Gaye Levy
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Everyone likes to read about someone else’s mistakes so that they can learn from them. When you think about it, that is a great way to avoid common pitfalls and to save yourself some of the grief and set-backs that are bound to occur along the road to preparedness.
As useful as that might be, I started giving some thought not to the mistakes that Preppers make but to the things that they get right. And there are a lot of them.
The 10 Personality Traits of Successful Survivalists and Preppers
In this newly updated article, learn my take on the ten things that Preppers get right!
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
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35 Responses to “10 Things That Preppers Get Right”
I only started prepping a few months ago and I’m AMAZED at how far I’ve gotten. Conversations like this really help me to ponder, process, and plan. I feel the same way as many of you do concerning compassion. Frankly, I consider myself to be someone who generally cares about others but as I get older, I’m becoming much less tolerant of whining, laziness, lying, and of those who lack any sense of personal responsibility. That said, I too will not likely be handing out provisions, MY provisions, during a time of crisis. I have a feeling that if I did, people would just keep coming for more, and I just can’t afford that.
The reality for me is, that I live in a major US city in a fairly rough neighborhood already. I have no bug-out options so I have no choice but to hunker down and defend what’s mine. I expect it to be both difficult and dangerous, and I’ve accepted the reality that I will have to shoot anyone who threatens my safety or my personal property.
As for Gaye’s original post, it is inspiring and makes me feel proud to at least be doing something… thinking about it… developing a plan. I also appreciate the mature and honest comments y’all have given.
So far, I’m finding that preppers are good folk. 🙂
Robbie – Saying THANK YOU for the kind words! Backdoor Survival readers are the best preppers on the planet.
Here are some interesting ideas which, if they are even just roughly correct, would suggest possibilities for flourishing which have been neglected by almost everyone:
PARALLEL UNIVERSES
“Parallel Universes”
By Max Tegmark
//space.mit.edu/home/tegmark/PDF/multiverse_sciam.pdf
“The Case for Parallel Universes: Why the multiverse, crazy as it sounds, is a solid scientific idea”
By Alexander Vilenkin and Max Tegmark
//www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=multiverse-the-case-for-parallel-universe
FOUR DIMENSIONALISM
“Four Dimensionalism”
By Michael Rea
//www3.nd.edu/~mrea/papers/Four%20Dimensionalism.pdf
(“Forthcoming in The Oxford Handbook for Metaphysics”)
“Four Dimensionalism”,
By Ted Sider
//tedsider.org/papers/4d.pdf
Philosophical Review 106 (1997): 197–231
Of course, many collectivists might come to believe in such things and let their faith motivate them to build another one of their utopias.
I have read through the comments and only want to say this. I have prepped for myself – I am single. I feel that I can handle 6-8 months on my own with what I have stored. That being said, I am now in a position that I can store to give. I have decided to create packs that I will be able to give away (and if not given away, use myself) that will include meals, water, cards – whatever I see that a family could use. I have bottles filled with rice, oats and other dry goods that a family can cook for several meals. I am also including basic instructions for the use of the packs. I know I cannot feed everyone and do not intend to but I will use what I can spare for those in need. My preference for dispersing these packs would be at a central location.
These packs are good for 2-3 days of basic meals, water for small families – a woman and a couple of kids, small family of 3-4.
thats very nice if i could afford to do something like that i would as well.Thats a good thing about being single you have more freedom to do what you want.Also in a SHTF situation you will be able to move faster and farther than most couples or families.good luck with your preps
I have come to the conclusion that I will probably not be able to help people during any of the worst case disaster situations in regard to things like food and water. As I see it the one or two families who have prepped in any neighborhood can not possibly supply the needs of all the other in lets say, a grid down event. That’s why I am being compassionate now by informing people about what they need to know now. I have given away lots of water storage containers and long run time flashlights to co-workers over the years (they do not know where I live) as well as lots of information. The intended message is that if this person who I really do not know all that well is willing to part with things that cost money then maybe this prepping thing is really important. I recently was laid off from my day time job but I still have my part time job in retail. Retail is not the kind of work you plan to do. It is not anyone’s dream job. It is sort of what you do because you have to. These are the people who will be hit hard in a disaster. Prepping is probably not on their radar in any way shape or form. At least people with good jibs and money can decide not to prep. For people living pay check to pay check, the decision not to prep is probably a foregone conclusion. I think this issue of motivating people who have no interest and little resources to prep is really the next big issue for preppers. Are we winning? I have done due diligence to prep over the years. . I have greatly increased my chances of survival in every disaster situation. Great. When the big one hits I will me my own little oasis in a sea of death and suffering. I am prepared for that but for now I need to take the window of opportunity to help people now. The reality of the possibility of an EMP event / Solar storm has gone main stream in the media and hopefully soon will be common knowledge. The why to prep is out there. We have the lessons from Sandy, Katrina and now Colorado. We just need to push and also be willing to part with a few dollars. I could go on and on but here is one example of what I am all about where I did what was needed to be done and then maximized my efforts:
//beforeitsnews.com/2012/2012/12/camping-at-home-the-easy-way-to-prep-2441508.html
Thank you for another great article Gaye.
love them or hate them there is some very useful info here .i highly recomend you get a free copy of “Are you Ready?” you can also join local or regional groups to hook up with like minded individuals
//community.fema.gov/connect.ti/readynpm/grouphome
Great link. Thanks Joel.
You can get the Mr. Beams 3 Pack in white for $47. I believe these are the same as the Dorcy. You are right-these are great lights! I’m hoping that the rechargeable D (only 1.2 V) will work OK. Thanks for the great tips!
Michael – I just checked them out and if I understand correctly, they are 140 lumens whereas the Dorcy one 120 lumens. I also saw a 3 pack of Mr. Beams 300 lumen floods for $89.99 and am going to order a set so I can compare them (and share on BDS, of course.)
Thanks for the tip.
traits that preppers have in common?
willingness: because we are willing to have our eyes open and our heads out of the sand.
organizational: can’t get much better than being ‘willing’ to look a head, ‘organize and work to stock up on’ supplies for a uncertain future.
co operative and sharing: we do cooperate in the sharing of what knowledge we have.
understanding: i kinda think that this is an important one. we must all understand that at some time we very well could be called up to make that decision on compassion.
good stuff
Although a good discussion and VERY important. I too weighed in on the subject along with adding a trait. Has anyone actually thought about what Gaye asked in her last sentence? It says “I invite you to share any traits that I may have missed”
traits # 1the will to survive
#2 thirst for knowledge
#7 are critical thinkers
#9 networkers
we have touched on all of these while having this discussion and depending on certain points of view compassion .I’d say thats pretty good as for adding traits i gave a link for education classes