My Family are zombies!

[Jake832]

I understand where you are comming from.
In general, my wife puts up with my 'over-buying' when we go grocery shopping because it is usually just buying more of suff we buy frequently.
I frequently use the excuse, we know we'll use it, and it's on sale, might as well stock up. The benefit is when she says "we need more peanut butter" i just say, look in the basement.
It saves grocery trips freqently for random items.

I also, more secretly, buy other supplies, such as our propane heater, and SEVERAL small camping propane tanks, oil lamps and lamp oil, jar candles, extra batteries when on sale, and I have an addiction to LED flashlights which drives her nuts.

Additionally, it's things like rope, ducttape, toilet paper, canned foods, and various other bulk items we'll eventually use that I buy at sams club when she's not along for the ride.

These are the ones that get me in trouble, the ones that we dont use regularly.
She refers to these items as my "psycho stockpile".

I've found that an occasional discussion of "what if the power went out for 2 days" or "what if there was a blizzard" or pending the right movie just played, "what if zombies attacked"...
The discussions you casually touch on that get family members thinking about it really make the difference. In fact, the power down scenario has recently greenlighted me for a possible generator purchase pending I can find something in a 'reasonable' price range, whatever that is.

Point is, ease into it, dont push your luck and dont drive her crazy talking about it to much. be patient and hint at it and you'll get there eventually.

[duodecima]

Have you tried the oldest generation in your family on this subject? My grandparents-in-law aren't organized preppers, but as depression era farm kids who are convinced the world's getting worse, they sure are prepared. So making too much fun of me is making fun of Grandma&grandpa. And when my mom told my dad exactly how much rice & flour I got when she took me to Sams, he apparently shared that when his mom died they found closets full of sugar & salt (she was a farmer, gardner & a beekeeper, they could grow the rest...)

If you are a parent, appealing to the idea that you never want your kids to go hungry may be seen as extreme, but since you're just trying to be a good mom/dad, harder to poke much fun of. There's some overlap with slow food/health food/buy local/green/conservation activities - sometimes those aspects are more socially acceptable official reasons for rain barrels, wheat grinders, and solar panels.

My husband's prepper tolerant, but I do freqently point out that I don't have a shoe collection, purse collection or a jewelry collection, and we could always just eat the food anyway...

I do worry a little about marital smuggling/money laundering (ie hiding purchases from a spouse) even with the best of motives. It seems best to remain on honest terms with the person who's going to be at your back in the ZPAW.

[BrowncoatCaptain]

Just a word of caution here, in passing: It's totally up to each of you, mind you.... but if you broadcast around town and your friends that you have x amount of beans and rice, so many pounds of salted meat and such... and they don't prep... where do you think they will all come when the shtf? And, not to mention, that all your friends and neighbors might not be so friendly or neighborly when they haven't eaten for two days. PErsonally, I like to keep vague on exact amounts of things, unless A: I intend to share them out with all comers, or B: the info will be kept with in my group. Just my 2 cents.

[Silent Kube]

Unfortunately, being derided for prepping is just part of the lifestyle. Just keep at it and they'll either catch on or they won't. Any time one of them says something like I don't need to worry, I'll just come to your house, make it absolutely clear that in such a case they will not be welcome. If you can't bring yourself to do this, decide who you will let in and prep for them. Also, it does help to carry an edc kit on you. People that mock you just might change their tune when you just happen to have exactly what they need. A multitool or a flashlight when they're fixing something etc.

My girlfriend has always supported me but I think was a bit skeptical until this spring when we had a live power line go down in our driveway so we were basically trapped in the house until the next day with no power. I broke out my lamps, got the propane stove out and made us dinner. She hasn't questioned me since. Her best friend still likes to tease but since my edc has saved her ass many times, it's just in fun. She knows where her bread is buttered in case of emergency and has even started contributing what little she can to my stockpile because if anything happens she plans on coming here and considers helping out to be her cost of admission. Of course she works at walmart and if shit goes down while she's at work she still plans on taking what she can before she leaves. I'm still working on her to just get in her car and go.

[44Dave]

These are the ones that get me in trouble, the ones that we dont use regularly.
She refers to these items as my "psycho stockpile".

I can understand a spouse not being on board but to deride someone like that is unacceptable, certainly not something I would tolerate from someone who is supposed to be my partner.

[Erratic]

People think I'm a bit nuts until I tell them about the Denver airport. Then they just call me realistic
Military and large organizations are preparing. Unfortunately my family didn't get an invite so I hope we can make do on our own.

[togonkd2]

I have learned NOT to mention the "Z" word when talking to family and friends about being prepared. I usually talk Katrina, Earthquakes, etc.
I live in the Chicago area so we have had our share of BIG snow storm so most listen to my suggestions because most of us have lived days without power or days when we couldnt leave our homes to run to the store for toilet paper.

[by-the-throat]

We are all zombies, my friend-it is merely a matter of degree.

We could all be preparing more than we do, by cutting out all leisure and recreational activity for instance, and devoting that time to training and practice. But we can't do that, so we make compromises. You will find it is the same with other people no matter what their prep to play ratio is. Think on it-you are asking people to devote money and time for an event that may not happen and, if it does happen, they believe a government support network will fast rope down a blackhawk to their rescue.

Hold off on the hard truths for now. Start small, with practical suggestions that are good even if the real zombies never come knocking. Encourage them to put away a rainy day slush fund, in hard cash, somewhere safe in their home. Don't talk 'survival stash'-talk 'well stocked pantry.' Ask them questions during the nightly news broadcast-the one thing that no one should ever bug out without is a plan. Don't try to scare them with horror stories and worst case scenarios; start with something local. Lead by example and be sure you make it look fun-it is fun! Camping, shooting, hiking and practicing primitive skills are all done recreationally as well, without the slightest inclination towards prepping-but they all have applications for prepping as well.

Prepping has some negative associations clinging to it thanks to a lazy and sensationalist media, but fundamentally it is good common sense and if you present it as that, it will go a long way towards making them see your worldview.

[Rebel Pariah]

question,

so calling another human being people,sheep, or a zombie, is not appropriate on the forum,
.........however true it may be..

what about zombie fodder\food, koolaid drinker's etc.... it does not insinuate they are less than human, but rather that they are less than prepared?...just looking for a clarification,
No smiting please


this is how I view my less that open minded family,
WHO I STILL PREP FOR!

and I know that when Z day Comes, when I begin the ultimate "Told you so" they say,
"You weren't planning on this happening!"

[Chantrea]

question,

so calling another human being people,sheep, or a zombie, is not appropriate on the forum,
.........however true it may be..

what about zombie fodder\food, koolaid drinker's etc.... it does not insinuate they are less than human, but rather that they are less than prepared?...just looking for a clarification,
No smiting please

There are plenty of other places where you can engage in condescending dehumanizing namecalling towards people that don't share your beliefs or who aren't living their lives the way you in your superior wisdom think they should be. You're welcome to go there if you can't control yourself and it's important to you to be able to do that, or you don't like the rules here.

I really don't think that is hard to understand. If you really have a lot of trouble with it, feel free to PM me and I'll see if I can explain things better.

[Rebel Pariah]

sry, I was just trying to figure out if the rule only applied to "dehumanizing" tags, I now understand anything insulting is a nogo, sry for the trouble,

[Warlock53]

Lot of people with thin skins, probably call others all sorts of nasty things, let it go!
My kids think I'm only marginally nuts and paranoid, I sent them to AF Reserve, and ROTC.
pretty much fixed that problem, and the wife started coming around after a winter Ice Strom,
took out the power for over a week. We bought a chainsaw and went around collecting wood,
from all the fallen trees in town. Then Wow she told me to go ahead and buy a Generator, and
some gas cans and a spare propane tank. She also realized that I had sold off our old camping gear when we
moved here and was actually upset because she remembered a storm that left us powerless in AZ.,
and the camping gear came in handy. We do a small pantry as most of the things I can get locally
expire to soon, for the 2 of us to use up. She is a fresh veggie type which spoils and doesn't like canned
items, but at least she's ok with spam. The Weapons type stuff she just humors me on as an after effect
of being Infantry as a Kid. Which I don't get at all with all the Cold Case File type shows she watches.

[togonkd2]

I am not sure what you were refering to when you asked the question

question,

so calling another human being people,sheep, or a zombie, is not appropriate on the forum,
.........however true it may be..

I said ' The "Z" Word ' Because I meant to imply Zombie..
I was referring to the EYE ROLL I get from friends and family when I start mentioning
the Zombie word or END OF DAYS or anything similar to that.

I gave my brother a handheld radio and told him if anything ever happens reach me on this....
Wanna know where its at ... He said, 'It's down in the basement in a box somewhere"
I tried to talk to my Ex-Wife about emergency plans and where she should bring our girls if SHTF
I tried to give her a radio... she said, "I dont need that thing , I have my cell phone"
Now this is the woman who has my kids in the time of a crisis.
That way of thinking is only a SMALL reason why she is my EX-Wife.
My sister starts quoting scripture from the Bible and .. We dont wanna go there....

I try and avoid saying Zombie cause some people tend to shut off when they think
of the undead or that one day the lifestyle they have may end.

I was NOT implying at all that the "Z" word was offensive.

I am a straight acting, straight appearing, down in the dirt, done my time in the trenches, had my share of street fights, bar fights, and knife fights,
CARD CARRYING "HOMO" ... ( YES a Gay man )
I have been called so many words that would be considered OFFENSIVE

BUT........... ZOMBIE was never one of them.

[Rebel Pariah]

question,

so calling another human being people,sheep, or a zombie, is not appropriate on the forum,
.........however true it may be..

this was not a question,rather a statement from me accepting that as being true, followed by a question on whether or not OTHER terms ( see my full post ) were acceptable or not,.... they are not, apparently we aren't allowed to make fun of people ( I kid, I kid, I get that we have to politically correct here on the forums, as much as I despise the concept, )

[togonkd2]

I agree with your way of thinking and with the statement Warlock said...

Some people just need to get over themselves and take it for whats its worth ... just words ...
We arent in 8th grade anymore ... BUT .... ( Sigh )

I digress ... We must follow the rules set forth for us here.

Honestly when I first read it, and I assumed it was the way it was meant was that the
ORIGINAL poster was trying to state, was that their family members dont or wont TRY and
learn some basic survival or at least take care of yourself techniques and would probably
ultimately end up Zombies.
However it got spawned into whatever it is now is just funny.

I will continue to mention and suggest things to family because you know as well as I do
When SHTF you will probably let them in to your home or shelter.
THEN you can say " I TOLD YOU SO "

[Silent Kube]

It's not about being politically correct. It's about the fact that we are here to educate people on the importance of prepping. Acting like we're somehow better because we prep is a sure way to get otherwise receptive people to go the other direction. If you want to talk about how much better you are than them, there are plenty of places to do that on the internet. I prefer to be a member of a site that makes prepping accessible to all.

[Rebel Pariah]

It's not about being politically correct.

Oh you know what I mean, give me a break, its 5 am here, and I am still on a "HOLY SHIT I HAZ A GUN SAFE!"-high

I understand we have to be a respectful etc... I wasn't trying to say I was better that anyone, I was trying to see if any there was anything both "appropriate", and still kind of funny, (In a joking manner) that people who are closed minded to the subject could be called,

I dropped it and accepted what the Mod said 2 days ago, CHILL PEOPLE

again, It was just a casual question since we were on the topic, there was a clear answer given, no further discussion needed.

[squinty]

Stating the equation "zombies = this group of people" is a touchy subject on this forum, because they started out making lighthearted jokes about how to kill Zombies. So, one poster posts in "Zombie combat tactics" about the best way to roast a bunch of zombies with a flamethrower or other delightful silliness. Then another poster, right next door in a different thread, says "(insert whatever group of actual people) are like Zombies" and you have a forum that sounds like it's about murder. No good, not what the site's about. Zombies are a metaphor for disasters of all sorts, not for people.

As for getting friends or family on board WRT prepping, everyone preps a little bit. Surely the family can see the value of an extra roll of toilet paper in the cabinet or candles and flashlights in a drawer in case of a power failure, or a can of beans or two in the pantry for quick meals. Build on that - one day say "candles are great, but wouldn't it be useful to have a small generator so the fridge and the central heat work during power failures? Or say "Maybe it wouldn't hurt to learn how to (insert preparedness skill here - CPR class? DIY home or car maintenance? etc.)" The trick is to gradually incorporate prepping into your day to day life in a way that isn't disruptive, rather than make sudden jarring lifestyle changes. Buy just a few extra canned goods or bottled water whenever you grocery shop, without making a big deal about it and without calling it "prepping." Get a home first aid kit one day. A cheap crank radio the next. Stick road maps in your car, learn about alternate routes out of town. Baby steps. ZS has sort of an in your face/dress the part/have fun with it attitude about prepping, but that's just for fun - prepping can just as easily be a low key, unremarkable activity. If the "Zombies/PAW/Red Dawn" aspect is off putting instead of entertaining or motivating to your family, simply and lightly stress the practical aspects of preparation.

[Mountain Rooster]

Rerail Short Answer
I have 1 wife unit and 1 daughter unit. They have each been assigned (unknowingly) 1 Rubbermaid tote. The tote is the collective drop off for items aquired. Those items range from an extra feminine hygiene product to thrift store fleece or yard sale outdoors gear. It is tricky and a work in progress outfitting 3 but the fact is im not going anywhere so ultimately it could make my life easier.

[DREAMSCAPE]

I have been lurking in the zs shadows for some time now and its been my observation that some people including some posting on this thread ,are here less to share ideas & educate yourselves and others on prepping than you are to rudely quote rules and poke fun at newbies who aren't yet privy to your lingo! You know who you are! You should let the mods do the job that was intended for ..THEM.. not you !And If you have the irresistible need to be involved in zs policy enforcement than please do so by politely explaining to newbies what they've done wrong instead of immediately chastising them for their indiscretions ! Try being good zs ambassadors as opposed to being holier that thou douches!! .... Been wanting to say that for awhile now !!

[squinty]

I have been lurking in the zs shadows for some time now and its been my observation that some people including some posting on this thread ,are here less to share ideas & educate yourselves and others on prepping than you are to rudely quote rules and poke fun at newbies who aren't yet privy to your lingo! You know who you are! You should let the mods do the job that was intended for ..THEM.. not you !And If you have the irresistible need to be involved in zs policy enforcement than please do so buy politely explaining to newbies what they've done wrong instead of immediately chastising them for their indiscretions ! Try being good zs ambassadors as opposed to being holier that thou douches!! .... Been wanting to say that for awhile now !!

Try taking your own advice! I think that we were trying to explain things to a newcomer. I haven't read anyone calling the newcomer names in this thread. I have read people offering sincere advice about getting skeptical family members on board, and honest attempts to explain why using "zombie" as an epithet for real people is a touchy subject - thus helping a newcomer get privy to our lingo. Noone called anyone a douche - until your post. Perhaps older posters ought to be more diplomatic in offering criticism, but I also think that it would behoove newcomers to accept polite criticism with a bit of grace instead of calling people hall monitors or getting butthurt about it.

[squinty]

Go cut off the power and water for a day, let them see how unprepared they are .

hahahaha...good ideal!

I think that would be alienating, rather than educational. They'd overlook the lesson about preparedness and just get angry at you for turnong the water off. Angry people listen even less.

[Rebel Pariah]

completely off topic,

(which lets face it, might be a good thing for this thread)

squinty, WTF is that .GIF in your SIG?.... it weirds me out SOOO much

[squinty]

completely off topic,

(which lets face it, might be a good thing for this thread)

squinty, WTF is that .GIF in your SIG?.... it weirds me out SOOO much

It's John Cleese playing The Village Idiot in a Monty Python sketch. A self deprecating joke. Just a two second clip from the sketch, of him blithering.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNBNqUdqm1E