Gosh it's been quiet here for a while. Here is a little gem that's filtered through the interweb and elsewhere about prepping and survivalism. We are all pawns to a western consumerist conspiracy designed to make us better consumers. Our corporate masters have shaped a subculture just for us! One that encourages us to hoard a bunch of shit we will never use, to purchase "bug out gear", hunting gear, food stores, alternate energy sources, alternate water supplies, alternate everything. I recall a blog somewhere describing the prepping culture as one who buys into a hoarding consumerist culture whole hog, in the hopes that it will all come to an end and we can all finally relax and be free of it.
Discuss.
Needs must when the devil drives.
An interesting perspective to say the least. Would this not make us equal to those that are in the cultures of video games, fine dining, and any other group of enthusiasts who regularly purchase goods or services in order to "belong"?
This could perhaps be countered with the idea of self sustainability. Many preppers have realized the importance of producing for themselves, which would derail the intentions of the elitists.
Thoughts?
An interesting perspective to say the least. Would this not make us equal to those that are in the cultures of video games, fine dining, and any other group of enthusiasts who regularly purchase goods or services in order to "belong"?
This could perhaps be countered with the idea of self sustainability. Many preppers have realized the importance of producing for themselves, which would derail the intentions of the elitists.
Thoughts?
I think your counter is a good one; a legitimate one for a subset of the prepping culture. I'm just not too sure how large or small a subset the self sustaining group is. Reading this and other forums, there appears to be a vocal group infatuated with BOBs, BOVs, body armour, the best knives, guns, tools, gear, dehydrated foods, etc. There also appears to be a ready group of marketers within the culture who are set to profit from this infatuation.
Now I, for one, do not believe that profit is a dirty word. I just want to have my eyes open to who profits from my interests. Do you think the prepping culture is a kin to foodies? to gaming? We all want to believe there is more to our passions than simply 'buying in' to belong...
Needs must when the devil drives.
Aaaaannnd nothing.... Ahhh, I guess this is just too far out there.... Jade Helm anyone??? Illuminati???
Needs must when the devil drives.
Sorry, I haven't been around for a long time. A "certain member" seemed to hijack every thread and it became .....tiresome.
Anyway.
I think the "gadget acquisition" trend is due to two factors.
Of course we're well trained consumers, ingrained to buy stuff. Companies are always looking for a new market to exploit. We want stuff and they're happy to supply it.
Mostly though I think it's from a shortage of critical thinking due to the way our education system works. There is so little emphasis on the sciences that people make buying decisions based on a products "cool factor", not how useful or especially how cost effective it is.
Why else would you want to spend $200 on a stove that produces a whopping 5 watts of power when an old tin can and a $20 solar panel would do pretty much the same job?
3 different water filters at $100 each. Boiling still works......
$1000 of solar generator when a few panels and a battery would do the same thing for 1/3 the cost.
Everything is a black box if you've never learned how it works, the basic science behind it. So you get sucked in by every gadget there is, re enforcing the "my stuff is not cool enough, gotta buy more stuff" mentality.
I was looking at some books my father bought during the 80's energy crisis/coming ice age scare. They're all about the science behind neat new concepts like solar heating of water and air and how to build them yourself.
A lot less "buy this".
