It’s interesting to see the ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ mentality in nearly every group of people that exist on earth. No matter where you look, you’ll see people of all shapes, sizes, and nationalities who incorporate different values, thoughts, and beliefs.
The same can be said for the different kind of people you can find fitting into the ‘survivalist’ mold.
You may think there is just one stereotype for preppers, but there are tons. And for every type of survivalist that exists, each one is incredibly unique in their own quirky way. Here is a list of the top-10 survivalists or preppers you can encounter anywhere you go.
1) Apocalyptic
These preppers will swear up and down that any day now, the world is about to explode in a massive nuclear holocaust, freeze to death in the next ice age, or believe the aliens are on their way to rendezvous with earth and abduct everyone.
They typically get their ideas from the many disaster movies they see or other portrayals. Some even think that those movies are from the Hollywood elite who are warning people about what’s to happen in the near future.
2) Food storage
When you think of people storing food, you probably imagine a nice, sweet, middle-aged mom with a basement stuffed full of cans.
They won’t let their family starve and have learned from decades past how to properly can and preserve passed down from generation to generation.
Learn more about building your emergency food supply in this article.
3) The Tactical Genius
The tactical genius is someone who always thinks they’re playing war. Everything they do is a battlefield and still use all the same terminology they learned from their time in service. They probably have maps of their property, a nice stack of ammo, and plenty of firepower to repel anyone who attempts to walk on their property.
4) The Hippies
The group that would’ve survived a natural disaster in the 60s and 70s, hippies know how to live off the land. They build their own houses, design their own clothes, grow food, and are peaceful with those around them. Yeah, they wouldn’t have any issues making due.
5) Campers and Hunters
These types of people spend their days outside. It’s the call of the wild that draws them. Everything from building a shelter out of twigs to tracking animals and analyzing their poop is a gene they have.
Survival is ‘roughing it’ in the wild and they love to share what they know with their children.
6) Medical survivalists
These people would be very helpful in any kind of emergency. They know CPR, are great in administering first-aid, can work emergency surgery, and be the link between death and survival in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
If there was some kind of pandemic, they would be on the front lines attempting to treat and find a cure.
7) Extremists
Extremists, typically right-wing Americans, have this fear of the government coming in and taking away their freedoms. They believe the government are sheep in wolves clothing and are out to get them.
To them, everything is this major conspiracy. If they do vote, they’ll go for the candidate who offers less government and less of a hands-on approach.
8) The Boy Scouts
These guys are most likely related to those who are camping survivalists. They also are into the wilderness and know the best ways to get by. They can build a fire, create a nice base camp, have plans for getting rid of waste, and get around with a good map.
9) Economists
These guys know money. They’ll probably have enough stored up to get by on. That is until it becomes completely worthless. But the economist is prepared! They have spent years stocking up on precious goods and metals, great for buying, selling, and/or bartering.
10) Religious
The religious preppers know something is going to happen. It’s been prophesied in their holy books. They’ll stand on the street corners with signs, attempting to warn the world of what is to come. A force of evil is rising in the world and they are ready and willing to face the beast.
There are probably many more types of survivalists out there, but these are the main types. You can find them at church, on social media, and seemingly living a normal life.
They can be your neighbors and you’d never know that in their basement, they are stocked for the next 20 years. And if you’re not a prepper yourself, you may just find yourself in a sticky situation someday, so it’s best not to make fun of them when you do see one, no matter how crazy they might seem.
