When I was back in Minnesota, I finally had a chance to watch this Doomsday Preppers in my hotel room.

Ok, where to start?

My overall impression of the show is that the people in it are being exploited and ridiculed by National Geographic.  Like most TV shows, it relies on generous helpings of sensationalism to attract an audience.  I found many of the people in the episodes I watched to be a bit out of balance, some even struck me as extreme.  The common theme was preparation for various doomsday scenarios where the preppers would retreat to a remote site and fend off crazed survivors.  In a sense, Doomsday Preppers reminded me of Taboo (another NatGeo series) with a similar cast of oddballs and misfits.

My advice is to consider the source of the information and regard it as for entertainment purposes only.  National Geographic is owned by a Mainstream Media channel (Fox) which is primarily interested in ratings and profits.  The show reflects that and is chiefly designed to move product for its primary advertisers who hope to cash in on the increasing popularity of prepping.  Any useful information presented in that show or on its associated website should be considered a byproduct of television production.

Instead of passively watching kooks and loners don camouflage while they vacuum seal supplies, pick up some books on the subject.  I’ve reviewed two such books here and here, currently I am reading through another one that will be reviewed soon.  Also, there are many good websites that I have linked on my Resources page that offer a wealth of practical advice on handling scenarios you are more likely to face than societal collapse.  Part of taking responsibility for yourself is to learn for yourself and critically assess what is being presented to you.  Not everything you see on TV, hear on the radio, or read on the internet is going to be helpful.  The best thing you can do is gather information from a wide range of sources and determine what information is most applicable to your situation.  Your mind is a critical tool so keep it sharp by reading and thinking so you can acquire the knowledge you need to be better prepared.