Reluctance to join a prepper group or MSG?

[Justus]

I'm curious about the various reasons why some preppers are reluctant to join-up with others.
I see that groups in some areas are thriving while some areas don't have anything going on.
Not just on INGO but on other forums also.

Do you think it's just lack of time, lack of a clearly defined purpose or something else?

 

[burt gummer]

Well preppers dont want other preppers to know about what they have for gear or food, would you want somebody to know you have food for a year and they don't? Security is a key thing,

 

[shibumiseeker]

For me it's a combination of a lack of time and a lack of real interest. My social ties are already pretty well and firmly established and those are the people I will depend on in emergencies in large part because many of them are already the people I work with in emergencies. I'm pretty well along my path as it has truly been a lifelong road so while I am always open to learning new things, I don't see much payoff for the time invested. Moreover, I get tired of dealing with people whose survival philosophy is primarily based on a tinfoil hat version of what may happen and who skew their preps to that end, and yet have repeatable emergencies they refuse to train or prepare for. Don't sit there and yammer on to me about fema camps and how we need to prepare for the government blah blah blah when you can't even change a freaking tire on your car or stop bleeding or open an airway or get away from living paycheck to paycheck.

I'm happy to share what knowledge and experience I've gained in a lifetime of being a survivalist and prepper. But I already donate much of my time to help others, going to yet another meeting is pretty low on my priority list when I don't get much out of it.

 

[skulhedface]

That's what I was thinking as well. OPSEC is stressed as a priority everywhere. It's probably easier to get in with a group when there are at least a few in it that you know you can trust.

 

[Libertarian01]

To Justus (et alia),

I think for a lot of people they tend to think of SHTF and start prepping for The Walking Dead or Mad Max or some equally extreme tin foil hat. Paranoia sets and and they don' wan' u takin' thar stuff!

For some others, like me, I would love to meet up and just chat about prepping in general. I don't have much to contribute in the way of materials, but I haven't seen much activity in the NE area. I also have some other commitments on my time so my focus isn't there. Most of my prepping group stuff is chatting with friends who are willing to be open minded about a SHTF scenario and all the problems that could come with it.

A portion of the "prepping" mindset does come from an antisocial group that fits into that mold very well, they tend to stand out more when a group tries to form and get together.

To Shibumiseeker,

I don't picture you so much as a prepper in my mind. I'm sorry, but I see you as a cross between Grizzly Adams and MacGyver. You seem to live a "lifestyle" that nearly exactly matches the prepper mentality.

You are the man of wisdom on the mountain that walks the walk as just a normal part of your everyday life.

To my thinking a "prepper" in current cultural usage is someone going out of their way to prepare for problems, whereas you are already there due to your lifestyle. You go beyond prepper. There isn't a word yet for you, except maybe a holy grail of prepperdom.

Regards,

Doug

 

[shibumiseeker]

To Shibumiseeker,

I don't picture you so much as a prepper in my mind. I'm sorry, but I see you as a cross between Grizzly Adams and MacGyver. You seem to live a "lifestyle" that nearly exactly matches the prepper mentality.

You are the man of wisdom on the mountain that walks the walk as just a normal part of your everyday life.

To my thinking a "prepper" in current cultural usage is someone going out of their way to prepare for problems, whereas you are already there due to your lifestyle. You go beyond prepper. There isn't a word yet for you, except maybe a holy grail of prepperdom.

*laughs* thanks for the chuckle and the imagery :-)

I don't think I'm quite at the grail level yet, but it is a lifestyle for me. I suppose I don't tend to think of what my family does is anything out of the ordinary of what most people SHOULD be doing, but yeah, it is.

As far as the OP goes though, I am certainly not against the concept of the MSG or other group. I think anything that gets people headed that way is a good thing, I just don't have the time or energy for it.

 

[CHCRandy]

My idea of prepping is having enough guns, fuel and ammo to get everything else I need. Is this not a good strategy?

Seriously though.....what are some of the things you folks prep for?

 

[Justus]

My idea of prepping is having enough guns, fuel and ammo to get everything else I need. Is this not a good strategy?

Seriously though.....what are some of the things you folks prep for?

We prep for people that prep like that...

 

[Zoub]

So this guy preps his ass off. Then one day the SHTF and a group of young men, all teenagers from the area, come to his farm. They tell him, we know you have guns, give them to us or we will take them.

This was WWII and the teens were all Jews in Poland whose adult family members had just been slaughtered by the Nazis. They needed guns and intended to fight, they knew the Farmer had a stash of rifles.

Lots of reasons to build your own group, not join one.

 

[Zoub]

My idea of prepping is having enough guns, fuel and ammo to get everything else I need. Is this not a good strategy?

Seriously though.....what are some of the things you folks prep for?

This is the internet, how do you know anybody on here really preps for anything?

I don't.

Well, except for guys like you, that I prep for every day of my life. Yeah, that goes on the list of things I prep for. I guess I do prep. I don't like crooks, pre or post SHTF.

 

[Justus]

Lots of reasons to build your own group, not join one.

Are you still at Rubicon?

 

[The Bubba Effect]

The reason I have no interest in joining a "prepper group" or MSG is that I already have one. I joined my MSG when I was born. We have added some members over the years, but by and large we grow our own.

 

[rhino]

There are also a variety of personality and behavioral issues that make it very difficult for some people to be accepted by other people and vice versa. This happens in just about any interest among people who tend toward being individuals, but . . .

 

[churchmouse]

My interest in prepping has put me with a group of like minded people. I grew up with most of them. This circle gets wider by association. We do not meet regularly and spend just the time required to make sure we are all still on the same page. Our skill sets are diverse. We have no grandiose illusions of what will be.

 

[bwframe]

Too many folks seem to want to over think the whole concept of MSGs. My personal belief is that the utmost priority of the group is networking.

 

[miguel]

As Groucho Marx said, "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."

 

[IndyDave1776]

I am going to manifest my ornery streak and point out that you have to start by defining prepping. The guy who sets up to grow food, raises livestock, and live a normal albeit semi-Amish life in the event of SHTF will have little in common with the guy who wants to arm up, build a concrete bunker in his back yard, fill it with 50 years worth of MREs, and come up with extremely pale skin when it's all over.

 

[spencer rifle]

I tried to join a MSG on here in my part of the state. Didn't happen. So now some like-minded folks nearby have made our own. Still in the process of inventory, communications and cooperation, but we have a good start and continue to grow bit by bit. And slowly, to preserve OPSEC.

 

[Darral27]

I tried to get with a group at one point. About 5 of us exchanged emails for a while then we met up for breakfast one morning and I never heard from any of them again. Maybe it was just me, no telling. I am not from around here, been up north about 7 years. Since I have been a Hoosier I have pretty much worked constantly and tended to my wife, kids, and home. Kinda hard to make new friends as a not real outgoing 30 something man. I have no family to speak of, only one member of my wife's family that I have anything in common with. Sum it up I have no real reluctance to join a prep group. Just have not had time to find the right people.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I tried to get with a group at one point. About 5 of us exchanged emails for a while then we met up for breakfast one morning and I never heard from any of them again. Maybe it was just me, no telling. I am not from around here, been up north about 7 years. Since I have been a Hoosier I have pretty much worked constantly and tended to my wife, kids, and home. Kinda hard to make new friends as a not real outgoing 30 something man. I have no family to speak of, only one member of my wife's family that I have anything in common with. Sum it up I have no real reluctance to join a prep group. Just have not had time to find the right people.

Don't get discouraged. I got to talking shop about such things with another driver while 120 miles from home who is very like-minded and lives something like 5 miles from me. You never know who you will meet or where you will find them.