With so many catastrophic scenarios at play in the world today, more people are beginning to plan ahead by preparing for the worst-case scenario. Water shortages, currency collapse, solar flares, earthquakes, riots, plagues, martial law and war all threaten civilization. Some people are investing in rural property and equipping hidden locations, stocking up on food, water, ammunition and other self-sustaining necessities. Most preppers are also equipping their “bug out bags” in case an unfortunate event causes them to leave their home in a hurry.

Here are some reasons why bug out plans might just be a terrible idea, including alternative insight that may come in handy for those facing difficult situations.

Avoid close quarters and stressed situations that lack a sense of community

First, it’s important to note that humans are a territorial species. In close quarters, humans are more willing to become irritable and violent. In stressed and impoverished situations, humans lose character and moral judgment. In poor parts of the city, humans are both in close quarters and in stressed situations. This is why these areas harbor the highest rates of violence, theft and rape across the board. To reduce the likelihood of being beaten, killed, raped or pillaged at any time, it’s best to “bug out” now to a location with more space, privacy and independence. Any future bug out plan should aim for an adequate amount of territory that provides the tools to allow for prosperity and the rebuilding of a sense of community.

This means it might be better to learn real-life, hands-on skills rather than invest in a trove of excess supplies.

This means it might be better to learn how to work well with people now instead of stocking up on bullets which could lead to unnecessary blood baths.

This means it might be best to mindfully invest resources in others right now instead of converting money to gold and silver stashes.

Those who bug out would be easy targets for desperate people

It’s great to have a stash of necessities ready in a handy bag for quick emergencies, but bugging out into the nearby countryside or cityscape with a bagful of goodies makes the prepper a vulnerable target to a desperate populace.

If society unravels and preppers begin to head for the hills, then they instantly become targets. The rest of the population will desperately see a man with a backpack as a source of much-needed supplies. Desperate people’s instincts will kick in, and they will do anything to take or coerce supplies from preppers who’ve left the safety of their home.

Armed bug-out plan doesn’t guarantee safety

The prepper with a gun isn’t automatically protected either. Larger gangs can easily overwhelm smaller packs of preppers or lone rangers. Only so much ammunition can be carried by backpack, too. At every moment, a prepper’s back is turned, especially when he lies down to sleep at night.
Sleeping in the open is dangerous too. By bugging out, preppers force themselves to sleep without any protection. A tent or makeshift hut can easily be scouted out, penetrated and overrun by desperate looters.

Rebuilding community is most important

What happens when preppers depend on their supplies alone and not on their ability to build relationships with others to rebuild communities? After society unravels, people will be craving friendship and civil communication. By preparing in fear and depending on themselves and stashed supplies, preppers are subconsciously planning to pit themselves against their fellow man while increasing mistrust. Instead of having a selfish bug out plan, preppers should consider forming bug-out community networks that share skills and goods.

The worst way to survive an unfolding crisis is to prepare in mistrust. Right now is a great time to get to know neighbors and learn about each others life skills. Preppers trying to make it alone in a nearby National Forest could easily become deprived of human relationship and become anxious, depressed and lonely. This is no way to survive or live.

Also, what happens when multiple preppers end up in the same forest, fighting for the same wild game? Desperate times and selfish mentalities could cause overhunting, quickly wiping out entire species of wild game. This means that it might be more important to prepare oneself spiritually. Learning to work together is more important than selfishly hunting against one another.

The prepper’s world can collapse just as quickly as modern-day society could.

It’s our morals and values that hold us together as a culture.

What’s the end goal for one who bugs out — to separate himself from society and “survive,” or to rebuild society and make it a better place?

The rebuilding process begins now. It might mean less hoarding of supplies and more of an investment of time — learning skills and working with the people around you. Preparing might be better accomplished by building personal character traits instead of building elaborate bug-out fortresses and savior bug-out bags.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.theprepperjournal.com