# Pssst....They've noticed



## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

> *Subculture of Americans prepares for civilization's collapse*
> By Jim Forsyth
> Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:44am EST
> 
> ...


Read the entire article here.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Sounds like she is on the right road.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

lets just hope more folks listen and act upon it to be ready for events.


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## Explorer (Dec 2, 2003)

It is nice to know we are a Subculture. Sorta like the hippies of the late 60's.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

more folks daily, they just refuse to see other things. 

Oh well they may just be slow to come around?


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## Lilbitof4 (Mar 2, 2011)

Last week my father sent me the link to the Sam's Club top 10 sellers:

On the list was stored food plans and generators. 

I think there are more people preparing now than the media gives credit.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I read the article previously. I think the author made a lot of assumptions about our motivations, using words like "fear" and "worry" when none of the quoted preppers ever used those words.

I don't do this out of fear or worry, I do it in confidence and independence.


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## unregistered168043 (Sep 9, 2011)

tinknal said:


> I read the article previously. I think the author made a lot of assumptions about our motivations, using words like "fear" and "worry" when none of the quoted preppers ever used those words.
> 
> I don't do this out of fear or worry, I do it in confidence and independence.


Very true, I think the article painted the preppers as a bunch of fringe 'worry worts' or 'chicken little's'. Comparing them to a bunch of "millerites" who thought Jesus was coming back in 1844. Something equivalent to a modern day religious cult. Article was a little insulting to preppers IMO.


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

I think the author erred when it was stated that the movement began in the 60s with hippies.

Um, no, pretty sure that rural America had well stocked pantries prior to the turn of the century and the movement into urban areas. It was the era of the small homestead, with kitchen gardens and livestock. You could say that the Industrial Revolution was the start of the migration "off the farm". JMO.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Read this yesterday.. Look at the comment section


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## InvalidID (Feb 18, 2011)

I want to dispute a lot of the article, but the biggest thing to me is:

*"How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It," which is also known as the preppers' Bible.*

Um, not really no. I don't think that book is the best or most complete on the subject myself. Frankly, I lost a lot of faith in the book when he suggested a station wagon as a BOV. It's my feeling a BOV MUST be a 4x4... But maybe that's just me.


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## scooter (Mar 31, 2008)

I sure wouldn't want my name used in the article, it's like painting a red flag on your place for everyone to come to in case of an emergency.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

scooter said:


> I sure wouldn't want my name used in the article, it's like painting a red flag on your place for everyone to come to in case of an emergency.


I was thinking the same thing.


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## 36376 (Jan 24, 2009)

It amazes me that any serious "prepper" would divulge ANY indentifying information about themselves whether it be food, location, or weapons. Or beliefs for that matter.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

tinknal said:


> I read the article previously. I think the author made a lot of assumptions about our motivations, using words like "fear" and "worry" when none of the quoted preppers ever used those words.
> 
> I don't do this out of fear or worry, I do it in confidence and independence.


I prep, therefore, I don't fear or worry.

If I didn't/couldn't/hadn't prepped, I would fear And worry!


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

InvalidID said:


> I want to dispute a lot of the article, but the biggest thing to me is:
> 
> *"How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It," which is also known as the preppers' Bible.*
> 
> Um, not really no. I don't think that book is the best or most complete on the subject myself. Frankly, I lost a lot of faith in the book when he suggested a station wagon as a BOV. It's my feeling a BOV MUST be a 4x4... But maybe that's just me.


I always 'smiled' about the station wagon! 

My feeling was anyone that wasn't a Rube would know this would be the AbFab worst vehicle.... I figure anyone doing the Stationwagon would end up on the side of the road, at the first obstacle course, or would fall to the first road block, or raider, or mudhole.

Maybe, back in the sixties, a sw would've been the 'bomb', in the eyes of an urbanite. Even back then, I'd'a wanted a full size truck!


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## Mme_Pickles (Nov 15, 2011)

deaconjim said:


> I was thinking the same thing.


Me, too... Please don't put my name down! I do not want a mad rush on my place should the proverbial poo hit the fan!


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

texican said:


> Maybe, back in the sixties, a sw would've been the 'bomb', in the eyes of an urbanite. Even back then, I'd'a wanted a full size truck!


I could see it in the sixties, especially if you could own only one vehicle. They were well built and the trucks of that era were not made for a family, lessin' the youngins rode in back (and they did, ask me how I know  )


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## Eagle_and_hawk (Nov 22, 2008)

This is the comment that sticks with me:

........It wasn&#8217;t raining when Noah built the ark&#8230;


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

What? No Vista Cruiser?


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## cast iron (Oct 4, 2004)

1960's Station Wagons...


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

It's interesting Reuters would do an article on prepping, but overall I found it to be superficial and insulting. To draw an analogy to the Millerites, who abandoned everything in preparation for the 2nd coming, missed the point completely.

The author is apparently amused at preparing for hard times, as many of the article's commentors did also. We know the "subculture" is growing steadily by reported gun sales, and other things, like Walmart selling bulk foods in the NW.

Perhaps it's just as well preppers aren't taken seriously by the mainstream. Too much serious attention might bring unwanted scrutiny by TPTB.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

tinknal said:


> I could see it in the sixties, especially if you could own only one vehicle. They were well built and the trucks of that era were not made for a family, lessin' the youngins rode in back (and they did, ask me how I know  )


I've ridden to Colorado several times in the back of a truck...in a camper shell.... when I was a kid. Rode in the open rear of a truck to CO about a decade ago! Now that was fun... crawled in my sleeping bag and enjoyed the 70 to 80mph ride.


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

Wayne02 said:


> 1960's Station Wagons...


I LIKE IT! Except not red, don't like red...


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

texican said:


> I've ridden to Colorado several times in the back of a truck...in a camper shell.... when I was a kid. Rode in the open rear of a truck to CO about a decade ago! Now that was fun... crawled in my sleeping bag and enjoyed the 70 to 80mph ride.


Spent a lot of time in the back of a truck with a camper shell. It could be dangerous though. One time at the county fairgrounds little sis and I were in the back. Dad was only going about 5 miles per hour but he had to slam on the breaks. Sis was in front of me. We both hit the front of the box but since sis was in front of me I had a padded landing.........

Bruised her up pretty good. At highway speed she certainly would have been killed and probably me too.


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

Wayne02 said:


> 1960's Station Wagons...


WANT WANT WANT.....drool.....:rock: I think I like the top one best.
-scrt crk


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## dirtman (Sep 15, 2011)

I don't plan on doing much traveling. Most of what I need I have or can get near by. I am concerned about my kids being scattered all over the country though. If they can get back home we can provide for them.


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## ChickenMiss (Jan 21, 2012)

My thoughts for the people laughing at preparedness is that I'd rather be prepared than not. It's a very insecure world out there; you never know what could happen.


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## the mama (Mar 1, 2006)

I have a 1988 suburban. It's named Big Red. Great truck 4x4 with outside on tire lock down. Only get 10 miles to the gallon, but it can pull anything.


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## Pack Rat (Nov 9, 2006)

Nice antique (and EMP proof) vehicles. I have one with enough fuel capacity for a very long drive, but it's been sitting quite a while, mostly because at 5k/L (~10MPG), it isn't economically feasible to use often enough to keep up. Besides, even if I got away from here, there is no guarantee that "there" would be any better than "here", and a good chance that there would be no fuel available to get anywhere else when both tanks (and reserve) went dry.

My current BOV is a a bicycle and a set of hiking boots. "Say what?" 

Yup. Requires no gas, no road, allows for steeper terrain, can be fixed with rather light weight readily available and inexpensive spare parts, and can be about as low profile and quiet as possible. 

"But what if you NEED to get out of the area?" 
If it's that bad _right here_, there is _no_ place anywhere within a full day drive (even without exodus traffic) that would be any better. If I have to leave the hovel, a bike and hikers is more than enough to take me 'away' for a short while. I'd rather make do right here in my hovel and face what comes, than leave the place open to looters and put myself in less than familiar surroundings with less than my full complement of tools. Not that I couldn't make do anywhere in ordinary times, but when the manure is coming fast and furious, I would want to be in the place I've patched together over the years to weather a manure storm, with a metaphorical "big shovel at every doorway, and a good well and big hose to wash it down hill".

Survival, if "ify", may have better odds on the high ground you are familiar with, than the swamp you get into on a run.

Does that make me a part of the sub culture, or a sub of the sub culture?


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## cast iron (Oct 4, 2004)

After re-reading the linked article, I find it incomplete. They talk about storing food and such, but nothing about panic words and secret hand signals like we have been talking about on this forum over the last several days. Can you imagine the comments about that?


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

DANG! I forgot the secret hand signals....LOL!

I just had a conversation with a good friend of mine last week about a SHTF scenario. She asked me if I would be a survivor...I said absolutely....she said she'd just set there and die...I really don't understand that type of attitude...This old gal isn't sitting around waiting for someone else to take care of me...


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

..................After such an event , domestic oil production will be utilized by the military , railroads , state and local police and fire depts. , etc . General fuel usage will be the lowest priority , BUT , there will be plenty of Natural Gas available for personal vehicles as well as homeowner heating and generator fuel . The only problem is we have no infrastructure for Ng delivery so maybe the politicans should initiate a major program for the construction of such a delivery system . , fordy:cowboy:


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Lol, I can't imagine the grasshopper's comments if they read a fraction of the threads here! I don't understand why they get so hostile at the idea that some of us have chosen to spend our discretionary funds on preps instead of Hawaiian vacations and BMWs. Oh, wait...I went to Hawaii last year! I must not have been living in "fear" while I laid up preps.


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

elkhound said:


> lets just hope more folks listen and act upon it to be ready for events.



And what? The millions wake up and make a mad dash for the resources? Buy up all the plots of land around you? Order up everything from wherever you get your supplies.

Prep while you can, but when this kind of stuff is in mainstream media, it's too late to start!


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

manygoatsnmore said:


> .....some of us have chosen to spend our discretionary funds on preps instead of Hawaiian vacations and BMWs. Oh, wait...I went to Hawaii last year! I must not have been living in "fear" while I laid up preps.


My guess is you've been doing this well BEFORE the state of things crossed the panic zone.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

If they had wrote the article like most want that would have really screwed things up. Next thing you know it would be a fad.. And then prices go up and all that goes with that. This way we look nuts and people stay away from anything to do with the word prepper and i get to set in the cozy out of the way and watch it die 

Those that have ears to hear will hear


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

tinknal said:


> I read the article previously. I think the author made a lot of assumptions about our motivations, using words like "fear" and "worry" when none of the quoted preppers ever used those words.
> 
> I don't do this out of fear or worry, I do it in confidence and independence.


More willful misconception than assumption, I think. The author wants to paint a picture -- unfortunately, it's the picture in her head that she's looking for information to support, rather than using the information she's getting to paint a picture of reality for the reader.

That's what today's journalism looks like, unfortunately. Use words to support a preconceived idea, rather than actually research and learn and write to illustrate reality.


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## Peggy (Feb 14, 2010)

the article was insulting, comparing preppers to hippies.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Tracy Rimmer said:


> More willful misconception than assumption, I think. The author wants to paint a picture -- unfortunately, it's the picture in her head that she's looking for information to support, rather than using the information she's getting to paint a picture of reality for the reader.
> 
> That's what today's journalism looks like, unfortunately. Use words to support a preconceived idea, rather than actually research and learn and write to illustrate reality.


Perceptive observation.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Wayne02 said:


> 1960's Station Wagons...


The bottom one makes me think of my first pickup, it was a 1971 chevy, three on the tree. That was a fun time. > Thanks Marc


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## sapphyre (Dec 10, 2008)

Oh geez, my first post since last May! 

Reading the comments to the article now...gotta love that one that said basically "Gee thanks Ron Paul for undermining people's confidence in their country." I found that laughable, along with the article - which was a little offensive, comparing preppers to misguided religious cults.

Anyway, that lady says it like it's a bad thing to help people take their blinders off and look at the fragility of their comfort zone. I think what she was really saying is "There, there. Keep drinking your kool-aid and go bad to sleep now. NOW!"


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

I assume by now you all have also seen the ads for the upcoming series on NatGeo called DOOMSDAY PREPPERS...beginning Feb 7th.

The series looks like it will follow some whack jobs with big mouths... I don't see this as a positive series at all... I hope I am wrong.

-scrt crk


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## aunt fannie (Mar 7, 2009)

I saw the ads about the new show also. If 600,000 watch the show and 10,000 decide to prep.... prices will soar.


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## hillbillygal (Jan 16, 2008)

I watched the last episodes of Doomsday Preppers on youtube. I didn't think it was so bad. Actually got a couple of ideas from it. We don't get NatGeo so I'll have to wait until someone uploads it.


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## hintonlady (Apr 22, 2007)

I'll totally stop prepping if it becomes trendy. That would just make me sick, lol.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

Don't worry, it won't make very many more preppers here in North America because in the first place most of the city people don't have the space.


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

City people can prep too..don't yah know that is what they make dehydrated foods and water beds for????? Add a potable water filter and a case of sterno and they are good to go.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I've seen the promo tonight. Should be interesting. Probably will see much more of this, this year, since it is 2012 and many are expecting the Mayian prophecy and such, so it will be trendy this year.


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## hintonlady (Apr 22, 2007)

AngieM2 said:


> I've seen the promo tonight. Should be interesting. Probably will see much more of this, this year, since it is 2012 and many are expecting the Mayian prophecy and such, so it will be trendy this year.


AWESOME! I have a prophecy too. Somewhere between mid 2013 and 2014 many of us will score prep items on craigslist and at yard sales.

Love those Mayans!


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