Quick Take: Doomsday Preppers, "Bullets, Lots of Bullets"
"I'm a prepper because I'm prepping for when sh*t hits the fan." - Paul
Review: Doomsday Preppers, "Bullets, Lots of Bullets"
(S0101) Really, the only time I get mad at the TV is during sporting events. As serious as I take television, deep down I recognize that it's nothing more than a diversion. On a certain level, television is no different than, say, Chutes and Ladders. I know that if a particular show rubs me the wrong way, I can simply change the channel. (Well, that is unless I have to write about it -- then I'm kind of stuck). But, for the first time in a while, I sat through (a portion of) a show that genuinely pissed me off. That show is Doomsday Preppers on National Geographic, or NatGeo, as the cool kids are calling it these days.
Doomsday Preppers is about survivalists, for lack of a better term, who do all kinds of crazy stuff in preparation for the end of the world. In last night's premiere, "Bullets, Lots of Bullets," we first meet Paul, a Vietnam veteran, and his wife Gloria who have built a compound comprised of a half-dozen steel shipping containers on the outskirts of San Antonio. Paul believes that we are on the cusp of Armageddon, which will be brought about by a complete magnetic shift of Earth's north and south poles, and the only thing that will save him is over 50,000 pounds of preserved corn and chimichanga filling.
Apparently, there are two other "preppers" profiled on the show, but I could only make it through the first 15 minutes before throwing in the towel. The thing that annoyed me so much about Doomsday Preppers is the fact that the show aims to legitimize these preppers' whacked-out beliefs. As Paul is talking about magnetic polar shifts, the show flashes graphics and statistics that indicate that his fears are valid, and a complete shift within our lifetimes is possible. It's insane. The things that these people do -- out of fear or boredom or mental instability or whatever their reason might be -- are insane. And yet, the show never calls them out on it. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Doomsday Preppers feeds into the craziness by sending out an "expert" to Paul's compound to give him advice on how to further prepare for the end of the world.
Here's what I equate Doomsday Preppers to: imagine a show about neo-Nazis in America. First the show introduces the audience to a racist skinhead who spouts off about how the Jews are doing this and the blacks are doing that. Then a graph pops up showing that African Americans are convicted of a disproportionate amount of crime. A second graph pops up showing that Jews control a disproportionate number of global financial institutions. Lastly, an "expert" shows up and teaches the skinhead how to goosestep properly. Never does the show say, "Hey look at this guy, isn't he nuts?" Instead it validates his wacky beliefs and, worse yet, encourages them.
No doubt, survivalists are interesting. I would gladly watch a show about them, but only if the show was honest about what it was doing. Doomsday Preppers seems to think that its subjects are regular Joes who just happen to "doomsday prep", when in fact there is nothing normal about that kind of behavior.
This is great stuff, Lucas, thank you.
Something tells me that Doomsday Preppers is going to make our 2012 list of top reality train wreck shows.
Lucas, I can not fault you for your perception of "preppers" after viewing the show. Please be aware that NatGeo is competing for ratings and, as all media does, selects the most extreme in order to develop content based on the salacious.
I would encourage you to visit AmericanPreppersNetwork.com. Yes, we do have some extrreme members who will hearken back to what you've witnessed, but by and large we are average folks.
Many of us who are preparing for *whatever* look to history to see what has befallen humans in the past. We know we will likely see it again in some fashion.
Please do not confuse "preppers" with survivalists or cranks.
And definitely, do not equate us with racists. That is willful ignorance on your part and doesn't become you.
That's pretty shallow to compare someone you don't know to a racist.
If you would have finished the show you would have noticed that the show gave statistics at the end showing that their fears were unsubstantiated.
Who cares what people do in their free time and with their money. Because you wouldn't do it you consider it insane? Your article was judgemental and closed minded.
Well all I can say is it doesn't hurt to prep a bit so you can take care of yourself. One look at the people that were waiting around to get rescued when Katrina hit and I really can't fault these people. At least they won't need a hand out if and when anything happens. It's easy to be a arm chair critic but I would question what have you done to prep for an emergency? There are very basic guidelines FEMA suggests everyone do to stock up in the event of a natural disaster. I am betting you didn't do anything.
These "preppers" come off as people who have already given up - they think the world is going to shit, and their lifestyles represent that conviction. I remember (and greatly enjoye) Penn and Teller's Bullsh!t going around and exposing the fear-mongering and those foolish enough to believe it.
I find it ironic that so many people are taking offense at your article, Lucas, when it's clear that Ron, Clancy, and Catman are demonstrating the same sort of closed-mindedness in judging your review. "Preppers" take FEMA to the same outrageous extents that religious zealots take the words of the Bible or Quran.
People, people, relax, take a breath and reread what I wrote. I'm not comparing preppers to Nazis, I'm comparing a SHOW about one thing to and SHOW about another thing. It was an analogy.
The fact that so many people are so vociferously defending this show and the behavior depicted on it is starting to scare me. I'm starting to worry that the end of the world could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
To quote Jim Morrison: "I'm gonna get my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames."
At least these people are doing something. Not like all the people in katrina crying and wining about the govt has to save me. At least they are taking some responsibility for their own safety. Are they a little quirkey (yeah to say the least) But we wont be pulling them off of rooftops wasting valuable tax dollars to save them if another katrina hits.
wow.