Anyone know any doomsday preppers?

[fleur-de-lisa]

I'm curious as to their view of the state of our country now that Trumputin is about to be installed. I saw a few tv shows several years ago and the preppers who were interviewed seemed kind of dim and most definetely racist. Some were religious kooks.

Are they feeling more optimistic now? I always got the feeling that most of their fears were grounded in the belief that the Scary Black Man in the White House was a harbinger of doom.

I must confess, the scary orange guy terrifies me. I'm thinking of stockpiling books and alcohol. Maybe some cigarettes, and I have never smoked. Maybe they can be used as currency when Mini-Poot crashes the economy.

[Catherine Vincent]

1. I don't know any but I read their forums

I haven't been there lately but I'm thinking they won't complain as much. If they do, instead of using President Obama, they'll replace it with "our government".

[Motley13]

2. orange is the new black

[ret5hd]

3. Alcohol and cigarettes.

For some reason, a $50 bottle of scotch can get you out of more trouble than a $50 bill. I dunno why, but it's so. And god, I've been on camping trips where I coulda sold a pack of smokes for $20.

[Lurks Often]

4. It's prudent to prepare for unexpected occurences

within reason.

In the past 5 years, CT has twice experienced power outages covering most of the state were it was a full week before everyone had power. No power means, no gas stations are open, ATM's don't work and stores can't ring up purchases even if they are open (and most were not)

So in a urban or suburban, having enough food and water for 2-4 weeks is prudent. Keep in mind that most of us have 30 plus gallons of drinkable water in the water heater.

In a rural area or suburban food where you have enough land to grow food and hunt, maybe longer term prepping is doable.

To be very blunt, unless you are willing to own a couple of firearms and become very proficient in their use, in case of a disaster sufficient enough where there is no functioning government or law enforcement for the foreseeable future you are probably going to die unless you have some specialized, valued skill (Nurse, doctor, strong construction or engineer skills, farming skills) that makes you worth feeding when the stores are empty and the only people with food are the ones able to grow it or take from those that do grow it.

On edit: I really don't think any of us have to worry about my last paragraph becoming reality

[meadowlander]

9. Yes,

Nobody's going to survive because of their enormous hidden stockpile that they're planning to defend with a shotgun and tin-can tripwire warnings. Communities are going to survive where they are organised, cooperative and resilient.

I can see stocking a month or so worth of food where I live because realistically a earthquake could knock out a dam and the major highways and we'd have no power or ability to restock the supermarket for that long and it would just be more convenient and less stressful not to have to stand in line at the response centre.

But in a total breakdown of society, most people are going to be displaced and won't be able to take all that crap with them. The ones that stay will have it stolen off them by gangs unless they organise into groups big enough to defend it. And at that point, they'll have to share most of it anyway.

I think the best thing you can do to prepare for a disaster is meet your neighbours and develop some relationships with them. You're not going to survive because you have 100 pound bags of vacuum sealed rice. You're going to survive because you know how to garden and your neighbour keeps bees and your other neighbour is a decent carpenter and he knows a guy with a line on cheap gas.

[sarcasmo]

5. Have 6 weeks worth of water, food and booze on hand.

The new POS in charge spouting off stupidity on Twitter has made the Planet less stable.

[underpants]

6. We sort of are. Food not guns

Not that we don't have a gun so watch it!!

I don't frequent their community much. We do keep at least 60 days of food on hand at all times.

I would suspect that any drastic change gets them fired up.

[braddy]

7. Everyone should be able to take care of themselves for at least a couple of weeks, and that goes for

Manhattan condo livers and Malibu beach livers, as well as Floridians and North Dakotans. Months is even better.

Even Manhattan could lose it's power during the winter, history isn't over, and weather isn't over, and global terrorism is only getting started, cyber attacks are just getting started, and war still exists.

[meadowlander]

8. Yes,

the one I know was running around telling everyone "keep prepping... even with Obama out of the White House and the economy finally recovering now that Trump is in charge, you still need to stay on top of your stockpile".

This guy honestly believes that the economy tanked because of Obama and that the little bump in the stock market after Trump's election turned it around and also that Obama was on the brink of bringing us to nuclear war with half a dozen countries and locking up dissidents in FEMA camps.

Where to start?

[Runningdawg]

10. Yes I know some

Lets make a distinction up front. Anything can be taken to absurd measures. I am a prepper. Its not a political statement, it was the way I was raised by parents and grandparents who survived the depression and dust bowl. DOOMSDAY preppers are the lunatic fringe.
I belong to a couple of prepping forums and yes, its hard to get past all the BS, but on the other hand, I now have an understanding of the kind of people we would have to deal with in a societal collapse. It ain't pretty.
You should forget the books, booze and cigs. The have all of that they could ever want and if by chance you do have something they want, unless you are as well armed and proficient with weapons as they are, you won't walk away from the encounter. If you want a bartering chip, then look at your skill set. You will need a reason for them to keep you alive.
To answer your question directly - There isn't an optimist among them. They aren't going to suddenly change their lifestyle because Trump is POTUS. They are convinced no matter who is POTUS, the liberals and minorities will rise up and give them the race/civil war of their wet dreams. I suspect many voted for Trump because they want America to fail, its the only way they can justify a lifetime lived in fear.
OP, if you or anyone else is truly interested in prepping, I will be glad to talk with you about it in private.

[Berlin Vet]

11. Preppers

I would agree that the Doomsday Preppers seen on TV are the fringe but they are the ones that make good TV. On some of the Prepping websites I check out there has been a steady stream of anti-Obama and anti-government talk since he was elected. I’ll be curious to see if it changes to pro-Trump and anti-government in a few days. This group of Preppers are the ones that are getting ready for the civil/race war and routinely proclaim they will ventilate the FEMA army when it comes to take them to the camps

I think most Preppers are prepping for living a vastly different life than what we currently have. Our current way of life is based on (cheap) fuel and electric power. Take away or disrupt those and your life changes dramatically. I suggest you check out James Howard Kunstler, who writes about peak oil, the economy, and has a series of novels set during the “long emergency”. The long emergency world is one where gasoline is not plentiful and where everyday life is more like the 1880’s.

I think the biggest difference between the two types of Preppers is their focus on food. The fringe group is stocking up on food for the long term (25 year shelf life, MRE’s, canned goods, etc) while the other group is more concerned with growing their own food and then preserving it.

As for stockpiling items to use as barter, someone pointed out if you can’t protect yourself it will be taken from you. Cigarettes are probably the best since they are so addictive (ex-smoker here) and has served in the past as currency in post WW2 Europe and most recently after the fall of the communist regime in 1989 (Kent cigarettes especially). Another barter item, although many feel you shouldn’t use them, are 22 bullets (there are three types, Short, Long, and Long Rifle (LR) with 22 LR being the preferred type. Shortly after the Sandy Hook shooting many people believed that 22LR would become currency when the country fell apart. In certain parts of the country 22LR is bought up as soon as it is placed on the shelves and many people haven’t seen it in years.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

12. Nothing beyond lots of "survival gear"... formerly known as hiking/camping gear.

Edit: And I personally don't know anyone who I would consider a "prepper", although maybe I do and they're keeping it a secret?

[Berlin Vet]

14. OPSEC

Operations Security (OPSEC) means you don't talk about your preps or even if you are a Prepper. If someone overhears that you just received your two year supply of long term survival food that person now knows where to go to find food when "Shit Hits The Fan".

[Buckeye_Democrat]

15. Probably wise.

Until those preppers wander outside and other people notice all the meat on them! Num, num, num.

KIDDING!

[Berlin Vet]

16. Bug Out

That's why Preppers are ready to go to their Bug Out Location (BOL) to wait it out. Figure if you hole up for 30-90 days there will be a huge drop in the population as food disappears, no life sustaining medications left, and anarchy rules. The people that have fought and clawed their way to this stage would probably have no hesitation about human flesh. Frightening to think about, but entirely possible.

[OriginalGeek]

13. My step-father is I'm sure

he's never been anywhere without a gun on his person and more concealed in his vehicle since I've known him. He built his house on the thousand acres he and mom used to have (fewer acres now but still out in the country. He sold off most of the acreage long ago) and included a gun turret in a tower above the master bedroom. He has a stockpile of weapons of all types but I haven't seen it in 20 years or more. I've spoken with him maybe 3 times in the last 30 years and the last time was several years ago at my mom's funeral.

Knowing he's far-right but also gubmint-hating (unless they're shooting black people) I couldn't guess how he feels right now but I imagine it's better than when Obama was the boss.

It's my understanding they welcome the apocalypse and are prepared for jesus to call them up. But they shooting the shit out of everything that moves before the rapture.

I'm perfectly fine with never talking to him again. I do want to know when he's buried though. Saving a gallon of trumpritz for his grave.

[Ilsa]

17. I did, but we stopped talking after Mitt Rmoney lost. nt

I don't miss her and her ignorant bullshit.