Modern Survivalists Exist Among Us
As Western civilization tumbles toward a mess of a magnitude not seen in our lifetime, anyone could be forgiven for freaking out and getting a little irrational. But comfort yourself with the fact that however you're feeling right now, at least you haven't sunk to the disturbing depths of a new breed of survivalists, who, Details informs us, are known as "preppers," and who are quietly growing in numbers as a result of the economic crash, rising fuel costs, the terrorism threat, global warming, you name it. Unlike the erstwhile stereotype of a survivalist—the unsocialized, grizzled guy living in a bunker with just a shotgun for company—preppers pass as normal members of society, with jobs and families and nice clothes and houses: They're just obsessively hoarding freeze-dried meals, water (and water-purification tablets), camping gear, wine and vodka, and laptops "in ammunition canisters," so that when Armageddon descends, they'll be all set.
"I don't think the government is out to get me," insists a non-paranoid 34-year-old named Jason, who runs the survivalist website SHTFblog, "but I do think it'll be inept at delivering help should I and much of the nation need it during a time of disaster. Then there's SARS, global warming, increased food and fuel costs... Watch the evening news—why wouldn't you prepare?"
One important facet of the preppers' mindset: Keep your best laid plans secret. Firstly, you don't want people thinking you're crazy, but more importantly, when society breaks down, anarchy is reigning, and people are dying in the street, the last thing you want is friends knocking on the door hoping for a sip of water and a freeze-dried cookie.
