I Want to Prepare, But Does That Mean I Believe The World Is Ending?

by Brandon Hunt

I’m going to lead with a personal experience.

So, the other night I went grocery shopping with my family. When we arrived at the store one of our boys had fallen asleep, so I decided to wait in the van with our kids. My wife went inside. After a bit she returned with a few buckets of emergency food, which we had specifically gone shopping for. She said to me, “I don’t want to seem like a prepper, but I want to make sure we have food for our boys. I just worry when I hear about empty shelves at stores.”

What my wife said got me thinking about the perception of preparation. I work for an emergency preparation company (Emergency Zone) after all. When it comes to preppers, it appears some sort of social stigma is attached to the term “preppers”, or even preparation.

Because of that recent experience, I wanted to tackle the idea found in the title question, but also talk about why preparation makes sense. 

I assume there are people who feel the desire to prepare for emergencies, yet at the same time they worry their efforts make them appear to be Doomsdayers. And the media does a good job of portraying “preppers” in a negative manner. It’s understandable people may hesitate to prepare for emergencies to avoid criticism or spurious judgment from others.

The Question

Let’s return to the title question, simply because some people don’t want to come across as paranoid end-of-the-world kind of people.

In answer to the question, I’m going to say, No, your desire to prepare does not automatically label you as a Doomsdayer. Rather you see the need and the evidence that emergency preparation makes sense. 

Now, you could also have fun with answering the title question by answering in the affirmative. Here’s an example: “Why, yes. I do believe the world will end….someday….long after my time. But I still want to prepare for the collapse of society.” If family, friends, acquaintances or co-workers harass you over your prepping desires, you may find a little humor often changes perceptions.

Ultimately don’t let any perceived perception of emergency preparation sway you from what you need to do. 

Now that we’ve answered the title question of this post, let's go further as to why everyone should prepare to some degree.

Why Emergency Prepping is Sensible

Take a look at the conditions facing us right now. Conditions, I might add, that began in 2020. Since the new decade began, what was once our normal way of life has since been replaced.

Notice how the words “a new normal” are not bandied about these days? That’s because we have quietly accepted and transitioned into the new normal. Our new normal is economic downturn and inflation, the rising cost of living, a never ending pandemic, supply chain woes, riots, and so much more.

Okay, the above sounds more like a doomsday scenario, sorry about that. Though, I have heard people say they wish we could go back to the way things were.

I only mention all of the problems to make a point — if you haven’t started storing food by now, it’s probably a good idea to start.

If you want to predict the future, then look to the past. Rome is only one example. Enough societies have collapsed to make it a pattern rather than the exception. Shouldn’t we take notice?

The Trend of Empty Shelves

Recently one of the top trends on Twitter was #BareShelvesBiden. People were posting images and commenting on all of the empty shelves at grocery stores. 

You can also find articles detailing the same thing — bare shelves at supermarkets. Some places are worse off than others. The food shortages are not uniform across the whole nation, it’s rather sporadic. Still, are the shortages indicators of what is yet to come for many more of us? Food shortages are here.

It would seem the economy-destroying policies of 2020 have come home to roost. The ripple effects of the lockdowns are now being felt. One of the results of those lockdowns, and other mandates, was the destruction of tons of food, because farmers and producers were unable to get their food to market. What choice did they have?

So, here we are. You may not have felt the food shortage yet, but research indicates the shortages will remain for some time.

What Can You Do?

It doesn’t really matter if you believe the world is ending or not.

Yeah, there are problems occurring globally and closer to some. We are all affected by them. The good news though, is that some time remains, where you can systematically and smartly build up food storage. 

You might be in an area less affected by food shortages. If that is the case, start gathering a few extra items each time you shop at the grocery store. It’s one way you can build a few months worth of food, without adversely affecting the grocery store’s food supply.

Additionally, you can look online. There’s plenty of survival/emergency preparation businesses online (think Emergency Zone) that offer freeze dried food. With freeze dried food you can store it for a long time and use it when there’s no other food source.

Another area you can look for as a source of food is your local farmers. Many of the smaller farms strictly sell to their communities, or within a small radius. Not only are they one possible food source, but you can support local farms. 

In The End

We’ve had some wake up calls these last couple of years. Events are showing the cracks, the weaknesses in our system, and we’ll either straighten it all out, or we’ll fall like other societies in the past.

In the meantime, gather your food storage while you can, and while some food remains. And don’t worry if people wonder if you have turned into a world ending doomsdayer. Focus on your and your families needs.