Gaye Levy
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Let’s face reality. As much as we believe in family preparedness and prepping, the majority of our peers think we are nuts. Although we would never tell them that they are the one’s that are nuts, we might possibly put up a good argument in favor of prepping.
Prepping is insurance, right? You know it and I know it but the rest of the world? Not so much.
When it comes to discussing prepping with non-preppers, the conversation can get quite heated. Been there, done that.
I have recently had the pleasure to of discussing this topic with blogging colleague, Dan Sullivan. For those of you that are not familiar with Dan, his website is Survival Sullivan and even though it is fairly new, it is one I believe you will enjoy.
Next time, instead of getting upset, angry, and irate, consider these five comebacks that Dan is sharing exclusively with Backdoor Survival. They just might help you win every argument against prepping.
These 5 Comebacks Will Win You Every Argument against Non-Preppers
The fights, arguments, and mockery between us, preppers, and the rest of the world are never-ending. Every once in a while I read an article that makes us look bad for doing something to protect ourselves and our families… and I find that a little bit offensive.
In a world where people kill each-other, steal from each-other and are just cruel to each other every single day, I find it somewhat annoying that those who choose to prepare are considered crazy. Of course, the fact that some survivalists make the news by doing something stupid every now and then, that propagates the wrong ideas about preppers (who are often mistaken for survivalists) and… it’s annoying to say the least running into people who have no idea what they’re talking about.
Still, if you’re going to prepare, you’re gonna run into these types of conversations whether you like it or not so… the comebacks below might help. Just don’t be afraid to use them.
#1. Tell them about small-scale disasters and emergencies
Ask anyone what they think about prepping and words like “Doomsday” and “zombies” immediately come up. Obviously, this couldn’t be further from the truth as there’s a huge number of smaller-scale disasters for which everyone should prep. Just by enumerating some of them and you can win the argument:
· assaults
· rapes
· electric shocks
· being stung by a bee
· getting bit by a dog
· carbon monoxide intoxications
· faints and other medical emergencies
· escape a sinking car
· bike accidents
· escaping hail storms…and on and on.
If we do the math (which I haven’t, not yet, at least), we can safely assume hundreds of Americans die every single day from these things! 50,000 U.S. citizens die in car crashes every year, that’s 136 souls a day. 1 in 36 Americans end up in the ER each year. These two stats alone show us just how many people put their own lives in danger and it is staggering.
#2. “Why do you pay insurance on your car?”
In some cases, you can ask them the same thing about their house. Why do they pay insurance? Is it because they have to or do they really expect their house to catch fire and their car to crash? Even if they do say they’re paying because they have to, ask them how come they don’t think it’s crazy that literally everyone is paying car insurance and have no problem with it.
You can then go ahead and tell them that prepping is also a kind of insurance, one that you get because you know you have to, without anyone forcing you to do so by law. To really nail it, you can finish off by telling them that you shouldn’t take precaution measures just because the authorities tell you to, you have to be responsible and assess your own risks, then prepare accordingly.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Discussing prepping with non-preppers can get quite heated. Try one of these 5 comebacks.” quote=”When discussing prepping with non-preppers, the conversation can get quite heated. Instead of getting angry and upset, consider one of these comebacks.”]
#3. Dig up old stories in your town or neighborhood
Do you know some of your online local news websites? Great. Here’s what I want you to do… Go to Google (or your favorite search engine) and type the following:
site: MyLocalNewsWebsite.com dies OR accident OR horrible
…where MyLocalNewsWebsite.com is the address of your chosen website. You can perform several searches for each of these news websites.
You’re gonna find a huge number of stories of accidents that happened near your home. This just builds on the argument #1 when I suggested you talk with them about small-scale disasters. The difference is you actually dig up those critical events that happened close to you and, if possible, they are also recent. Surely you will find plenty.
For example, during the 12 years I’ve been living at my current location, I’ve seen two house fires (one of them killed a person). Plus, one little old lady across the street from me got robbed in the middle of the afternoon by some guy who simply jumped her fence. To these I might also add the various things that happened to my relatives and friends. Surely you can remember a lot of such stories too, you just need to take your time to think.
The key is to bring the others into your reality and to talk with faith, passion or whatever you want to call it in a way which gets them sucked into your frame of mind.
#4. “The rich are doing it!”
Well, they are. And they’re spending millions of dollars too. If they don’t believe you, point them to this article, for example (there are lots of others, of course).
Obviously, they’re doing it wrong and paying huge amounts of money to screw up, but the fact that they’re well connected and still scared of what’s to come shows that they know something we don’t and that works in your favor.
#5. Don’t say anything
Sometimes it’s just better to not engage in any arguments and leave them thinking whatever they want about you. If they prefer to cling to their own beliefs, that’s their problem. Silence is, sometimes, the best argument you can have.
Ok, those were it. I tried my best to bring you my best arguments but, in addition to them, you can still use these:
· talk about hurricanes Katrina and Sandy
· tell them about the Ferguson and Baltimore riots
· and don’t forget to mention those mass shootings that make the news and give us goose bumps every once in a while
The bottom line is you have to talk in an assertive manner: confident tone of voice, clarity and self-assurance but without sounding aggressive. Otherwise, you’d just be fitting into their stereotypes.
See, I stopped caring what others think of me a few years back and I couldn’t be happier… because instead of worrying and being in a constant state of frustration, I finally got the peace of mind which allowed me to focus on what’s important to me as opposed to what’s important to others.
About Dan and Survival Sullivan
Growing up in a small 2nd world country, Dan learned from a young age to love nature, animals, to live frugally and to appreciate the little things in life. He started writing about survival when he got tired by the lack of quality information and realized people just need the facts.
Dan has declared war on fluff and is winning battle after battle with each article he writes on SurvivalSullivan.com. In addition to his website, you can find Dan on Facebook and Twitter.
The Final Word
Before closing, I want to say that I too want to fight the battle against fluff! I can’t remember if I have said that publicly before or not, but one of my peeves is the proliferation of prepper websites that are either a rehash of government documents or worse, content that has been spun from other sites without attribution.
As I mentioned at the first of the year, I strongly feel that my role as a responsible blogger requires me to share not only my own material, but selected articles from other, lesser-known authors that bring value to our niche.
No one person knows 100% about everything and many so-called experts are not experts at all. As far as I am concerned, each of you, as readers, brings something of value to the table and are an expert in your own right.
Please do not be shy! Share your tips in the comments section of each article and know that the world values your input.
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
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Below you will find my favorite preps. They cover a mixed bag and none will break the budget.
UltraFire Mini Cree LED Flashlight: FAVORITE! At the time of this writing, this one is with free shipping. It is super mini sized, bright and waterproof. Plus, it uses a single, standard AA sized battery.
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter: The LifeStraw is considered the most advanced, compact, ultra light personal water filter available. It contains no chemicals or iodinated resin, no batteries and no moving parts to break or wear out. It weighs only 2 oz. making it perfect for the prepper. For more information, see my LifeStraw review.
Grabber Outdoors Original Space Brand All Weather Blanket: I was interested in a re-usable emergency blanket so I purchased one of these based upon the excellent reviews. This space blanket is definitely “heavy duty” compared to the cheapies (not that they don’t have their place because they do). A Backdoor Survival reader passed on this tip:
We place one of these blankets silver side up on our mattress underneath the fitted sheet or mattress cover. It reflects body heat like you wouldn’t believe, instead of the heat being absorbed into the mattress.
Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (Pack of 10): I do believe in helping my neighbors in the community so a supply of these will be handy to hand out to those in need. You will be surprised at how warm these will keep you. Be sure to test one out in advance so that you have the confidence to trust the blanket in an emergency.
Maximal Power FC999 Universal Battery Charger: This nicely built charger will charge charge AA, AAA, C, D, N, 9V, Ni-MH, Ni-CD, and Alkaline batteries. It has an LED display so that when you first put a battery in the charging bay, you know whether it is viable for charging or simply bad and ready to go back to the recycle box.
Yes it really works, even under solar power. Read about in this article: How to Recharge Alkaline Batteries.
The Survival Medicine Handbook: A Guide for When Help is Not on the Way: This book teaches how to deal with all the likely medical issues you will face in a disaster situation, including strategies to keep your family healthy even in the worse scenarios. It covers skills such as performing a physical exam, transporting the injured patient, and even how to suture a wound. This medical reference belongs in every survival library.
Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener: I wrote about this is in the article The Easy Way to Sharpen a Knife Without Spending a Lot of Money. It sharpens everything from pocket knives to kitchen blades. Very portable and easy to use.
SE BT20 9-Volt Battery Tester: I do not know anyone that is sorry they purchased or gifted an inexpensive battery tester. Mine sits in my desk drawer and is used 3 or 4 times a week.
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21 Responses to “5 Best Comebacks To Win Every Argument Against Prepping”
One day last week, a friend & recent widow came by. We chatted a bit and she showed me three bags full of stuff. She said: I know you ah … oh… umm… “store things” and thought these would be useful. Gentle persuasion? Big Guy and I have always suggested being prepared, whether its another Katrina or whatever. I assured my friend that we cared about her and she would always be safe around us. How else to say it? Besides, she’s the best cook I know!
Oh gosh, why do we still waste time on these types of articles about people that thing we are nuts, or how to get the non prepper to prep. Wouldn’t our time and effort be much better spent learning a new bushmaster skill or ????
Right after I posted those comments, I went to wash my hands. I turned on the faucet, and the water didn’t flow.
Is that ironic or something, or what?
Also, I wonder, is the desire to prep in direct proportion to the Love a person has towards others around them and the Love they feel?
I mean, if a person has a shallow affection masquerading as love, for those around them, … you get the drift? … It’s all around us, and why the divorce rate is higher than the stay-together rate, I suppose, maybe? That could explain a Lot.
I would also add that the love one has for himself or herself has a lot to do with prepping. That coupled with high-self esteem was enough for me to get me realize how much I want to live no matter what…
Gaye, I finally found the items needed for the 2000 hr. flashlight and I think it is wonderful. The only difference is, I had to use a 10 led flashlight and simply removed 9 bulbs, leaving the center bulb. Thank you for this wonderful information.
That’s great. You are now officially a MacGyver!
Oops, a more direct link to that Katrina website is this:
//www.theplacewithnoname.com/blogs/klessons/index.html
P.S.
Dan’s website wouldn’t work for me. There was a big black space covering most of the screen. I could see some links on the side, but they wouldn’t open. For what that’s worth.
I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble with my website. The vast majority of people can see it just fine so I’m not really sure what to suggest…
Thanks,
Dan
I regret to say I don’t know what the prepping arguments are of Solomon and Joseph.
Can anyone summarize them?
As to, “How much of it is a one time use item and difficult to repack and reuse or unusable because parts are used up.”
Plenty of times I was mighty glad to get a one time use out of something or to have the parts available to make something work. … One, is better than none, eh? Especially when you really really needed it.
RE: “A bugout bag is great if you can carry it.”
I thought that was why they put wheels on suitcases? Put the bag in the suitcase? Or, have a Red Flyer Wagon?
RE: “What good the tent if you cant get it up to block the wind?”
Maybe, wrap it around yourself, like a coat? You don’t always have to follow the directions to get satisfactory results.
RE: “We see everything tested under ideal conditions.”
Yup. I hear ya. So maybe pick a rainy windy weekend and try/test something? Take a teenager or younger with you? … IF you can tear them away from their I-Gadget long enough.
I wonder if this is a good saying, ‘Don’t worry about tomorrow, just be prepared for anything today. For today is enough.’?
Anyway, here is the best Hurricane Katrina website I have ever seen, to reference to others:
//www.theplacewithnoname.com/
Cree lights are the best, they have replaced my Mag Lights as my primary go to source of emergency illumination. I must have a dozen of them by now, and for far less $ than one Quality flash light. E bay has been my best provider.
Greg, I have been testing a number of flashlights and I keep coming back to those mini-crees. I have never had one fail and even went on a switching rampage turning one off and on hundred of times (my fingers were S.O.R.E.) and they just keep on going.
I have promised a flashlight faceoff but really, given the price point, it is almost no contest.
I see so many things that is claimed we will absolutely need to survive. How much of it is a one time use item and difficult to repack and reuse or unusable because parts are used up. Which items can be used when hands are frozen and in a pare of gloves. Add to this our seniors who dont have the strength of the young. A bugout bag is great if you can carry it. The aches and pains restrict our movement and the cold would sap our strength faster than the young. What good the tent if you cant get it up to block the wind? What good the fire starter if your hands are gloved? At seventy five I am in better health than many but a damaged back limits movement and mobility Survival should be able to be done by ether senior or child. Then we would have a better chance for you may be healthy but if injured and with one arm useless how do you start a fire if you haven’t matches? We see everything tested under ideal conditions. Things will be far from idle when the shit hits the fan.
Grampa
Thanks Gaye and Dan for the informative article. I like what you are saying, but for me, being a closet prepper, I never have to win an argument as to why I choose to be prepared. Going public only makes one a future target for mooching or a victim of piracy. I’ll be helpful to others, but only to those whom I select.
You forgot Solomon and Joseph. Best argument for Christians that say God will provide. He does. He’s provided information, disasters where people starve to death, cut off from resourceresource and showed it on tv. My best argument is watching the news and seeing Americans diving into dumpsters to eat.