inventory (a dangerous thing for life-dependent goods).
Consumption is down (people are maxed out with debt).
The FED is buying U.S. debt to keep the federal government afloat.
Big banks get bailed out and no one goes to jail.
TBTF banks area now bigger and more susceptible than ever with their massive derivative positions.
There has been no real recovery since the last financial collapse of 2008.
The stock market is up only because of the policies of the FED and the Banksters (not because of you and I investing in the stock market). Government intervention in the Bond Markets as well as in the stock market.
Our Representatives and Senators feather their nests and finally leave their office as millionaires.
Do I need to go on? People have lost faith.
There are many warning signs, not just here with the financial system of the U.S., but throughout the world. In all of history, there has never been so much debt and apparent UN-sustainability in the economic system. Nations have spent themselves into oblivion and they will NEVER be able to pay it back, at least without MAJOR corrections that will destroy the present system.
Those who have a grasp on this inevitable outcome are those who are becoming driven to prepare. The risk of outcome is so severe, that many people are realizing the $hit storm that will result… the social chaos. America will turn to a Police State of slums. Come to think of it… we’re already a Police State of sorts – while it only continues to worsen.
The outcome of a wrecked financial system seems a foregone conclusion. However there are various methods and severity as to how long, and how we get there. Some figure that a short and severe nose dive is best in the long run. Others believe a long slow crash is safer. We shall see what nature (and/or the powers-that-be) have in store for us. Regardless, it seems prudent to prepare for something not so pleasant…
What are you prepping for?
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I am preparing for the economic collapse..it isn’t a matter of when…but how soon. The amount of people in this country that have no clue what is getting ready to happen…is astounding. The unprepared hordes are going to be a huge problem.
I agree. The thing is, many of us who see this coming, CAN imagine what it will be like regarding the present clueless. It is going to be very difficult at best. The only thing that we can hope for is a slow collapse that lasts many many years, however I suspect that it may occur faster than that.
I too am preparing for an economic collapse. After seeing several grocery items increase in price three weeks straight that convinced me. I am talking about the same items that I buy week after week that kept climbing. They are currently stable in price but I know that won’t last. On the opposite side, my pay has not increased in 3+ years now. All we can do is to continue to purchase and store when there is a sale. Unfortunately some things just don’t store well and you are stuck with the increase or do without. It makes no sense to try and bank your money as inflation will eat up any interest you might receive. One item started at $3.99 then went to $4.09 then $4.39 where it has stayed. Now what if I put that $3.99 in the bank, how long would it be before I earned .40 interst? By the time I earned the .40 the item would be up to $5 or $6 for the item. So you get a better return by spending it before inflation eats away at it.
That is all correct… and exactly what the gubment is trying to get us all to do more of… spend. That’s one reason the interest rates are zero. So it is especially logical to spend on hard goods (and food that will store, etc.) rather than let your cash be eroded away. The other is to use excess (if one has any) to purchase precious metals to simply store the wealth (AFTER you are all set with preps).
Economic collapse is the biggest reason I got into prepping as well.
Of all of the many reasons and motivations to prep, economic collapse seems to me the most probable and likely to happen of any of the majors that could affect us badly. I’ve felt it in my gut for years…
I too am confident the economic collapse will be the trigger that will change things forever. It’s going to be very ugly and while we continue to add to our supplies as best we can I fear we started too late. I am confident in my skills and plans but it’s a matter of quickly things turn once it all starts to crumble. Pray and have faith.
i prep from habit its probaley in my blood. iwas born in the forties in a small community that was isolated.
the only way out was by sea the people were on their own no doctor or anything like that.a schooner came twice a year with supplys so everbody prep. it was a way of life for us we survived like that for years. it was not a bad life style.people prep for different reasons its not a bad thing. you do what it takes to survive. that my take on prepping regards. huntsalone.
Im jumping on the bandwagon, it appears. Economic collapse is my biggest fear, and the reason that my BF and I decided to start prepping. We are actually going to be starting an orchard this year, and getting a garden put in. Im thoroughly terrified about what is going to happen over the next several years, and I believe it will be a quick collapse. Thankfully, we are in the sticks and slightly insulated from the city chaos, but it will reach us eventually.
That’s great Meghan! Also a fantastic idea regarding orchard and garden. Being as self-sufficient as possible for your own food (or supplementing your food) is a very important thing…
I fear economic collapse is only part of what is in store for us to accomplish
“The transformation of America”. Our rights are being stripped away, our faith ostracized,and the Constitution shredded.
What will China do when we default? What will our enemies do when we enter into chaos? Will we not only be fighting our tyrannical government and a horde of gimmies, but also foreign invaders envious of the resources we ignorantly refuse to use?
I agree that we are facing even more fate than economic collapse. There are countless reasons to be prepping right now… It is frightfully amazing how the Constitution is being shredded, as you said.
As everybody has ready said, it’s the likelihood of an economic collapse that has my family and friends terrified. I’m sure many of you saw that DHS has ordered more ammunition in the past month in addition to targets of regular Americans, which were also acquired by DHS. The government knows what’s coming, but they want us dependent upon them which is why they’ve tried to paint peppers as “extremists”. They’re now even deeming military veterans as incompetent to own firearms full-well knowing that these veterans would defend the constitution. Everyday we get a lot worse, it’s just that many people are either naive or in denial that such a thing could happen in America. It’s truly sad to watch as this once great country begins to crash and burn. A lot of people my age are Obama supporters and I simply don’t get it. Perhaps it was the way I was raised. I don’t want handouts, I want to make my own way in this world, not on the coat tails of the taxpayers. Rush Limbaugh is correct and I’m not afraid to say it as well…I’m truly ashamed of my country at this stage in history. I’m ashamed of my generation as they only care about themselves. They are the “what can you do for me”-generation. It disgusts me.
MOLON LABE fellow pats
Why did all of you people vote for Obama and give him another 4 years to absolutelly do away with our rights and chances to progress. In another 4 years we may not ever recover from his presidentinal shennigans. Also we need to do away with all the people in Congress and put some people in office with common sense. You can’t spend more money than you have, guess you can if your are in Congress. Stop Foreign aid to China, Russia, India (with all our jobs) Africa etc. Get people off welfare and make them work for what they have instead of us paying them to have Babies for more welfare.
I highly doubt anyone on here voted for Obama. Survivalists have common sense. Plus Obama supporters don’t think there’s anything wrong with the current state of our Republic. But you’re exactly right, how can they spend our money by giving it to other countries when we need it most here in the US. For Godsake we just handed over millions of $$ in aid and weapons to Egypt, the Muslim brother hoods. It’s insanity and they won’t stop until they bleed us all dry. Our govt is like a crackhead and our wallets are what it’s addicted to. But see, as addicts go, they never recognize their abusive habits, and therefore here we are. I used to just think they were stupid, but that’s obviously not the case. It’s done on purpose for their benefit and we’re just the drugs keeping it alive. The economy might just hold out until the unemployment rate rises substantially. As margaret thatcher said, “Socialism is great until you run out of other people’s money”.
MOLON LABE
I honestly do not think that many people voted for him I was honk the vote was rigged just as if there is another election and Hillary wins I will believe that was rigged to. You hear the media placeing her as the front runner yet as of today all I hear On social media, all of my friends and their friends etc etc etc hate her and would never vote for her. Seems kind of odd! So I honestly don’t believe he was legitimately voted back in for his second term
Curveballs… That is what I am prepping for, lifes curveballs, the ones we don’t expect. I have been thrown many in my life. My prepping kept me and my children fed after I was in an accident and could no longer work. So whether it is the economy, an EMP, war, drought, an asteroid or anything else I plan on being prepared to the best of my ability.
I prep and have for a very long time knowing that someday the forces of evil would take over our nation and allow all manners of total evil to deprive us of our lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness. I am an ardent admirer of our first president George Washington to whom these present politicians would not be good enough to lick the dirt from the bottom of his boots. He had a dream that has always stuck with me, and some of it is as follows
“And again I heard the mysterious voice saying “Son of the Republic, look and learn.” At this the dark, shadowy angel placed a trumpet to his mouth, and blew three distinct blasts; and taking water from the ocean, he sprinkled it upon Europe, Asia and Africa. Then my eyes beheld a fearful scene: From each of these countries arose thick, black clouds that were soon joined into one. Throughout this mass there gleamed a dark red light by which I saw hordes of armed men, who, moving with the cloud, marched by land and sailed by sea to America. Our country was enveloped in this volume of cloud, and I saw these vast armies devastate the whole county and burn the villages, towns and cities that I beheld springing up. As my ears listened to the thundering of the cannon, clashing of sword, and the shouts and cries of millions in mortal combat, I heard again the mysterious voice saying, “Son of the Republic, look and learn” When the voice had ceased, the dark shadowy angel placed his trumpet once more to his mouth, and blew a long and fearful blast. “Instantly a light as of a thousand suns shone down from above me, and pierced and broke into fragments the dark cloud which enveloped America. At the same moment the angel upon whose head still shone the word Union, and who bore our national flag in one hand and a sword in the other, descended from the heavens attended by legions of white spirits. These immediately joined the inhabitants of America, who I perceived were will nigh overcome, but who immediately taking courage again, closed up their broken ranks and renewed the battle.
Again, amid the fearful noise of the conflict, I heard the mysterious voice saying, “Son of the Republic, look and learn.” As the voice ceased, the shadowy angel for the last time dipped water from the ocean and sprinkled it upon America. Instantly the dark cloud rolled back, together with the armies it had brought, leaving the inhabitants of the land victorious!
Then once more I beheld the villages, towns and cities springing up where I had seen them before, while the bright angel, planting the azure standard he had brought in the midst of them, cried with a loud voice: “While the stars remain, and the heavens send down dew upon the earth, so long shall the Union last.” And taking from his brow the crown on which blazoned the word “Union,” he placed it upon the Standard while the people, kneeling down, said, “Amen.”
The scene instantly began to fade and dissolve, and I at last saw nothing but the rising, curling vapor I at first beheld. This also disappearing, I found myself once more gazing upon the mysterious visitor, who, in the same voice I had heard before, said, “Son of the Republic, what you have seen is thus interpreted: Three great perils will come upon the Republic. The most fearful is the third, but in this greatest conflict the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the Republic learn to live for his God, his land and the Union.” With these words the vision vanished, and I started from my seat and felt that I had seen a vision wherein had been shown to me the birth, progress, and destiny of the United States.
We have an evil man at the helm, those that voted for him are in bed with the stuff he gives out, they have been mentally destroyed by the media and the educational system. He is allowing forces seen and unseen into this nation to corrupt and destroy. Prepping, absolutely for the day will come soon when the black cloud will be visible to all and you had better be ready.
The stock market is being pumped by people dumping all of their savings into it, just like they did before the last great crash. Except now, the reason isn’t to realize dramatic profits, but to just make SOMETHING on one’s money. Why keep the money in a nice safe bank account, when there is no interest being paid, and inflation destroys its value? Better to dump it into stocks in the hopes of some kind of a return. The huge amount of money being dumped into stocks by the Pension Funds, in order for companies to be able to service these funds without drawing from operating capital, alone, distorts the market. As in the past, the market is overblown and not a reflection of economic viability, but of investor panic.
Trying to buy GOLD, as a way to protect your value, will probably be in vain. If Gold is such a great investment, such a great thing to buy, WHY are you able to BUY IT? Who is so stupid as to SELL IT to you? Why are there SO MANY companies and commercials hawking it every five minutes on the Radio and TV? Why do you think some people, who already HAVE THE GOLD, are trying as best they can to SELL IT TO YOU?
If you knew the Gold Standard was going to return, and you knew the Government would again Nationalize the ownership of ALL GOLD, and you knew you would be forced to sell your gold to the Government for a value THEY set, and not the actual current value, so they can realize an instant “profit” from the confiscation, you would be trying like HELL to get rid of it NOW..at value..so you could buy things more useful.
Economic Collapse is a sure thing, the ONLY thing the Government can do is to set up a new economic means of exchange based on the Gold Standard, for which the U.S. is the best positioned in the World. The world going to a gold standard would place the U.S. at the top of the international heap.
Sell your gold, and buy more guns…land….equipment..tools…etc.
When the economy fails, it shall take everything. There shall be no savings, no bonds, no stocks, no currency..or viable means of exchange..until the new system is put in place. And, they WANT the chaos and the fear to be as great as it can be..in order to make it easier to herd people along the avenues they have already paved.
I guess I will escape the fate of dying from old age…at least.
I agree that gold is not a safe investment to preserve any wealth that you may have as the government has in the past reclaimed it. Silver is safer if you feel the need to have some sort of money.
I agree gold has too many disadvantages, it is being counterfeited, it is too valuable to conduct small transactions (pre 1964 dimes and quarters would be better), and frankly there are too many other things I could use in my preps than gold.
Perhaps the US is not positioned well for going to a gold standard, it may depend on if Ft. Knox is empty or not. I smell the FED.
Economic collapse and societal break-down fer sure.
I wish I lived on a 20 acre farm in Virginia – but I don’t. So we make the best use of where we are – always working to improve our (fighting) position – add more garden space – more canning supplies – more ammo – more water filters and rain barrels. Getting harder to meet other (sane) preppers because of increased need for Op-Sec as we edge closer to the abyss.
But we are Americans – we don’t roll over and if we’re going down – we’re going down swingin’.
I agree with Ision. It is far better to invest in actual supplies/resources that are not tied to a financial market of any kind. Pay down debts and stock up on things that continue to rise in price.
Economic collapse is likely in America’s near future. There is no need for petrodollars, and that’s basically what is propping up the dollar. When the dollar is no longer the reserve currency, then foreign governments will not likely purchase our government securities (T Bills, Notes, and Bonds). Why buy any municipals bonds that help cities either?
As such, since we’re already bankrupt, then there won’t be a need to trade with America anymore. We shipped out all of our good paying jobs to places like the Pacific Rim and China. There’s no need for a service industry if no one has any money.
It used to be that international folks came to America for “the American experience”, and then used that year or two of living in America to parlay into better pay in their companies back home. If the dollar is no longer important, then our colleges and universities are no longer important. Aren’t we seeing this happen domestically with young Americans who acquire a professional degree, even a graduate degree, and cannot find work.
That leaves only Hollywood as the only significant source of wealth and that’s not enough to sustain us.
When the dollar falls, Just-in-Time inventory practices will crush us. Exepct longer and longer shortages and this will lead to constant problems in hospitals and struggling industry. That time lag coupled with dollar weakness will likely lead to terrible inflation. Zimbawe will look like a wonderland compared to what could happen to us.
During the Great Depression, the only thing that saved America was the armaments sold to Europe and then full scale war and the ancilary industries to support that endeavor. That means that the most likely scenario is economic collapse and then WW3.
A pandemic is highly likely, and in as little as ten years it will be worldwide issue since we won’t have antibiotics.
Does this mean things are bad for preppers. I don’t necessarily think so. If one can store up supplies to get through the roughest three to six months, while things will never be like they are today, preppers might be the only ones left to deal with the aftermath.
Many folks could die of dehydration, disease, and famine before us. Even the zombie horde that people worry about, in truth they are not prepared for agriculture and engineering, but only violence. The only way the socioaths could succeed would be to restart feudal societies again.
This means a prepper needs both supplies and skills and the ability to be a soldier again.