How to tell a Good Prepper From a Bad Prepper & Fantasy Preppers
 

This thread got me thinking that there are a lot of newer people here with 'magic gun' way of thinking - That they are the hero in their own movie - the good guy that shoots and kills his enemy without himself getting hurt.
http://www.glocktalk.com/forums/show....php?t=1464602

A good prepper knows there isn't one SHTF; a bad prepper talks like there is only one or they are all somehow all the same - no explanation of what he is talking about.

A good prepper prioritizes and prepps acordingly - they evaluate what SHTF events are likely to occur in their area and prep for those first; a bad prepper tries to prep for all at once.

A good prepper is detailed - has an inventory list for all preps, operational check list of things to do; a bad prepper talks in generalities and doesn't take care of the details.

A good prepper exercises; a bad prepper does not.

A good prepper knows prepping is part of life ; a bad prepper talks like it is something to do after an event happens.

What Fantasy preppers think:

They will live off the land (I'm not talking about farming) - They will take their gun go into the woods to hunt, trap, and fish for food. Of course in this fantasy no one else thinks of this, so game is plentiful. Also, none of the bad guys or unsafe hunters go do this so a person is safer in the woods then at home. Somehow this fantasy prepper will get (drive?) to the woods, hunt and then carry out what they kill back home. Of course the weather is great - no cold or rain to deal with.

You are more likely to be killed by a bullet then a bacteria/virus or fire. In this fantasy, everyone stays healthy, no one does anything stupid, like not washing their hand after using the toilet or contaminating food by not washing utensils or cutting themselves and getting an infection.

So what are some of your favorites?

A good prepper _____________; a bad prepper ____________________.

And

What Fantasy preppers think:

A good prepper stockpiles food and water. A bad prepper stockpiles guns and ammo to steal food from a good prepper.

Some of us live in the woods and hunt trap fish for our food now.

While I do agree that during a certain type of SHTF event, TEOTWAWKI, people will be streaming into the north Maine woods to "live off the land", the idea that somehow all the fish and game magically dissapears overnight is laughable.

That said, if it is truly TEOTWAWKI - I won't be in the woods hunting anyway. It's easy enough to get shot now during the regular hunting season.

a good prepper you never hear from. A bad prepper, you hear from occasionally, a fantasy prepper, all the time.

Bad prepper owns weapons because they have the word "zombie" on them.

Most of what you describe as Bad Prepper can also be termed New Prepper.

That said, Bad Prepper is someone who doesn't transition from New Prepper to Good Prepper.

We are already in a "sub-forum" are we now going to create "classes" of prepper?

I'm glad we agree.

That is a valid point. I'm guessing some people come to prepping through guns and then, if they transition, they realize it is about the details of life - food, clothing, shelter, medicine, entertainment, knowledge.

I hope and pray I am a fantasy prepper.

I don't want any of the crap I worry about to come true.

I dont think there are bad preppers. Some people live in a fantasy world for sure, but at least they have a start on preparations - no matter how incomplete. I am also sure, that no matter how complete or comfortable some may be with their preps - others would see them as insufficient. That said, I think the guys who maintain strict opsec, have water/shelter handled, and have a fairly complete plan for food are in a good place and will be well ahead of the masses should something happen.

They won't stay long......the black flies will have them beating a hasty retreat in no time!!:supergrin:

Those dang things almost drive me outta' my mind every spring...and I grew up in The County, so I should be used to them by now!!

:popcorn:

Besides the Fantasy prepper all others are good in a way.
It does not matter what you are preparing for or what SHTF scenario will play out.
They all have the same issues and anyone that has prepared with food, water, medical and other supplies which include firearms will be way ahead of the masses.
it then comes down to what degree you prepared for i.e 3 mos., 6, 12 or several years.
No plan will be 100% successful by anyone as it is impossible to calculate for everything, there are just so many variables that could and will happen that you and others including me have not even thought about.
A lot will be left to chance and luck.
In my eyes anybody that does any degree of prepping is a good prepper who am I to say what is right and wrong for someone else.

All the following obviously comes with the caveat of "imo"...

Short version, I'd say a fantasy prepper claims (and may genuinely believe) that he's the "one" whose techniques, priorities, answers and predictions are obviously correct. He's the "one" who knows not only what what his neighbors will do, but somehow even knows what hordes of millions will do; in any given crisis. He's also the one who believes he's bulletproof - he doesn't fear a group of gangbangers because he's repeatedly watched the Haley/Costa "dynamic pistol" DVD's and has the new uber-mega bullets in his pistol (which will usually either be a $1500 super-1911 or a hi-point), he needn't fear armed hordes because he has body armor, he doesn't accept that an armed non-prepper he might encounter may in fact be a young, fit guy just back from two combat tours in Afghanistan, etc.

Basically imo, a fantasy prepper hasn't come to grips with his own mortality and fallibility; and doesn't realize - or doesn't accept - that sometimes "all you can do, is all you can do", which may or may not be enough to keep a person alive & healthy.

A good prepper imo is the guy who (among other things) prepares for encounters with both non-preppers and fantasy-preppers both, and realizes that either one is likely to be irrational and dangerous.

A bad prepper is hopefully just a good prepper that needs some more time.

Fantasy preppers get online and ask if "xyz" is a good prep item - - when in truth they just want to buy something silly.

Fantasy preppers get online and talk about stocking up on swords, bows, spears, slingshots, etc.

Fantasy preppers talk about military tactics their small group is going to use in their neighborhood when SHTF.

Good preppers talk about gardening, home design, financial strategies, etc.

+1 :thumbsup:


Fantasy.....ummm no.......Nightmare is a more accurate description !

Good preppers hope the SHTF is just a fantasy; Bad preppers fantasize in hopes it actually happens.

Good preppers prep for floods, fires, hurricanes, and earthquakes first; Bad preppers start with Asteroid strike and EMP.

Sometimes even the best preppers have to be reminded from time to time of the "mortality and fallibility" clause that is part of being human. I remember when a very well respected prepper (Myth) had a very sobering moment during the incident with a horse that generated a severe hand injury.

I know the wrestling incident of another very well respected prepper (aka Quake :tongueout:) had recently with a younger opponent was seemingly a wakeup call.

As for me...I was "flying high" after surviving completely unscathed during several close calls on the bike (nighttime deer mostly :shocked: ) & after generating some consistently great times on aimed & unaimed pistol plate rack shooting.....something I have not seriously done in many years.

But....all of that 'ego' came crashing down hard a few days ago when this 6' 7" giant was literally brought to my knees by the smallest of opponents.... http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/2...ng-in-the-u-s/

..I believe was acquired with a late night visit to BK right after work.

Nope....didn't break into the antivirals, sambucol, home remedies..

..figured it would be quickly put down with a little bed rest & lots of liquids.


(Before this....had not used a single day of sick leave in my 6+ years with this employer.)

Well, days later.. :whistling:

..feel like I have been dragged behind a truck on a gravel road... :shocked:

.. I now know a certain item made of white porcelain a lot more intimately..

.. & with a much greater frequency than I ever wanted to! :shocked:

I believe our creator gives us these humbling lessons from time to time for good reasons!

It is for us (sometimes with our wives & children's input :embarassed: ) to interpret those lessons & incorporate into our lives....& future planning!

This was/is me. A handgun bought by the average Joe for the purpose of self defense is a prep for a very specific, short duration, SHTF. Once you realize this and also realize that some situations can go on much longer and demand different preps you are on the way. Thus the journey begins... :wavey:

Beat me to the answer, good preppers are unknown because they keep their pie hole shut

There is a quote from a Raymond Chandler novel I always remember:
"He spoke like a man with a full stomach."

LG1, this is not talking about you.

What it means is that when we are fully satiated we speak with bravado. When we remember being cold, weak and hungry we are more realistic.

Not every SHTF situation will be a long term or be an out of food event, My preps are geared towards short term like a hurricane civil unrest neighborhood rioting gun grab etc etc my neighbor who is also a short term prepper is the only of my neighbors that know I prep. we talk and share the same thoughts,I do have more guns and ammo then food preps simply because my hobby is shooting not because I'm coming after others food.

Hey, I know that guy. He's kind of a grumpy old fart.:fred:

But he's a grumpy old fart who takes his cardio more seriously now and - even with the recent holiday feasting - still weighs 26lbs less than he did a year ago.

Good prepper doesn't talk about it.

Bad prepper knows he needs more and either doesn't do anything about it or doesn't have enough and doesn't know about it.

Fantasy prepper says he will just come to your house since you are a good prepper.