(End of the American Dream)—I was very surprised by the results of a survey of preppers that was recently conducted by Fortitude Ranch. The CEO of Fortitude Ranch, Drew Miller, says that preppers are “folks who watch events and read up on threats” and so they have a really good feel for what is really going on out there. Today, millions of Americans are preparing for the collapse of society because we really are facing very serious existential threats which could cause the complex systems that we depend upon on a daily basis to fail at any time. So I was very interested to examine the results of this new survey, because it gives us some insight into what the prepping community is thinking right now.
Only preppers were permitted to participate in the survey, and those that responded were asked to identify the three greatest threats to our society.
More than 50 percent selected “loss of electric grid” as one of the greatest threats. I would not have guessed that this would be the number one response, but without a doubt this is a potential danger that our politicians have neglected. Our sun is becoming increasingly active, and it is just a matter of time before a solar storm does a tremendous amount of damage to the grid. And once the U.S. is involved in a nuclear war, we won’t have a functioning grid at all.
“Economic collapse”, “bioengineered viruses” and “domestic civil war due to divided country” were all selected by more than 40 percent of respondents. Obviously, I was glad to see “economic collapse” so high on the list, because I write about that so much.
And I think that “bioengineered viruses” is something that preppers are very focused on right now because we have just been through the COVID pandemic. We are certainly living during a time when great pestilences will become increasingly common, and so it is imperative for all of us to be prepared for devastating outbreaks of disease.
As for our country being divided, I really do think that 2024 is going to be the most chaotic election year that we have ever seen, and that is extremely unfortunate.
More than 30 percent of respondents identified “terrorist attacks” as one of the greatest threats that we are facing. But no other response even reached the 20 percent threshold.
A “nuclear war arising from Chinese invasion of Taiwan” barely squeaked over the 10 percent mark, and a “nuclear war arising from Ukraine-Russia conflict” was way under 10 percent. Sigh.
If this had been a survey of the general population, I could understand such low numbers. I don’t know what I have to do in order to get people to understand that nuclear war is a very serious threat.
Perhaps after the first nukes are used more Americans will start to wake up. Natural disasters also ranked very low in this survey. Maybe that is because the Yellowstone supervolcano was the only one that was specifically asked about.
Personally, I would have added an eruption of Mt. Rainier, a tsunami on the east coast, a tsunami on the west coast, a historic earthquake along the New Madrid fault zone and “the Big One” in California as potential responses on this survey.
We are far more vulnerable than most people realize, and I am entirely convinced that there will be unprecedented natural disasters in the United States during the years ahead as our very shaky planet becomes even more unstable.
Another major threat that I would have liked to see asked about in this survey is the rapidly growing global food crisis. Last year, 2.4 billion people did not have enough food to eat, and 750 million of them experienced chronic hunger.
And the numbers for this year will inevitably be even worse. In fact, the numbers have been getting steadily worse since 2015.
But because we live in a very wealthy nation that still has lots of food, most Americans are not concerned about the global famine that has already started at all.
I also noticed that “large asteroid strike” was just one notch from the bottom on this survey. Apparently this is something that most preppers are not concerned about at all. But they should be.
It won’t happen tomorrow, but eventually the entire world will become aware of a tremendous threat that is looming in the heavens.
Needless to say, there is a lot of disagreement about what our greatest threats are, but just about everyone understands that something has gone seriously wrong with our society.
And that explains why gun ownership in the U.S. has surged to heights that we have never seen before in the entire modern history of our nation.
According to a new NBC News national poll, a whopping 52 percent of U.S. voters “say they or someone in their household owns a gun”…
More than half of American voters — 52% — say they or someone in their household owns a gun, per the latest NBC News national poll.
That’s the highest share of voters who say that they or someone in their household owns a gun in the history of the NBC News poll, on a question dating back to 1999.
In 2019, 46% of Americans said that they or someone in their household owned a gun, per an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. And in February 2013, that share was 42%.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans are stockpiling emergency food and other supplies.
They can feel that great chaos is coming, even if they do not fully grasp all of the specifics of the very serious threats that we are now facing.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
If you have not been getting prepared for the collapse of society, I would very strongly encourage you to do so.
What we have been through during the past few years is just the tip of the iceberg, and the clock is ticking…
Sound off about this article on Late Prepper Substack.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
