Most people have pulled on the smiley face when so-called preppers have appeared in the media from time to time. Mostly in the form of tin foil hat Americans who live secluded in the farthest corners, alone or in entire communities of like-minded people.
The prepper phenomenon has often been linked to conspiracy theories or at least unsubstantiated fear and rejection of common sense. Canned food in long lanes and homemade safe rooms look a little silly from the TV sofa.
Most of us have probably sat with a clear feeling that preppers were another crazy American phenomenon, which we at home might be amused by or shrug off, depending on our temperament.
But if American preppers didn’t have something right years ago, they may have in recent years. Not because they got various conspiracy theories right, but because being a prepper, which actually just means being prepared, is probably not such a stupid idea in a time when war has moved closer.
We probably have to realize that an everyday reality, where milk comes from the fridge and heat comes by turning up 3 on the thermostat, has made us vulnerable. And with a complete rejection of the fact that we in our safe country need to prepare, we can become what another American expression calls “sitting ducks” – i.e. easy victims for everything and everyone.
Preparing can be seen as an expression of allowing oneself to be controlled by one’s fear. But it can also be a way to gain strength and calm in an uncertain time.
The latter definition was used by the Swedish Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin at the beginning of January when he explained why Swedes should prepare for a war situation. In addition, in Sweden the leaflet “If the crisis or the war comes” is distributed to households, which can probably best be described as a prepper manual.
On Thursday, North Jutland described how Bente Stokholm from Lendum near Løgstør finds peace in being prepared for a little bit of everything – and in any case, being able to manage for a few days without access to shops, electricity or district heating.
For her, being prepared is not connected to her living in fear, but to her taking responsibility and being in control of her life, even in a crisis situation.
“Be prepared” is the motto of the Danish Scout Corps and perhaps not particularly sexy, but rather a proactive boy scout than an unhelpful “sitting duck”.
2024-02-16 04:51:00
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