Why is [prepper-ism] happening? Partly, no doubt, because it allows Americans to indulge in some of their favourite pastimes: consuming, camping and buying lots and lots of guns.
And partly because fear sells, drives up numbers for cable news, and increases sales for everything from dried food to assault rifles.
Liberalism holds that acceptance of "the other" is key, but at every juncture in this article, far from celebrating differences instead the author here is combatting deeply held FEARS that preppers are UNLIKE him.
He combats his fear of differences by reassuring himself that preppers are, in spite of themselves, SOMEHOW the same, somehow not less irresponsible; the prepper is INDULGING, the prepper is merely SELLING, etc. This also permits for a handy attack on COMMERCE, which is bad.
The notion that others are NOT indulging, not simply selling causes him FEAR.
What are the reasons that he sees differences between individuals and between groups as SCARY..?
Why is the author SCARED?
The other day I heard this:
Conservatives are people who prefer to be scared now, and comfortable later.
Liberals want to feel comfortable NOW, even at the cost of being scared later.
The author sees preparation efforts as reminding him that later HE WILL BE SCARED.
The author's tone is attacking because the actions of others are altering his GOOD FEELINGS --they are making him FEEL BAD, which is a new-age SIN.
"Preppers make me feel bad and that makes me want to produce news bits that cast them as freaks. This work provides me with a form of therapy. As an open-minded Progressive, I'm uncomfortable with the idea that some people don't hold the same opinions that I do.."
The author of this article doesn't know jack about preppers and makes conclusions out of ignorance.
I wasn't “scared” and didn't have “fear” when I began prepping in about 1998. I don't have fear now as I am prepared for an emergency.
Hoarding: Attaching this word to preppers shows the ignorance of the author. As long as supplies are plentiful, buying them is not hoarding. Even if I bought all of the beef stew in the store, by tomorrow there would be more on the shelf. There is plenty for everyone.
Also, who decides how much is hoarding? Are you hoarding when you buy two cans of soup? Is three cans of soup hoarding? You see, that makes no sense. Now, in an emergency, if there were only three cans of soup in the whole town, and I knew that, trying to buy all three cans before anyone else could get one, would be an example of hoarding.
Another example of hoarding;
One of the cruise ships was in trouble not long ago, and the ship was at sea and no food was going to be delivered for a few days. Food lines were set up for the passengers to pass by and get food. Passengers were filling their plate, plus they were sticking food in their pockets and purses. This was depleting the food supply quickly, so an announcement was made for passengers to only take the food on their plate in order to leave food for others. They didn't stop “hoarding” food. They didn't care if anyone else had food, they were getting as much as they could carry and tough cookies for the rest of the passengers.
The above example is what will happen when there is little food available. I won't have to stand in a line for food as I will already have mine. That leaves more food for other people who haven't prepared. I bought food when there was still plenty for everyone. I hope all people will buy extra food now. Having supplies will give peace of mind, not make one fearful.