Is Prepping Worth it? What if Nothing Happens? Is it all a Waste?

Earlier this year, I ran across an blog post on the Directive 21 site that asked the question: What if Nothing Happens? The context was that of prepping. You know what I mean: the time, the expense, the worry, the whole shebang. Is it worth it, and, more to the point, will all of this effort be wasted?

Now I happen to know that a lot of naysayers out there will point to the year 2K brouhaha as an example of why prepping is folly.

Myself, I like to think that I bring a very unique perspective to that particular time since, as an old COBOL programmer, I knew how the computer code of old would blow up with the turn of the millennium. I also know many people who were frantically involved in code conversions, and even I provided a bit of consulting to the telecommunications industry in that regard.

So why was Y2K a non-event? I would say that the diligent preparation on the part of governments and businesses played a huge role in insuring that utility companies continued to work, the ATM machines continued to function and that daily life continued without a hiccup. (That is not to say that I did not have $5,000 in small bills hidden under my mattress, however.)

Coming back in to the present, we have six more months for the Doomsday 2012 events to unfold. And now that the end of the Mayan calendar has pretty much been dispelled, what is left? 

Well let me see:

• Hurricane season is coming up
• Wildfires are spreading in the South and Midwest
• Shoot-em-ups of innocent bystanders are occurring in our cities
• Underemployment and unemployment means more and more citizens are living below poverty
• Governments around the globe are facing bankruptcy and the potential for total collapse

So gee, have a nice day too, right?

But if a list of potential disasters and economic calamities is not worrisome and you – or more likely your friends and relatives – groan at the effort of prepping, let us ask the question: What if nothing happens?

Jeff, the Berkey Guy and his sidekick David articulate the answer well.

What if Nothing Happens? 

That’s exactly the question I’ll ask you. 

You, the prepared individual. You, the prepper who purchases food to have in the event your employment situation loses its revenue temporarily, or a minor movement of the earth closes local markets and grocers. You, the healthy student of nutrition. You, the responsible parent who works to provide the necessities of life for your children and grandchildren and works to secure those ongoing needs. You, the involved citizen who talks with your neighbors and cares about the safety of your neighborhood. You, the owner of a vehicle who pays auto insurance for security against an undesired vehicular event. You, the purchaser of health insurance for a family whose health is fundamental and essential. You, the ardent securer of water storage, just in case another 5-day boil-water-alert happens this month. You, the consumer who also produces constructively while others are socially-secure thanks to your payroll contributions. You, whose money is lent to banks whose bail-outs secured enormous pensions. You, whose income tax returns without interest. 

What if not one thing happens this year to drastically – or even minimally- inconvenience your lifestyle? 

In the event that your storage of food, water, medical, and other resources remains unmoved out of necessity, then count yourself fortunate. This is what we hope for, although we’d be willfully ignorant to discredit the vulnerabilities of our current environments, local and global!  

If your application of primitive or pioneer skills finds use within recreational or standard homestead practices instead of emergent necessity, then continue enjoying their practice in peace. Please carry on and experience the following in your endeavors to be self-reliant: 

• the joy of cultivating your plants and harvesting the literal fruits (& vegetables) of your labor 

• the satisfaction of knowing basic skills to make many of the leisurely staples such as flour, pasta noodles, sausage, buttermilk, cheese, bread, and so much more 

• the stewardship of slaughter & butchery 

• the responsible care and maintenance of firearms and useful weapons/tools 

• the autonomy of filtering and purifying water for all-things-related to its supply and use 

• the comfort of attending to basic medical issues, affording you the avoidance of over-crowded emergency waiting rooms, and unnecessary exposure to other contagious pathogens 

• the peace of mind that your food is not unnaturally grown and crammed intocompact living conditions 

• the security that comes with protection against a failing economy and currency, through precious metals 

• the integrity of enjoying life’s experience as a perpetual learner, an ever-studious pupil 

• the unmatched fulfillment which attends precious family moments of teaching, learning, and sharing 

• the limitless advantages of perpetual personal progress

Natural disasters are going to happen as part of life. Adverse events are somewhat out of our control, so we prepare for those things which we can control: having something rather than having nothing. Knowing-by-doing rather than not knowing and doing nothing. 

And if nothing happens, we have the satisfaction of having prepared for when it does. 

. . . David SafeWater at Directive 21

The Final Word

From time to time we all need to be reminded that all of our efforts to prepare are not a waste of time, money or energy. Both mother nature and human nature tend to send us curve balls — both large and small — all of the time. Some are bigger than others, but regardless of the magnitude, these burps in our lives and in our normal routine can be disruptive if not disastrous to those that do not prepare.

As so well said by David in his article, there is a certain inner peace and sense of satisfaction that comes from being self-reliant. As a prepper, you can stand with your head high and be proud: self-reliance is a grand adventure of the highest magnitude.

Spotlight: The article What If Nothing Happens? originally appeared on The Berkey Guy Blog in March 2012.

The Berkey Guy has been a sponsor of Backdoor Survival and Activist Post from almost the get go. He introduced me to the Royal Berkey water filter which I have to tell you is far far superior to any my old pitcher based Brita or refrigerator PUR system. The filters in the Berkey last a really long time making this an extremely economical source of healthy drinking water. According to my math, 6,000 gallons from two filters = less than 2 cents a gallon (this is exclusive of the cost of the unit itself).

For more information, visit Directive 21.