30 Reasons Why You Might Be a Crazy Prepper Nut Job

By Gaye Levy

With 100% certainty, I know that I am perceived as one of those “crazy prepper nut jobs”. I laugh at myself as I say this because like the story of the ant and the grasshopper, it is the crazy prepper nut job that is going to prevail following a disruptive event of any magnitude.

I first wrote about this back in December 2011, which, in prepper terms, is eons ago. Back then, preppers were a novelty and were considered extremists. These days, and especially with the release of Ted Koppel’s book, Lights Out, we are suddenly trail blazers and visionaries.

The Urban Dictionary describes a nut job as “A person of inadequate sanity or lacking normal perceptions of reality”. That is hardly how I would define modern day preppers and yet still, it is a moniker that is sometimes applied to our kind. Why is that?

In the broadest of terms, preppers live and breathe the need to be ready for uncertain times even though the cause of those “uncertain times” could be any of a number of diverse woes. As we talk about growing our own food, washing clothes by hand, grinding wheat into flour, and bartering for goods and services, the grasshopper types get a bit glassy eyed. Or perhaps they just get defensive. Sometimes it is hard to tell.

None of this seems loony-tunes to me, but then again, I am a Prepper.

This brings me to today’s topic: are you one of those “Crazy Prepper Nut Jobs?” Take this little test and see for yourself.

The Backdoor Survival “Crazy Prepper Nut Job” Test

1. Do you have a year’s worth of food, water and medical supplies stashed away?

2. Do you think that our planet’s ability to outpace the current population rate is doomed?

3. Do you refuse to get a flu shot because you deem it dangerous and unnecessary?

4. Do you own a firearm for self-defense purposes?

5. Do you have a concealed carry permit?

6. Do you have cash stored away in a personal hidey hole in anticipation of a global banking collapse?

7. Do you read alternate media sources such at Activist Post and Before It’s News?

8. Do you think we are on the brink of another Great Depression and when it happens, will not see a recovery for years?

9. Do you think high-ranking government officials and politicians are sneaky and egocentric?

10. Do you peruse at least 10 prepping and survival blogs a day?

11. Do you question everything you learned in school about history and so-called modern inventions?

12. Do you have supplies stashed under your bed, under the living room furniture, and in every other spare hidey hole throughout your home?

13. Do you have three dozen different flashlights and lanterns – just in case?

14. Do you know how much toilet paper you need to tidy up your business for a month? Using that calculation, have you stored enough TP to get you by for two years?

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15. Do you have 4 different ways to purify water?

16. Do you go camping not for the fun of it but to practice being off grid?

17. Do you stock fish antibiotics so if the SHTF your “fishies” will not get sick?

18. Is your favorite book, William Forstchen’s One Second After?

19. Can you survive three days with the supplies kept in the trunk of your car?

20. Do you make your own soaps, cleaners, and personal products from simple, basic ingredients?

21. Do you have the ability to cook outdoors using only the power and energy of the sun?

22. Do you take periodic field trips to the forest or desert in order to pick up biomass?

23. Do you know four ways to start a fire?

24. Do you have a portable solar panel that can be used to power your eBook reader when the grid is down?

25. Do you have a Ham radio license solely for emergency communication purposes?

26. Do you know what a Faraday cage is?

27. Have you built your own Faraday cage and filled it with electronics?

28. When meeting new people, do you ask them trick questions to determine whether or not they are preppers?

29. Do you believe that Camp FEMA exists and that a visit to that particular “camp” is to be avoided at all costs?

30. Do you hoard (oops, store) unused toiletries, clothing, and other discarded items so that they can be used in a barter economy?

The Final Word

Although this little test is somewhat tongue in cheek, the reality is that prepping is still considered a bit out there. Perhaps no longer extreme, but still unconventional.

That said, many of us (and I am including myself here), have families that just don’t get it. This weighs heavily upon us and, when coupled with the burden of truth and knowledge, can bring sadness into our lives. I do not have a solution other than to say that when friends and family become agitated and defensive when you talk about preparedness, just shrug it off. You can only do what you can do and must learn not to take it personally.

I am sure you will agree with me when I say that preppers are not crazy nut jobs. Call us names if you like, but prepping and being a prepper is simply being smart. And that, for today, is all I will say about that.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye

PS: If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy this one that was written last year by my friend and blogging colleague, Daisy Luther.

Gaye started Backdoor Survival to share her angst and concern about our deteriorating economy and its impact on ordinary, middle-class folks. She also wanted to become a prepper of the highest order and to share her knowledge as she learned it along the way. She considers her sharing of knowledge her way of giving back and as always, we at Activist Post are grateful for her contributions. If you would like to read more from Gaye Levy, check out her blog at http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/. You can also visit her Facebook page or sign up for updates by email by clicking on Backdoor Survival Updates.