NEW YORK, March 13 (DPI) — A brief New York Times review of National Geographic reality show “Doomsday Preppers” triggered a predictably wide range of reader reaction, but only a handful of readers pointed out that Preparing For The Apocalypse is something of an American tradition.
Reader comments highlighted a now familiar cultural divide: The rugged, often rural and gun-toting individualist vs. the we’re-all-in-this-together urban citizen.
Of 184 reader comments, about half shared the view of the Times reviewer, that “Preppers” who stockpile ammunition and canned food in underground shelters in anticipation of a government collapse or natural catastrophe were either wasting their time or seriously misguided.
Many readers viewed “Preppers”, as they are now called, as sociopaths or even deranged gun-toters looking for reason to shoot someone. A typical reader comment: “A sad tale about Americans who have lost connection with reality. We are all in this together. Goofs with guns usually wind up shooting someone in their own family. Paranoia is a tough master.” (29 Recommendations. JAH, Marin County, CA)
But more than a quarter of reader reactions took a more libertarian view, that “Preppers” were entitled to not only their Second Amendment rights but to stockpile anything they wanted. What’s more, those same readers took on The Times for being so dismissive of a fringe movement, which is getting more attention in recent years because of the sluggish economy, the viral power of the internet and television producers looking for something to cheaply entertain people.
And more than a few emphasized, rightly, that it’s just an obscure show on a cable channel seeking to draw viewers:
“Never assume what you see on TV or Movies is real.
The author … needs to … quit making so many assumptions about people he has never met. DoomsDay Preppers is a TV show. Produced for the purpose of making money. The producers edit it to created drama and whatever they want out of hundreds of hours of tape. You see 15 minutes of that tape.
I’m a prepper. I know a lot of preppers. I have spoken (in internet forums) to several of the people featured on DoomsDay Preppers. They really are nothing like they seem TV. As I said, creative editing. Preppers recognise that desperate people do desperate things. Like try to take what they need from anyone who has it. Preppers buy guns for self defense. They don’t look forward to shooting anybody. They don’t want to shoot up their neighbors.
Preppers recognize the fact that during the first few days of any crisis, the police are very busy, or may not even be around. Times like those you have to protect yourself. The aftermath of Katrina is a prime example of that. They prepare for many scenarios, not just the end of the world. They prepare for hurricanes, earthquakes, snow storms, economic collapse, EMP, nuclear war, you name it.
If you would rather die than live in a world without the NYT or the internet, that is your right. Me? I’m on my way to the store to buy a few more cans of beans.” (ShellbackBill)
“It’s entertainment, period. What’s as entertaining is the predictable vitriol with which a NYT writer attacks anyone who seems to have a passing interest in, or, heaven forfend, actually owns a gun. I guess the idea of being self sufficient for everything, including personal protection,seems really alien to someone that lives within the Bloomberg Police (jurisdiction).” (Joe, VA)
“It’s the insinuation of (the author) and the NYT by association that these people are (1) bible thumpers that don’t understand their religion, (2) racist, (3) and would be murderers looking for an excuse.
(The author) describes this show as disdainful of human life and potential. I think it would be closer to the truth for (the author) to simply write that he disdains open exercise of Second Amendment rights, disdains religion even when just suspected, and disdains residents of Tennessee.” (Dave, Hampstead NC)
There is, too, the occasional practical defense of people preparing for an apocalypse: “Don’t dismiss the idea out of hand. There’s a level of prepping that makes good sense. Stocking up a month’s worth of food, water, some flashlights, first aid supplies, batteries, and a radio or two is wise. Natural disasters happen. Some of them can be quite extensive, as seen in the news in the last few years. Terrorist attacks also happen, though their impact is likely to be smaller. They can interrupt travel and commerce temporarily, though.. It’s also a good idea to fill up a few cans of gas. If you don’t want to do it now, do it when gas prices drop again. A run on fuel is a real possibility if the Middle East goes up or if there’s an incident with a major domestic refinery or pipeline. Finally, keeping a change of warm clothes, a poncho, shoes, a copy of your important documents, some meal bars, and water in a backpack within easy reach is an excellent idea. House fires are common, and wildfires and floods could also lead you to need to evacuate quickly.” (Ruanne, Arkansas)
“There have been some two dozen civilizations in history all of which peaked, declined and collapsed. This civilization is sublimely ignorant of such facts. And it is steadily depleting the non-renewable natural resources upon which it depends. Do people really think that petroleum is inexhaustible or that airplanes will fly on batteries ? The “preppers” may not be as daft as you think.” (Newfie, Newfoundland)
Most of all, though, the most wise comments seemed to come from those who understood that “Preppers” have a long tradition in America — and that they are basically harmless:
“I remember people digging holes in their back yard and not for swimming pools but because of the threat of Communism. Doomsday seems to be the fetish of a lot of people in the USA but none of them stop to think of what society would be like if a doomsday actually occurred. My X lived his entire life afraid or rather preparing for the doomsday that was sure to happen. It didn’t. A simple review of what happened in a society that insisted each person be responsible for their own fate didn’t hold up well to the Black Plague.”
Will doomsday come? Yes, most certainly if we continue to destroy our planet and add the burden of overpopulation. Will you survive? Maybe. Can you live without your Iphone to order out? Do you know how to thresh wheat or even how to prepare the field to plant it? Do you know how that a sheep is more valuable than a cow because the sheep gives milk and wool every year? You won’t survive long. (Susannah, France)
“The author of this article doesn’t get it. These survivalists are having fun building and stocking their fortresses. It’s playing “make believe” for adults. They get to pretend that something’s going to happen and they’re going to be the heroes fighting off the zombies or whatever. The author thinks they’re bad racists. He’s probably never been around these kind of folks before. They’re good people with a hobby.” (Dean, Stuttgart)
“After reading these insightful comments, which outclassed the original article by a significant measure, and certainly the shows themselves, I feel a lot better about the fundamental health of human society.” (JMA, Silli Valley, CA)