89: Yep, I’m a Crazy Prepper

Brian Duff|April 1, 2020

I’m a crazy prepper who now more than ever wishes he had a hidden bunker with 10 years of food stockpiled and ready to go. Maybe filled with video games and movies. But seriously, yes, I consider myself a prepper. Actually, I embrace the term because I find it tragically humorous that many in modern society label people who prepare for future adversity as crazy whackos.

Unfortunately, it’s the misconceptions due to the “othering” and labeling by those who don’t prepare that cause many to not prepare. The fact is that the unjust stigma society throws on the prepping community prevents many from becoming prepared to face the difficulties that are part of life. Despite what the mainstream media label us, preppers are mostly not hoarders or dangerous members of society.

Instead, preppers are people who are concerned with the resiliency of themselves and their families. Preppers are people who want to be personally responsible and part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Preppers want to be their own best, self-reliant resource when it comes to protecting themselves and their loved ones.

Being a Crazy Prepper

Child wearing a tinfoil hat

Did I go out at some point and buy rice and beans in bulk? Yeah, of course. I don’t have years and years and years worth, but enough to take care of myself, some friends, and some family for a little while. Is that a bad thing right now?

I recognize that my brain wants to go elsewhere, truly hoping to avoid any major problems. That’s what my emotional brain wants. It’s the fight or flight center of your brain.

The lockdowns and restrictions we’ve faced over the past year have told a lot of us that what we’ve been doing wasn’t so nutty after all. If nothing else, 2020 was an ideal year to be a crazy prepper.

But how “crazy” are you? Are you starting to suffer mentally from this slow-burning breakdown of our economy and society? If so, you should understand that’s not a sign you’re crazy – it’s a sign you’re normal.

Feeling Isolated Doesn’t Mean You’re a Crazy Prepper

Person sitting alone in the dark

Shortly after the lockdowns began, I realized I was going a little bit stir-crazy already. I had a conversation with a very good friend who felt the same way. We’re human beings. We’re herd animals. We like to be social. I mean, we wouldn’t have football games and homecoming stuff if we weren’t social. We’d have professional hide-and-seek instead.

So it’s natural to feel like you’re isolated when you’re cooped up. You’re a hundred percent normal.

Some ways to lessen your feelings of isolation are to call your loved ones and use technology and social media for your benefit. Set up family Zoom calls for faraway relatives to be able to connect. Don’t wait for the holidays to get together online.

As restrictions loosen, you can begin getting together again. Get together outdoors for a picnic or a barbecue. Meet at restaurants that have outdoor patios. Do what you can to keep in contact with the people you care about and use social media for the very aspect it was made for – to socialize.

Mindset Techniques

Take a mental break and enjoy breathing the air. Let’s focus on the good. It’s a good thing that we can go outside right now and breathe the fresh air. Feel gratitude that we’re not one of the people who may be ill. We can feel grateful if our family has escaped unscathed so far.

Trying to remain in a good mindset is hard. We can overcome adversity. We’ve done it in the past. As we go into this, think positively and be grateful. There are certain things you need to be grateful for in your life. Saying it out loud is good for you.

It’s difficult when there’s so much negative stuff on the news, but try to focus on the things you can control instead of the things going on halfway across the planet that you can’t affect at all.

It’s a Good Time to Convince Others That Being a Crazy Prepper Isn’t So Bad.

Man talking with upset woman on park bench

If nothing else, the past year was living evidence that being a crazy prepper can pay off. Those of us who had toilet paper, plenty of food, and an emergency fund over the past year felt a lot more secure than the folks who had scoffed at us over the years.

If you are preparedness-minded and you have those in your life who aren’t, don’t beat them over the head with it. Help them understand that preparedness isn’t necessarily something that matches up to the stereotype. Not all preppers are ultra-conservative people with big trucks and camouflage hats. Some are, and some are soccer moms, and some are regular folks at your office.

Now more than ever is a time we can bring others over to the prepped side.

The Bottom Line About Being a Crazy Prepper

While 2020 was the year from H-E-double-hockey-sticks, and 2021 isn’t looking much better, at least we can look at the preparedness plans we enacted with some satisfaction. Being a crazy prepper has probably helped you weather the storm far better than those who didn’t prepare.

So don’t stop now. Keep up the good work and embrace being a crazy prepper. You’re in good company.

Have you had people call you crazy for prepping in the past? Did they come around since the pandemic occurred? Were you able to help them develop a more prepared mindset by using current events? Share your experiences in the comments.

Additional Resources

Stay safe,

1 Comments

Mike Kane on May 23, 2020 at 6:11 pm

The numbers change to much to have been true .001. and 1 percent are a lot different the Israelis have what 300 dead population abt the same as NY and Tokyo

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