Observations on Preparations

ApocalypseEquipped has a really good post about preppers in the media.

I call this out because I think he's really hit the nail on the head with this one. The first point (the bit about firearms) is certainly different in Australia than the more gun-crazed United States (the Bay Area has lots of firearms floating around). It's interesting how guns do appear to be a focus for so many preppers.

The concept of "bugging-in" (love that phrase... sounds wrong) does appear to miss an important point: what if your chosen lair is hosed by disaster? I personally live in an area that's known for its earthquakes. In the case of the Bay Area, it's not necessarily a wise idea to assume one's home will be habitable should disaster pay a visit.

The fitness observation is the real clincher. So many preppers I know are horribly out-of-shape. I would not consider myself especially fit. I'm in okay physical shape, but need to dedicate a LOT more time and energy to getting my flabby arse more functional. I have one friend who now owns a place and is setting himself up with a farm and all that. He's in pretty solid shape and he's trained himself with all sorts of interesting skills (hunting, stone-knapping... I guess in case he's thrown back to caveman times... raising livestock, martial arts, firearms, etc.).

I always find preparedness discussions to be really eye-opening. It's a topic that fascinates me so I find I often chat with certain friends about it. Their reactions are equally interesting.

Some nod and agree that they ought to pay more attention to being prepared. Crime is rising. We live in earthquake and fire country. The weather patterns are wonky as hell. It pays to have a kit handy and get some first aid training and all that.

A smaller subset go further. They talk about their collections of guns/knives/other esoteric weapons and martial arts training. One or two own property and have prepared their homes for going "off the grid". I used to know a lawyer who up and moved to the country so he could have a farm. He'd planned on doing a big wind and solar power thing. Wonder if that played out for him?

Then there's the people who discount the idea of getting prepared as "being paranoid". One or two actively do not want to talk about the possibility of disaster and would never consider getting a three-day kit. That view really boggles my mind. It's not like a sixty-dollar kit is going to break the bank and should the fit hit the shan (see what I did there?) it would be a good investment.

It's really funny how people handle this topic.