Survivalist or Prepper

[John]

I am getting a little confused, probably my old age.
But is the difference between a ‘Survivalist’ and a ‘Prepper’.
It seems that a prepper is only a quite recent name and based on someone who prepares. And I suppose if you take the same line with a survivalist it would be someone who aims to survive.
So the question is, what is the difference between a ‘prepper’ and a ‘survivalist’.

[Devonian]

Surely this is like saying is there a difference between a Car and an Automobile?

[NorthernRaider]

Today I think the boundaries are very blurred, one over the SURVIVALISt tended to be a single young male or reclusive family guy often with prior military of wilderness expertise getting ready to survive arnageddon or nuclear war, had a bunker or shelter away from urban areas and placed a great emphasis on guns and MREs and fettled 4x4s.

Todays prepper is just about anyone who can see the writing on the wall, Male, Female, Single, Couple, Married with kids, young or old. Many Urban dwellers, many looking to prepping as a way of improving self reliance and independent living skills or ecological living. Others fearing social or economic collapse,

All politically and socially astute and well aware of the world around them and how unstable and insecure it is becoming.

[bigpaul]

No not really, that's saying the same thing only its called something different depending whether you like in the UK or the USA. personally I think Survivalist has over the years become a dirty word, linked to the likes of Charles Manson, Waco and Rambo so the more "family friendly" term of prepper was adopted, I still think there is a difference in the 2, Prepper being short term and Survivalist being long term.

[Sunna]

should we not give ourselves a new name as both survivalist/prepper have been tainted .

social realists ....?

rent boys....

[bigpaul]

(10 December 2014, 12:54)Sunna Wrote: should we not give ourselves a new name as both survivalist/prepper have been tainted .

social realists ....?

rent boys....

you speak for yourself!hahahahaha! how about "self reliant realists" ??

[Devonian]

John's original question is something that has been widely debated in recent years, and ultimately I feel that they are one in the same, but different people prep to different levels and different extents and some people will call themselves a Prepper, whilst other prefer to be called a Survivalist, but ultimately it all comes down to the same thing - "prepping to survive".

Lots of debate and discussion can be found here:

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=prepper+v+survivalist

[Midnitemo]

I think survivalist has to many macho connotation's people automatically think of you as Rambo running round the woods half naked with a bow and a big knife....prepper is more soft and cuddly in the public's eyes...they just see you as a little sad and boring....I can live with that although I consider myself an outdoorsman/countryman.

[bigpaul]

my wife says I'm definitely a Survivalist not a prepper.

[Lightspeed]

I'm preparing to survive all manner of challenges, what does that make me?