Confusing Terminology: What is The Difference Between a Prepper and a Survivalist?

People are buying emergency supplies in record numbers and attempting to live more independently. Having extra supplies was once thought to be completely normal. Raising animals, poultry, and gardens was a way of life, not a pastime. According to a recent survey, more than half of all Americans live with less than a three-day supply of food. Many people don't even have a first aid kit, let alone emergency supplies.

Anyone who is worried about not being a helpless victim in an emergency is a prepper. Natural disasters, power outages, economic collapse, hyperinflation, and job loss are their top concerns. In that they try to be prepared for anything, preppers share many characteristics with those who endured the Great Depression in the 1930s. They keep a long-term food supply and have enough food stored to last at least a few months. The resourceful residents of your neighborhoods are the preppers. The kind of people you want to be nearby if something goes wrong are preppers. However, not many people who identify as "preppers" would prefer to be called "survivalists." A lot of preparedness enthusiasts make an effort to steer clear of the stigma associated with the term "survivalist." Just a new name for an extremely old way of life, prepping.

Survivalists take preparation just as seriously as do preppers. Then it is elevated to a higher plane with a focus on the total destruction of civilization. The survivalist will stockpile food and supplies, as well as weapons and ammunition, and have a strategy for evacuating populated areas in the event that society collapses. According to survivalists, there will undoubtedly be a time when they must defend their families, their homes, their food, and their supplies. Although generally not to the same extent as a survivalist, the average prepper does own guns and invests time and effort in self-defense. If there are widespread riots and civil unrest, survivalists are more likely to focus their efforts on preparing a safe haven where they can hide out. The "TEOTWAWKI" scenario, also referred to as The End Of The World As We Know It, is what the survivalist is preparing for. A survivalist is better equipped to make their own way over the long term, frequently by spending time in the wilderness.

Preppers and survivalists place a strong emphasis on independence. A prepper or a survivalist thinks in terms of developing the necessary survival skills while stockpiling the goods and supplies they anticipate needing in the event of a change in their living circumstances. They both understand the importance of being ready for a variety of contingencies, and they will have survival kits on hand in case they need to flee. Both agree that they will need to be able to care for themselves and neither thinks the government will be able to stabilize the threats to our way of life. They keep an eye out for warning signs of impending events and prepare a survival strategy. The difference between survivalists and preppers is actually quite small; they share far more similarities than differences. It just comes down to degrees.

According to Wikipedia, survivalism is:

Those who actively prepare for emergencies, including potential disruptions in social or political order, on scales ranging from local to international, are known as survivalists or preppers. Survivalists frequently build structures (such as a survival retreater or an underground shelter) that may help them survive a catastrophe, stockpile food and water, get ready to become self-sufficient, and receive training in emergency medical care and self-defense.

Thus, the lines separating a prepper from a survivalist can occasionally be a little fuzzy. Which one best reflects your attitude and way of thinking about being ready rather than a victim? How sure are you that you will survive if everything starts to fall apart? You can draw your own conclusions now that you are aware of some of the distinctions between a prepper and a survivalist. Make a decision regarding how much you will prepare for any emergency, even if you don't think the world will end anytime soon. It makes sense to stock up just in case, as both the global economy and America's infrastructure are becoming more and more vulnerable on a daily basis. Do what you can as soon as you can is a wise maxim. Avoid thinking "I wish I would have done..." as many people do.

Therefore, whether you identify as a prepper or a survivalist, your core principle—being ready—remains the same. Create a survival strategy that is customized for your needs. The majority of survival plans will be very similar, but it's crucial to consider your location and financial situation.