Anybody who's been into the preparedness lifestyle for a decent length of time has had to deal with several stigmas and negative perceptions of the activity throughout the course of their journey. In this article I'd like to break down some of those stigmas, where they come from, and some discussion points to counter them.
The History of Modern Day Preparedness
My research has led me to understand that modern day preparedness stems from the 1940's fear of atomic warfare. In those days people genuinely feared escalations with Russia and the Soviet Union would lead to atomic, and later nuclear, war. To prepare for such an event, American citizens turned to what British citizens did when the Nazi Germany air force bombed the English country side and London as a model; they built and stocked bomb shelters.
Public Opinion and Negative PR
Over the next several decades from the 1960s to the 1990s, this concept of preparing for World War 3 led to the rise of the survivalist, especially during and after the events around the Vietnam War. The survivalist was an American civilian or ex-military individual who was concerned with not just WW3 but other events, some of which were rooted in anti-government conspiracy. During this time frame, however, the term survivalist received some extremely negative press that even the 1982 movie Rambo couldn't dissolve. Individuals such as Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber) and, later, Timothy McVeigh , along with events such as Ruby Ridge and Waco, TX, solidified an extremely negative view of the survivalist and survivalist organizations throughout public opinion. Near the end of the 1990s and into the 2000s a rebranding occurred with preparation enthusiasts who were not as much into the extremist conspiracies typically associated with survivalists, labeling themselves preppers.
And for a few years the term prepper held a more rational angle around the preparedness movement, but that image failed to last too long. The Sandy Hook mass-murder performed by Adam Lanza, who acquired the firearms used from his mother who was tagged by the media as a prepper, and other similar events which occurred throughout the 2000s and 2010s, once more slated prepper as a negative term used to describe supposed-delusional individuals who prepared for disruptive events. The TV show Doomsday Preppers on the NatGeo channel exasperated this image further, seemingly marking anybody who participated in preparations as a bit off or "crazy" by targeting only the extreme side of the activity.
Today, even common American citizens with a healthy idea of preparedness can easily be branded as delusional or "paranoid" by others, friends and family members, who's perceptions of preppers have been skewed by previous events. This can be the case even though the American government, itself, promotes a healthy level of preparedness for every American citizen.
Countering the Stigmas
So, how do those of us into preparedness, who wish to promote the activity among our fellow friends, family, and American citizens, overcome the negative images and perceptions of the past? Let's address address some of the arguments and discussions for the negativity I've encountered, myself.
It's craziness and I don't want to be seen as nutz.
This argument is typically a direct result of the past events I detailed above and can be relatively easily countered by explaining to the person making it that a rational level of preparedness has nothing to do with either conspiracy nor doomsday. Just as having life insurance, car insurance, a spare tire in your vehicle, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in your home... are not irrational or 'crazy'. Having a base-line and rational preparedness plan is not either.
If the person is still worried about what others may say about them, I'll advise them to simply not tell anybody else that they prepare (which is also good for security operations anyway). If they're really worried about what the Judgy McJudgerstons of the world think, then don't tell those folks that you prepare at all.
Emergency Services will help during any disaster
Not only can you point out the events around hurricane Katrina as a stumble for FEMA and other emergency services to respond effectively, but you can use the example of the response time of a police officer, fire, or EMT personnel in an immediate case of need. Despite the fact that FEMA and the CDC (as well as volunteer organizations) have drastically improved their emergency responsiveness during disasters and that first responders are all-too willing to assist during an immediate emergency, there's always the timeframe before these organizations and personnel can actually get to you during the unfolding of or after effects the emergency events. Think of a preparedness plan as gap insurance, similar to what you have when you purchase a new vehicle which covers depreciated value of the vehicle compared to what you actually owe. Being prepared yourself helps alleviate disastrous events before or until emergency services can get to you and, in some cases, can eliminate your dependency on emergency services altogether.
It's too expensive and I don't have the money to even start
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. This particular argument's pretty easily broken apart. An extra can of food each time you grocery shop, an extra case of water, etc... would cost very little. Explain to the other that you don't have to go from zero to a three year supply of food in one setting. Buying a little here and storing up a little there adds up quickly over time.
I don't have the space
This argument's a little harder to counter, especially if the person lives in a small house or apartment. Typically I refer them to online resources, such as apartmentprepper.com , or advise space-making options such as risers for bedframes and even a thorough cleaning of unnecessary items to make room for prepping supplies. I've found that encouraging cleanliness and an increase in organizational skills goes a long way in prepping within a limited space.
Final Thoughts
There are always people on the borderline of any activity who hesitate taking place in that activity due to misperceptions or certain stigmas around said-activity. Preparedness is no different and as an advocates of the preparedness lifestyle I strongly believe we should work to counter or break down those stigmas and negative perceptions. Being prepared for a disruptive event could save you or your family's life. If you're reading this I doubt I have to point that out, but for those friends, family, and fellow citizens who struggle with the sense preparedness makes and the negative perceptions that come with it, it can be a serious challenge to start a prepper plan. It's up to those of us who already prepare to help those borderliners overcome their fears and concerns around the activity, and encourage them to take those first steps.
Peace.
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