This post was written by Rob Richardson from and originally posted on Offgrid Survival
Talking to Friends and Family about Prepping
A number of readers have emailed me lately asking how they can convince their friends and family to start prepping.
To be honest this is a touchy subject, one that can often make even hardcore preppers feel a bit uncomfortable.
For some, the thought of talking to anyone about prepping fills them with feelings of anxiety. Just the thought of others knowing what preps you have is enough to fill anyone with a sense of paranoia . And who can blame them, lately it seems like every time we turn on the news another government agency is warning people about those dangerous preppers.
For those that do try to talk about the subject, trying to get their family and friends on board can be a headache to say the least.
From friends and family members that truly believe the government will save them in a time of crisis, to those that have been brainwashed by the media to believe that preppers are all tinfoil hat wearing nutjobs, prepping can often be a touchy or even taboo subject to talk about. While we have touched on the subject in the past, I thought it was important to take another look at how we can help those we care about prepare for an uncertain future.
Dealing with those who believe the Government will help them in a time of crisis.
As a reader who recently wrote to me pointed out, 50 years of being programmed to believe that the government can help is hard to undo. We live in a society that is becoming increasingly reliant on the government to help them in every aspect of their lives. In fact, over 67 million Americans now rely on government aid to pay for either housing, food, health care, or education. That’s 1 in 5 Americans!
Most people simply don’t realize, or believe that they are in any kind of danger. Most Americans live under the belief that the government will be there to help them in a time of crisis. So what can you do to change this mindset and protect those that you care about?
Use the Governments own advice.
Even the government advises people to be prepared. They will be the first to admit that during a time of crisis it’s highly unlikely that they’ll be able to respond in under 72 hours.
At the very least, your friends and family should be prepared to survive at home without power, water, and utilities for a minimum of 72 hours. While most of the governments advice is rather simplistic, it may help you introduce the subject to those who depend on the government for everything.
Show them how the Government is increasing their preparedness efforts.
Over the last year the federal government has steadily increased their preparedness stockpiles by buying up huge amounts of emergency food and medical supplies. At one point, the government was purchasing so much emergency food that the major emergency food suppliers had to stop selling to the public.
And it’s not just food that they’re buying. From overhauling the National Emergency Alert System and running the first ever national test last November to running major multi-state multi-agency earthquake drills, it seems like the government is trying to prepare the public for something big. A number of these government agencies have also started to warn their employees to prepare for the worse.
Point out Government failures.
From botching the first test of the Emergency Alert System, to the way the government handled events like Hurricane Katrina, it should be apparent that once the feds get involved with anything,things quickly go from bad to worse. I would point out these break downs and ask your loved ones if they really want to put their lives in the governments hands.
One last point….
Prepping isn’t just about preparing for a cataclysmic end of the world event. It’s about being prepared for those small scale events in life that can feel cataclysmic if we’re not prepared. Having some extra food, water, and knowledge is no different than buying an insurance policy. We all hope that we will never have to use it, but should something bad happen you’re going to be kicking yourself if your not prepared.
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