Survivalist Forum banner

Survivalists vs. Preppers

14K views 56 replies 46 participants last post by  Staxx 
#1 ·
The other day someone wrote to me on another board:

Until about 2 days ago I had not ever heard the term "prepper" and don't know what the difference really is. Seems to me that one is a subset of the other rather than an entirely different thing, but I would be happier to have someone who understands that difference more deeply explain it. Care to do the honors

I replied:

I'm self-treating a self-diagnosed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with a "Thumb Stabilizer" (wrist brace) and so have been truncating many of my postings of late. I touched on this subject in my novel TEOTWAWKI Beacon's Story http://desertdavesteotwawkisurvivalguide.blogspot.com/2011/10/teotwawki-beacons-story-part-one.html However I'll try to give you an explanation.

You are correct. "Preppers" are a reaction to "Survivalists". While I embrace "preppers" I eschew "survivalists". But how to tell the difference?

Years ago I was watching an interview with a self proclaimed survivalist on TV. As he talked about his guns a fly began buzzing around his head. Instead of trying to shoo it away with a hand he began snapping at it with his teeth. It took several tries but eventually he managed to catch the fly in his mouth and swallow it. He explained to the stunned interviewer that flies were protein and in a "survival situation" every gram of protein was precious.

Example #2
Years ago my wife and I began tentative talks with two other sets of people with regard to teaming up in case of a nuclear exchange between the USSR and America.

One guy turned out to be congenital liar and megalomaniac who planed to start his own tribe after the bombs fell. We distanced ourselves from him. The other seemed OK and we went so far as to buy a Ruger 10/22 with him at wholesale through a friend he knew. But then one day we drove up into the mountains and he showed me the local Boy Scouts camp. He told me once law and order had been bombed out he planned to come up to the Boy Scout camp, kill the camp's live in grounds keeper and set up, you guessed it, a community in the mountains with him as leader. We distanced ourselves from him too.

The term "prepper" hadn't been invented yet so I guess my wife and I were technically "survivalists" back then. But I didn't want any part of people like that and so made plans to go it alone if the need ever came. Fortunately it never did.

A "prepper" may have a bungalow in the burbs and vacation cabin in the woods. They'll have stocks of food and water and a few guns.

A "survivalist" has some food, a lot of guns and may have a bunker in the bush.

You probably know some "preppers" without knowing it. Telltale signs are always fully stocked cupboards, food stored in the garage and/or basement and maybe a 55 gallon water barrel.

If you know a "survivalist" he'll have shown you his gun collection.

When "survivalism" was big in the media a friend of mine (fellow prepper) knew a Sergeant on the local police force. My friend told me that when the subject of preparing for TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) came up the cop had told him he intended to survive by taking what he needed for him and his family with his gun.

It's attitudes like that that cause "survivalists" to stock up on ammo and "preppers" to keep their heads down.

If properly stocked up you can feed your family for a year, your family and neighbors for a month and the neighborhood for a week.

Then what?

Getting back to your point, "preppers" probably split off from "survivalists" about the time "survivalism" became a hit with the media. Preppers just want to quietly prepare in case something happens.

Those people you see on Doomsday Preppers parading around with guns and gas masks seem to me to be more interested in garnering their 15 minutes of fame than surviving anything.

Of course you could argue that "survivalists" storing ammo are "prepping" too and that a "prepper" with a gun is a "survivalist" but I would argue that the difference is in the size of the food locker vs. the size of the gun locker.

I've got to stop now, my thumb is starting to hurt again.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I've always seen "prepper" as a kinder, gentler term to refer to survivalist since the media has worked hard to crucify us for several decades. Some people want to see a difference in the two terms. But I see them as one and the same. The differences I see are in how "survivalists" prepare. Some eat worms, some are ready to live in the sticks with nothing but a knife and a flint, others store food and grow gardens. All different facets of "survivalism" or as some called it "prepping."
 
#3 ·
A few psychos posing as survivalists doesn't make them all that way anymore than a hoarder is necessarily a prepper.

I don't think one is a subset of the other, really, but there is a lot of crossover. Personally, when I think 'survivalist', I don't think guns. Guns take ammo, have moving parts. Added complication. When I think of a survivalist, I think of basic rudimentary skills--firemaking, flintnapping, meat butchering--and basically living on renewable resources. When I think 'prepper', I think people who store gas, lighters and the like.
 
#4 ·
People use the words as they were the same. Even if they cut into each other, for me a survivalist is someone who collects and trains skills while a prepper is someone who collects food and other things. A survivalist will endure and use their skills in a creative way, while a prepper will hide and try to mimick everyday life on their preps.

I don't look down on "prepping" but I do look down on the prepper lifestyle, and I do not think we should use the word prepping instead of the word survivalism just because it sounds nicer. Survivalism is the broader term and it can include surviving in any type of scenario, it doesn't even have to be totally slanted towards an unknown future disaster. IMO survivalism is something that involves someone's personality, while prepping is for those who don't want to grow.

We need to reclaim the word survivalism.



Flame on.
 
#7 ·
To me, preppers are accumulating resources to see themselves through times of trouble.

Survivalists, on the other hand, are attempting to create a sustainable situation that will outlast the supplies of the prepper.

Obviously there's overlap, and I'm on my way to being as survivalist though I currently am mostly a prepper. I'd say I'm about 15 percent of the way.
 
#8 ·
when i here the 2 terms this is what i think

Survivalist - Someone who has trained for a long time and has honed their skills to live off the land with minimal supplies, usually a loner with a very small group of people they plan to include in their group.

Prepper - Usually a larger group of people, but could also be a single family that plans on rebuilding a community to grow and harvest food either in the same location they now live, or a pre-determined bug out location. usually has a large amount of food, water, medical and other supplies stored for just in case events.

I do not include any negative ideas about either group, really to me the only difference is the survivalist could also be referred to as a minimalist, while a prepper could be more categorized as a farmer / rancher. i think both styles are admirable.
 
#12 ·
A survivalist is a prepper and vice versa. Both a trying to be sure that they and the people that they care about are able to care themselves should something happen that causes a significant impact on the normal everyday activities that we have all come to expect.
 
#15 ·
Survive means to:
1. Continue to live or exist, esp. in spite of danger or hardship.
2. Continue to live or exist in spite of (an accident or ordeal).

Prepare means to:
1. Make (something) ready for use or consideration.
2. Make (food or a meal) ready for cooking or eating.

So you would think a Survivalist was someone seeking to continue to exist. But instead most so identified individuals seem to have a death wish. Mainly anti-government types or worse. Heck, I have seen some say they would rather die than (fill in the blank).

Whereas the Preppers tend to follow the make ready definition. Though many seems to be making ready for a apocalypse rather than more common events. (most common events are well covered if you are prepared for a apocalyptic event).
 
#36 ·
Survive means to:
1. Continue to live or exist, esp. in spite of danger or hardship.
2. Continue to live or exist in spite of (an accident or ordeal).

Prepare means to:
1. Make (something) ready for use or consideration.
2. Make (food or a meal) ready for cooking or eating.

So you would think a Survivalist was someone seeking to continue to exist. But instead most so identified individuals seem to have a death wish. Mainly anti-government types or worse. Heck, I have seen some say they would rather die than (fill in the blank).
This is because the media loves to identify every psycho with a mad max complex as a survivalist, when they clearly are not. They are just psychos with a mad max complex (most likely due to a fantasy movie depiction of no rule of law to stop them from running amok and preying on other people).

The anti-government people tend to be hard core "revolutionary" types, enamored with grandiose fantasies of being "HEROES", in their mind "saving" the constitution and bringing a corrupt government back to the hands of the people. A lot of these delusional people tend to gravitate towards the militia movement...just read their posts and you'll spot them.

Psychologically speaking, many of them are probably overcompensating for some kind of sense of inadequacy, or low self esteem by envisioning themselves as heroic and mighty saviors of the nation.

Whereas the Preppers tend to follow the make ready definition. Though many seems to be making ready for a apocalypse rather than more common events. (most common events are well covered if you are prepared for a apocalyptic event).
People who want to be called "preppers" are politically correct survivalists. Right down to the sugar coated, soft and friendly sounding name "prepper", even though survival is just as much their goal as it is for serious survivalists.

Note that a "serious" survivalist is just someone who is serious about surviving anything that may befall. Survival, as a goal, means being alive and has NOTHING to do with building tribal kingdoms in a savage, radioactive wasteland after the bomb falls. Becoming a post apocalyptic warlord is a fantasy of delusional people, or immature folks who haven't grown up yet.

And for those who will pounce on my use of the term "serious" survivalist, as being different from term prepper, the Preppers began to slide away from the "serious" edge the exact same instant they began worrying about what they were called, instead of what they were practicing.

The common sense practice of secrecy means that nobody should be calling you anything.

Every intelligent person knows that there are some things you should NOT make public knowledge. Nobody has a NEED to know your bank account numbers, PIN numbers, social security number, where the valuables are located inside your home, the combination to your home safe (if you have one), how many firearms you own or how many emergency supplies you have stored away.
 
#19 ·
I believe that somewhere along the line (Ruby Ridge? Rambo? Waco?), through the media, the term Survivalist became synonymous with "Radical anti-government seperatist gun nut." The general public began to associate any one interested in firearms, hunting, and being capable of spending the night in the back country by themselves as being a "survivalist." People began to refer to themselves by more gentle terms like "outdoorsman" to avoid the media assigned stigma of the term "survivalist." The term "prepper" was probaly a more natural progression for those who live in a more urban enviornment who stock items in preperation for an event that could leave them without all their modern conveniences.

Just my two cents.
 
#20 ·
To me 'survivalist' from the 70s and 80s was advance bushcraft. Practicing your ability to survival in the wild with a knife and the clothes on your back. Now it has taken on a different tinge with people who drool over their guns.

'Prepper's are often seen as hoarders.

I prefer 'homesteader'. People who work toward living self-sufficient, sustainable lifestyles.
 
#21 ·
Another thread where I could go on for hours and even giving many of my experiences over the past 30 years when I first began to call myself a survivalist, it might have even been in 1981. The eighties were very interesting to say the least. But the world and the USA might be in much more danger today in losing more freedoms.

I do believe that the term prepper is a term that is trying to take the place of the "scarier" survivalist term. The mass media has done a good job of demonizing the word survivalist.

I also think that preppers have more money than survivalists but it depends. Preppers for the most part seem to just buy things and stock up while survivalists know how to survive even on little money and likely would make it through a Great Depression and not simply recessions. Some survivalists even prepare for nuclear war, such as I try to and thus are likely prepared for anything, hopefully.

Survivalists who are into wilderness survival know much bushcraft and outdoors skills but some survivalists concentrate on guns and such. I like to think that I am a general mike of all trades survivalist. My chainsaws are more important to me than any guns that I might own.

I still will go by that instead of prepper though. I also sometimes call myself a well prepared outdoorsman since that probably even more clearly explains what I have been, what I am and alway will be.

Here is a paragraph from a 1981 article which might explain about all of this even more. This was before the term prepper even existed or at least was widely known as it is today.

A paragraph from the link below >

"The least-committed to the survival movement bought some goods, stayed home, and went about their business with a little hedge; those further along bought a place in the country to run to at the first sign of trouble; but the true believers uprooted themselves, abandoned or altered their careers, left comfortable, accustomed life-styles, picked locations they felt were safe, and retreated.

In another time they would have seemed absurd, hopelessly paranoid, bomb-shelter bonkers, but they were singing the words to a tune that was being hummed with an increasing frequency throughout the land, first in checkout lines, gas stations, mortgage departments, and now nearly everywhere I traveled: a kind of collective uneasiness that had blossomed into national trembling. "What the hell's going to happen?" everyone was asking.

"We know, and it won't be pretty," said the survivalists. In a way their answer drew on things that have always been with us--the guns, the love affair with the rough-and-tumble, do-it-yourself frontier, the circle of wagons. But there was a difference, a new twist. The romance was gone. This was the flip side of the American Dream, contraction instead of expansion, mistrust in the future instead of faith, a turning inward like the closing petals of a flower."

Here is the very long but very interesting article about Tappan and other early survivalists. Although I for one, consider many in the past such as my grandparents etc. to also be survivalists. Although the term survivalist supposedly was not invented until 1972 by Kurt Saxon.
The long excellent article for any who wish to read and learn much more about survivalists of the 1970's and '80's > http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=143654
 
#22 ·
Words matter. If one calls himself a survivalist, he thinks about his future survival under any possible circumstances. Preppers are mostly people refusing to look at the world as it is. Most of preppers who, supposedly, preparing for "common" disasters would not increase their chances of survival to any measurable degree, but may increase their comfort in case of short term trouble. Let see you live in Manhattan. The last real trouble was in 1880's. Whole generations were born, lived and died without seeing a "common" disaster, meanwhile the lived thru world wars, depression and half a dozen smaller conflicts. Tell me again how being a prepper in this case is better than a sheeple? Survivalist, on the other hand was thinking of bigger (and seemingly unlikely) events, possibly making it possible to survive them, all without a case of water. And this "unprepared" survivalist split to avoid Sandy, with his valuables intact and protected. No generator was needed.
 
#23 ·
I believe you can be both at the same time. You prep your family and/or community to be self sustained and able to live off your resources, while you have the weapons available at your disposal to use to protect your stored goods and community/family members from those individuals who think they can just take what they want because they didnt prepare.
 
#24 ·
as far as timothy mcveigh was concerned,he was neither. he was just an idiot and i dont care what word the media put on him. i concider myself to be both a survivalist and a prepper, and i will be #%$* if i am going to be labled the same as some nut job with an ax to grind. a survivalist is the one who gets thrown into un unfriendly situtation and comes on on top because they got creative until their situation returned to normal, a prepper is one who has stored up many daily common use items and was ready when the ice storm, or whatever unforeseen "thing" popped up without any warning. both are ready and or able to overcome the unforeseen. tom
 
#25 ·
Many folks discuss 'survivalist' and 'prepper and talk of folks like Tim McVeigh (or however you spell his name), or the Unibomber.

Saying that folks who are nutters who commit acts of terror are examples of survivalists is like saying

"All men are rapists!"

which, of course, some of the radical femmes would have the rest of us believe.

Both are incorrect.

I have a philosophy which says that initiating physical violence against another is unacceptable.

But please realize, the MSM has made up its mind, the powers that be need a scapegoat...and this time it'll be Jews AND us!
 
#26 ·
survivalist does have a negative connotation, Ruby ridge comes to mind. Preppers are starting to get the same negative media label as well.
All the grasshoppers making fun of the ants. I think my family is more "happy campers" than anything else. A few skills, filled cupboards, an exit plan (kind of like the fire drill you are suppose to run with your kids on how to get out of the house) and a whole lot of hope that nothing ever really hits the fan..........
 
#28 ·
The negativity here shown towards one term or the other sets my teeth on edge. Especially when the person expressing the negativity also expresses some sort of elitist attitude about himself. (I'm looking at you, GG42. Ugh.)

Why the hate? Aren't we all aiming for the same thing? Jesus people, there's enough divisiveness in the world to last us all our entire lives, do we really need to introduce more?

For me, the terms are slightly different, but share a lot in common.
Survivalist - Someone who is preparing with an emphasis on bushcraft/wilderness survival, so they need as little as possible. Think Dave Canterbury.
Prepper - Someone who is preparing with an emphasis on using pre-stocked tools and supplies.

The prepper could also be learning and practicing survivalist techniques, the survivalist might also be stocking up a cache of food and toilet paper. Both could be working on homesteading for sustainability, or hope to be one day when they have the funds.

In the end, the aim for both is to be able to survive a disruption of any kind without help from outside sources/agencies.
 
#38 ·
For me, the terms are slightly different, but share a lot in common.
Survivalist - Someone who is preparing with an emphasis on bushcraft/wilderness survival, so they need as little as possible. Think Dave Canterbury.
Prepper - Someone who is preparing with an emphasis on using pre-stocked tools and supplies.
This seems to fit the most recent definition of everyone I have heard of. Prepper is a kind of new term for some (like me) and it use to be everyone was lumped into the survivalist def. Now some want to point out that they are not into hiding in the forest but want to shelter in home.

I actually like the different terms and wish there were more definitions. Like preppers who want to buy their way to safety are different from preppers who are living simple lives where they don't need to buy as much stuff. And preppers who are just looking to get through the most obvious things like natural disasters compared to those who are plotting on how to kill their neighbor is the whole world fell apart.

I would think the different definitions would help people understand that all preppers are not created equal. Not saying that one is better than the other but that we are all different.
 
#29 ·
"The negativity here shown towards one term or the other sets my teeth on edge. Especially when the person expressing the negativity also expresses some sort of elitist attitude about himself. (I'm looking at you, GG42. Ugh.)"
I have zero elitist attitude. In fact I consider myself both. Of course I built myself a fallout shelter fully 50 years ago. What I was talking about is exceedingly narrow focus of many preppers, that's all.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top