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Oh I can haz pg 5

From a moo moo wearing preper poser.  I'm on the webz.  I gots a can of food.  How light am I?

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where does one aquire a camo moo moo?...

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hey everybody, how many pumpkin pies does it take to be a survivalist?
I know some of you have to know the answer.



ETA

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Now go explain to the average backwoods homesteader....and they would ask you which methods you are using to do whatever....most would look at it as common place....and think you an idiot if you didn't have some supplies set back.

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if it was that simple i would have never made this thread LOL.

Im holding my real rant back. only becuase i know it would be counter productive.

Maybe i really should go post this on a  so called " prepper" only forum just so i can drive my point home with thier replies....


I agree with about 98% of what everyone here has posted..again im in this for answers......or else i woulda just posted that PA is just a moo moo wearing poser

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Seems like you have the answer? You know what is wrong ...so you must know the right to know the wrong? What is the answer?

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canned or freeze dried....

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only made it to life.....then quite to play foot ball and back pack on my weekends

and yes,,,bsa is what got me playing "survivor man"  in the 80's

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Which brings up a very rhetorical point....

Back in 'the day,' it was considered not only acceptable, but very SMART to "Be Prepared" for emergencies and to have 'survival' skills.  Generations have passed, people have become too used to having everything at their fingeritps with very, very few interruptions, and now they look at these same 'prepared survivalists' as extremists.

 

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This is very true. It's also important to note that while my grandfather may not have had 10 years of candles/food/etc set aside, he knew how to hunt, grow food, and make candles. That's what the current crop of people don't have. The know how.



You know most kids today don't know how to grow food, have never been camping, etc?



My younger brother didn't even understand the basic principles of how a battery works when I was showing him some basic solar stuff. It was like magic to him.

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I dont think people should  sleep under a slef made shelter when the power is out for 3 days or eat grubs.

The issue like you pointed out is the attempts to think that they can maintain that level of comfort for the duration of a longer term event.

For example. As i have seen this else where.
" what deep freeze for shtf"
At 1st i was going wtf? a deep freeze. But then due to my own "shtf" as some would call or "survival situtation"..i wish i had power and deep freeze back in 04'.  I did not. So i had to adpat. My planning on how to deal with power loss after that changed.
For me it was cheaper and easier to revert back into "camping" mode.
I dont look down on those that chose to live with their comforts during shortterm failures. It would be stupid to not prep for them. The issue is when you see a thread or a group of people being led into that way of planning becuase of its ease.
"Oh i'll go get two deep cells, a small harbor freight genny, a charge controller, harbor frieght solar kit and an invertor becuase now i have power for my fan, my mini DVD player and my deep freeze ,becuase i store alot of my shtf food in there...."
Now. In my mind i go HMMMMMmm. Few 100$ into a tempary  power solutions vs a few 100$ into food that would not need those resources.
Are you following me ?
Well imagine steeping into a thread like that and making that example, about why frozen TV dinners, steak and hot wings arent the best foods to supply for an event due to how much resources it takes to keep them fresh vs shelf stable foods that dont?!
I have and the backlash was crazy. Not just for bucking the idea but becuase they cant afford all those buckets of grains or #10 cans..they already have the deep freeze after all...is common type of retort to it.( but they can afford all the stuff to run it...)

TJ said long ago that surviving in comfort wins every time. I agree...but it seems, just like the TVshow colony many new folks cling to and spend to many resources trying to keep the comforts before getting some basics set aside. Like putting the horse before the carrige. Lets have temporary power...but no food......


imho if your learning like what you talking about, in the long term you wont need those PDF's and good for you on self teaching... IMHO way to many people are using such things as a cructh ( even if printed out) for a substitue for doing.
" oh damn henry cut his leg,.,,shit get the red binder....ok ,,,ok..page 56..shit,,goto page 87...damn henery stay with me man,,,,,,fucking pages are stickingtogether from all this blood.....henry why are you so pale....."While I agree with you it is only to a point.  None of us can know/teach ourselves/think of everything.  THis is where say an 80g ipod with pdf files might be useful.  Not for the stuff you need to know RIGHT NOW, but for the stuff you might have a need for eventually or rarely that you have not yet learned.  Like making a butter churn or shakes/shingles ala foxfire.  I don't see that as worth practicing now, but some day it might be handy to have a guide on how to do it as opposed to taking a SWAG approach.

that aint the time to be trying to look things up
I have met folks that could talk your head off about any shtf subject. sure they have the binders, the usb drives, external hard drives and back ups to those... and they have read everyone last one.....but the have never tried or done what they have archived!

I actaully like the idea of usb's for shortterm file docs for importnat papers etc for a grab go emergencys. not for long term events. I laugh when i see a few usb's in a BOB..but wheres the resources to get that info....espeically when the BOB is set up for wilderness use .

While I agree with you it is only to a point. None of us can know/teach ourselves/think of everything. THis is where say an 80g ipod with pdf files might be useful. Not for the stuff you need to know RIGHT NOW, but for the stuff you might have a need for eventually or rarely that you have not yet learned. Like making a butter churn or shakes/shingles ala foxfire. I don't see that as worth practicing now, but some day it might be handy to have a guide on how to do it as opposed to taking a SWAG approach.

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again maybe this  could be a defining difference for some, which causes them to say which "label" they take. Me, for example. I would rather know how to make bread from wheat now,then try later. Or know how to make butter now vs later. I myself read up on subjects and study them. Some i have tried out and others  i have not.  Im a pretty KISS type person. I see the Ipod as a weak link. I see the binder as a better option, i see knowing the skillset the best.
You see my point i hope. Of course it is a shit ton easier to touch the pad and have the info there instantly, and faster but knowing it may save time, resources and energy( the bleeding out person was an extreme example). We cant learn everything and to say to you or others that i dont have papers,books,mauals on how to do certain things i would be lying. However i dont use those matrials as a reason to not "try" something.

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You're a smarter man than I, if you can learn all the stuff without needing a reference. I don't see an IPod as a weak link, anymore than I see any tool as a weak link. If you have it, and can keep it functioning, it's valuable.

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This thread reminds me of threads about people that do IDPA and consider themselves "well-trained". Everyone gets a major butt-owiee, but it sure brings up some seriously good points about both sides.



Thanks for posting, Protus, you Multi-Cam wearing survivalist freak!

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I want my life prior and post disaster to be largely unchanged. That means I have had to make some serious changes NOW in order for that to happen, and more changes need to still be made.



A lot of the posts on this board and others contain things like "but I live in a city" or "I don't have the room", etc.... Basically excuses as to why they have to compromise on certain elements for survival.

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Feral got it right, I think the rest are still missing a big part of the equation.

Man, I wish life wasn't so busy right now, I've a post I want to make on exactly this topic I haven't had time to right up.

Terms don't really matter.  What you're talking about is mindset, and in most cases, the mindset of both preppers and survivalists are still missing it.

I'm trying to live sustainably.  I want my life prior and post disaster to be largely unchanged.  That means I have had to make some serious changes NOW in order for that to happen, and more changes need to still be made.  

A lot of the posts on this board and others contain things like "but I live in a city" or "I don't have the room", etc....  Basically excuses as to why they have to compromise on certain elements for survival.  I moved my family to an area outside the city, but with enough local resources to not be completely isolated.  We are on a well.  We are getting solar.  We're going to raise chickens, rabbits, and probably goats, and have several large gardens and maybe some aquaculture.  My area has year round growing cycles and is not prone to any natural disasters.  

It means some sacrifices for now, it means a different lifestyle compared to most of my peers, but I don't plan on going hungry regardless of what happens.  I don't plan on eating out of cans for months at a time either.  Oh, I'll have canned goods but I plan on eating fresh meat and vegetables every day.

Basically I plan on being a homesteader.  A modern era version of Little House on the Prairie.  Times have changed of course and it isn't an easy road but I think it's the right way to go.

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I would classify a prepper as a "normal" person who realizes there is risk, evaluates the risk (fire, economy, crime, tornatdo, etc), and prepares accordingly (within their means).  This may be a branching out from/or into other hobbies such as shooting, gardening, etc.  The prepper is community minded and self-reliant at the same time.  

In contrast, the survivalist is fixated on the least likely events (nuclear war, invasion, etc.).  They don't live a normal life, because every decision is based around survival.  They strive to be self-sufficient without ever realizing it is not humanly possible (that is why we have communities to begin with).  I would venture to say these are more likely to buy stuff they never use and may never even learn how to use.

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If we must differentiate between the two terms, this is the best answer of the whole thread. In a nutshell, I suppose it boils down to one's level of paranoia.

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If you really want to assign labels , then there are probably thirty levels between the 72hr prep kit couple and
the hardcore underground shelter off grid tamiflu stocking camo clad weapons specialists .
Although the basic mindset between the extremes is actually quite similar . It's recognizing that there could
be circumstances where you will need to fend for yourself with no outside assistance . The difference between
the levels being the severity and duration of the event you prepare for

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This, above.



If wide area electricity/order can not be restored in 6 months or whatever, we have bigger problems beyond what a 5 year food supply/prep stash can address. Folks devoting a large percentage of personal resources preparing for an extremely unlikely event are often labeled "survivalists."





I find it more practical to spend time cultivating relationships and/or learning more about personal finance/health than on learning how to make bread or butter from scratch.

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We all base what we do on what we think the greatest risks. I think the greatest risks are not a big SHTF event but a slow, steep erosion in our standard of living. I like eating well and being warm and comfy, so I plan the way I live my life around making sure that happens. I would be surprised if we went long periods of time without electricity, although its possible, but I could see situations where it was difficult to pay for. I keep some food stored, I have a generator for storms mostly because I got a screaming deal on it. But I consider both of those short term solutions to problems that have high probability but low risk of death. On the other hand, I can make butter, I can make cheese, I have planted fruit and nut trees as well as perrennial vegetables. I raise some critters and have plans and supplies for more as I find the opportunity (rabbits, mostly, although I could raise goats if I had the time at home.) I can hunt and shoot and have the supplies adn abilities I need to do that..Eventually, I'll learn more about trapping. I can sew and knit and crochet, although I want to learn to spin as well. I can provide basic medical care to myself and others, if necessary. Beyond the idea that this lifestyle (that I'm developing..I'm not there) keeps me safe in a variety of situations, I truly enjoy it and I believe I'm healthier for it.



Other people think the biggest risk is hurricanes or a catastrophy on the level of Katrina and prepare accordingly. I'm good with that. I'm not going to slam them for it. If they're self-supporting during limited disasters, that's good for all of us.



If other people want to prepare to survive a meteor hit, including underground bunker with the ability to grow food hydroponically, cool. Not a risk I'm prepared for or think is feasible, but it has no effect on my life and the odds are they're also prepared for the more likely activities, so again, they're not a burden on me and I'm good with them.

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like being a ranger vs a 42r mos?  right?

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...maybe im jaded by dealing with the worse case losers on several small forums..

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I don't think that there is any "maybe" about it.



Also, if some slight ridicule causes someone this much offense, I would be suspect about how they would respond to a true crisis situation.

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Feral got it right, I think the rest are still missing a big part of the equation.

Man, I wish life wasn't so busy right now, I've a post I want to make on exactly this topic I haven't had time to right up.

Terms don't really matter.  What you're talking about is mindset, and in most cases, the mindset of both preppers and survivalists are still missing it.

I'm trying to live sustainably.  I want my life prior and post disaster to be largely unchanged.  That means I have had to make some serious changes NOW in order for that to happen, and more changes need to still be made.  

A lot of the posts on this board and others contain things like "but I live in a city" or "I don't have the room", etc....  Basically excuses as to why they have to compromise on certain elements for survival.  I moved my family to an area outside the city, but with enough local resources to not be completely isolated.  We are on a well.  We are getting solar.  We're going to raise chickens, rabbits, and probably goats, and have several large gardens and maybe some aquaculture.  My area has year round growing cycles and is not prone to any natural disasters.  

It means some sacrifices for now, it means a different lifestyle compared to most of my peers, but I don't plan on going hungry regardless of what happens.  I don't plan on eating out of cans for months at a time either.  Oh, I'll have canned goods but I plan on eating fresh meat and vegetables every day.

Basically I plan on being a homesteader.  A modern era version of Little House on the Prairie.  Times have changed of course and it isn't an easy road but I think it's the right way to go.

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As i said earlier, the newbs are busy yelling "I'm not Bert G."



I know survivalists that cannot hike due to their health. I have very little interest in camping out of a backpack. Some folks might call me a poser––wutevr. My 4x4 has IFS. Call me a poser––wutevr. There is a whole generation of folks that have been taught that survivalists are teh debil. So they can only resolve that teaching with the need to keep some things to deal with common emergencies by not being survivalists.

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IFS....wholy fuch.......next youll say it has throttle body injection and auto hubs.....

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.



Does this mean you all are gonna laugh at my 4x4 Dakota with 4.7 liter engine and automatic transmission?

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Vrotec multiport fuel injection and push button on the dash autotrac 4x4





Get 'R Dun

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again maybe this  could be a defining difference for some, which causes them to say which "label" they take. Me, for example. I would rather know how to make bread from wheat now,then try later. Or know how to make butter now vs later. I myself read up on subjects and study them. Some i have tried out and others  i have not.  Im a pretty KISS type person. I see the Ipod as a weak link. I see the binder as a better option, i see knowing the skillset the best.
You see my point i hope. Of course it is a shit ton easier to touch the pad and have the info there instantly, and faster but knowing it may save time, resources and energy( the bleeding out person was an extreme example). We cant learn everything and to say to you or others that i dont have papers,books,mauals on how to do certain things i would be lying. However i dont use those matrials as a reason to not "try" something.