Preparing for disaster is almost a social affair these days as much as it is for survival. Families get together to share information and to talk about doomsday. Classes and programs are offered and people broadcast where they shop, what they get and how to find the best prices. While it is important to work with others, expand your network and develop relationships with fellow preppers, it is essential that you keep your cards close to your vest and don’t reveal much about what you really have. The less people know about you now will translate into fewer hassles and threats that you will encounter in the future.
You don’t really know human nature
Aside from the news clips that we see of refugees or our understanding of life in the inner-city, we really don’t have a clue as to what people are really capable of during times of distress. We can’t count on our limited experience through Katrina or Sandy to guide us. We can’t imagine what it will be like if we are ever forced to flee our homes and be shepherded into a refugee center. We don’t know how we will really be able to sustain ourselves in the woods with nothing more than a bug-out-bag until we live that experience.
Our limited exposure to true hardship is our weakness, and we have no idea how people will really react once they realize that we have more than them. Keep the important plans as well as essential resources hidden from people so that you won’t have to contend with them during a time of crisis.
You don’t want the government to be watching you
Keeping a low profile means that the government won’t have a lot of interest in what you are doing. Remember, if millions of people are standing in a bread line and you’re sitting on a stockpile of canned meals, chances are that someone is going to be knocking on your door, or seizing your property. Chances are they will do it for the common good, out of the spirit of fairness and equality. If things get to the point where a national disarmament takes place, you want to make damn sure that the government doesn’t know much about what you’re doing as well.
You don’t want to share
People will come to your door like moths to a flame if they know you have a decent survival setup. They may try to steal your vehicle, or perhaps they will make use of your cabin in the woods. Try and convince people that you have less than them, that you are just starting out, that you have little interest in being a crazy prepper. Do this while building your stockpile of supplies and options. Disinformation and leading people away from you is an essential component of survival, and you will be better off later if you keep things on the down-low now.
Don’t broadcast what you are doing to the world, especially to other preppers. Don’t get cocky, don’t flash your goods and don’t let people know where you keep the bulk of your supplies. Take care to safeguard your secrets to ensure your resources will be available when you need them the most.
