Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

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GPS
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 4:51 pm

Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by GPS »

Hi all,

I am a lecturer/researcher from Dublin City University (formerly of University of stirling, Scotland). I am currently involved in a project with colleagues from Trinity College Dublin that is essentially looking at how individuals and communities prepare for risk or unforeseen events. I am aware of how prepper culture has been mis-represented by mass media and sensationialist headlines so I understand hesitance to speak to any outsiders or individuals with requests to learn more about prepping. I want to be clear that we are not journalists. We are academics interested in looking at how individuals prepare for unforeseen events in a measured and scientific way without judgment.

I suppose my request is simple. I am looking for anybody who would be possibly interested in talking to me about their experiences (email address removed by moderator). I want to be clear that every project we do goes under rigorous ethical review before we begin which ensures that anything shared by potential participants is completely anonymous and is only used in publication (academic journals) with permission from the participant.

If anyone has any questions or concerns I would be glad to discuss either here or in private. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Regards,

Gary
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Brambles
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Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by Brambles »

Welcome.

As you may appreciate, we have had a number of requests for interviews, mostly from journos so be prepared to answer some stiff questions and accept a certain amount of cynicism.

I wish you well with your interest and while you're here have a look around the forums, we have some very informed and professional members. It will give you an insight as to why most of us here prepare, you will find different forums have different types, we are more mainstream while others are more into Survivalism and Gloomsday.
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain~anon
GPS
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 4:51 pm

Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by GPS »

Brambles wrote:Welcome.

As you may appreciate, we have had a number of requests for interviews, mostly from journos so be prepared to answer some stiff questions and accept a certain amount of cynicism.

I wish you well with your interest and while you're here have a look around the forums, we have some very informed and professional members. It will give you an insight as to why most of us here prepare, you will find different forums have different types, we are more mainstream while others are more into Survivalism and Gloomsday.
Thanks. I certaintly do understand the cynicism. One of the reasons we are doing this research is to get a more realistic view of prepping. This is why I am keen to stress we are not journalists.

I have been having a look around the forums and have come across some interesting stuff so am looking forward to talking to members in more detail. Can you elaborate on what you mean by mainstream if you don't mind me asking?
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Brambles
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Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by Brambles »

On the whole, we tend to be average people who happen to have a shared interest in preparedness. I'm afraid, we're generally rather boring and more likely get excited about a new type of water filter, fire extinguisher, method of preserving or new gardening system than the end of the world as we know it :lol:
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain~anon
pseudonym
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Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by pseudonym »

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

As others have already stated, have a look around the Forum, ask away.

I'm one of the many that is just "prepping" for a power outage, water main leak, snow storm, job loss, car brake down, rainy day money fund... you know like our parents and grandparents used to do.

Sorry it's not all doom and gloom or camouflaged undies.

Hope you find what it is what you're looking for. :mrgreen:
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
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oldman
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Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by oldman »

Hi Gary,

I'm always happy to talk about prepping.

To me everyone is a preper in their own way, have you seen how much kit parents with young children load into the car for a trip out, in industry we do risk assessments and we all know, from a very young age, how to dial 999. It's not complicated, we're just a bit more methodical.
"Just when one least expects it, the unexpected always happens" - Dr. Rance
featherstick
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Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by featherstick »

Hello Gary

I see you are a specialist in marketing with a particular interest in music consumption.

Can you tell us a bit more about your research area please? Is the research part of a wider collaboration or project? What particular research question are you focussing on? What other areas of risk perception or preparation are you looking at?

Thanks

Feathers
GPS
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 4:51 pm

Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by GPS »

pseudonym wrote:Hello and welcome to the Forum.

As others have already stated, have a look around the Forum, ask away.

I'm one of the many that is just "prepping" for a power outage, water main leak, snow storm, job loss, car brake down, rainy day money fund... you know like our parents and grandparents used to do.

Sorry it's not all doom and gloom or camouflaged undies.

Hope you find what it is what you're looking for. :mrgreen:
Thank you for the welcome, everyone has been very kind. I have read references to (grand) parents in terms of preparation a few times on the forums. It is something I think is quite interesting. Is this kind of rational focus something that is passed down consciously in your opinion or is it something you have developed more of a concern for yourself?
GPS
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2017 4:51 pm

Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by GPS »

oldman wrote:Hi Gary,

I'm always happy to talk about prepping.

To me everyone is a preper in their own way, have you seen how much kit parents with young children load into the car for a trip out, in industry we do risk assessments and we all know, from a very young age, how to dial 999. It's not complicated, we're just a bit more methodical.
Hello,

Ha very true. Everyone clearly prepares in different ways, why do you think there is a stigma about being more 'methodical' about it. This is the part I don't understand.
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itsybitsy
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Re: Hello - Researcher interested in prepping

Post by itsybitsy »

Brambles wrote:On the whole, we tend to be average people who happen to have a shared interest in preparedness. I'm afraid, we're generally rather boring and more likely get excited about a new type of water filter, fire extinguisher, method of preserving or new gardening system than the end of the world as we know it :lol:
I dunno, I'm *very* partial to a good apocalyptic disaster movie. I particularly enjoyed '2012'. :mrgreen: