Maybe you are at work, hanging out at your local watering hole, at the range with some buddies or simply shooting the breeze with your neighbor while outside in the yard. For whatever reason the subject of prepping comes up and it’s almost always brought up by the other party (I hope). After all prepping has become quasi mainstream with all of the survival shows on television. How do you respond once the subject is broached? Are you quick to divulge information and flaunt your expertise, or do you clam up and change the topic? I’m willing to discuss prepping on a very high “general knowledge” level with most people as I feel like totally denying the existence of such a lifestyle would be even more suspicious. However I always tend to take an approach which lets them do most of the talking while I never really give out too much information. What follows are a few responses I tend to use when the subject of prepping is brought up.
1- Prepping? That’s that stuff those wierdos do on that one television show right? The one where they wear the gas masks and stuff?
2- Dude yes! Preppers, those doomsday people. As a matter of fact I’m a prepper too and I’m working on my nuclear fallout bunker right now! (emphasis on sarcasm). *laughter all around*
3- Oh yea man, prepping. I’m totally a prepper, got like 2 years worth of food and a complete arsenal in my basement! *laughter* (aka hiding in plain sight).
4- You’re a prepper? That’s awesome dude, I’m sure those MRE’s in your basement will definitely come in handy. Where can I get some? (ignorance)
5- Preppers?!? Have you seen that crazy stuff on TV? Those people have serious issues, they think the end of the world and collapse of society is around the corner. I watched that doomsday show once and had to change the channel after 10 minutes. Freaks! (over the top)
It’s always interesting to engage in conversation after I hit people with the aforementioned responses. Usually I let them talk in order to gauge what their opinion is of preppers and how prepared THEY truly are. People are often all too ready to divulge personal information with respect to how many firearms they own or other preps they have. The only wild card would be if another hardcore prepper were to use my own methodology against me and we were both playing stupid without knowing it. That would truly be funny. 🙂
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“Preppers? Oh, yeah, dude, I grow Jalapenos and Habaneros, what do you grow?”
It all depends with me as to how well or how long I have known a person as to how I approach it. I never divulge the extent of my preps though. I have used several of the same comments or similar to what you have mentioned above but it all really depends on how the conversation starts.
Sometimes, when a show is mentioned, I will say something along the lines ” well, I probably need to consider getting some more food or water just in case” but that depends on how the show is being viewed from the person that brought it up.
The extent I am willing to discuss it depends on whether or not I can garner a benefit to doing so or possibly offer some advice to a prepper that really needs it. Again, I always keep OPSEC in mind no matter what. However, I figure the more people that are even slightly prepared the better it will be for me.
You and I think along much the same lines. Depending on who I am talking to makes a big difference in what I say. If it is a novice or a doubter I try and turn the conversation back to them by using a question: I don’t quite know what you mean by prepping, but I assume you have a flashlight (candles, Coleman lantern…etc) and a first aid kit for emergencies…don’t you?
If it is a fellow shooter my question will be along the lines of ammunition: You have been laying up ammo; haven’t you?
Of course there are infinite variations of the question but the point is to get them talking to see just how close they are to being a real prepper. In many cases it turns out they are really doing quite of bit of prepping they just never thought of it in that manner.
Hands down the best OPSEC article I’ve read! I usually get quiet when the subject comes up outside my ‘circle of trust’ but I’m transitioning to your tactic…BRILLIANT
Andrew J. Jackson!
I usually test the waters by saying, “I’ve always been sort of a prepper. I’m from MI and I always keep jumper cables, boots, a coat and blanket in my car in the winter. I also have a smoke detector in the house, a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. I keep some food in the house and some gas for the generator so if the power goes out I don’t have to run out and buy milk, bread, eggs kerosene and gas. For some reason folks gotta have french toast if there’s an ice storm.
#3 sounds too much like kidding on the square–laughing as you tell the truth. I would be suspicious of that one and believe you had something.
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Maybe that’s what I want you to think….or is it? 🙂
I guess where I live is an exception, most of my neighbors prep, it is a Utah thing, if you don’t you are the odd one out.
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So I’ve heard. I also heard people from Utah don’t like strangers settling on their land and attempting to change the culture, but I suppose that’s understandable.
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