Paper short abstract:

In the wake of the covid-19 pandemic public interest in prepping – i.e. preparing oneself for a future crisis – has surged. By investing in material 'preps' and skills, preppers strive to insure themselves against an uncertain future, getting ready for the 'when' (not the 'i'f) of a coming crisis.

Paper long abstract:

The interest in prepping – i.e. the practice of preparing oneself, one’s home and family for a future crisis – has grown in Sweden and other western countries in recent years, reaching a peak in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic. As a cultural phenomenon, prepping exists as an intersection of sub-cultural community, hobby activity, civil defense and consumer landscape, tracing its roots to the more militaristic, North American survivalist movement. Numerous blogs, podcast and social media forums have popped up, dedicated to how individuals can take steps towards preparing for a dystopic future and what it may bring – from temporary blackouts, to financial troubles or total societal collapse. There is also no shortage of commercial actors catering to the wants of the preppers, marketing foodstuffs with long shelf-life, preparedness kits and other survival equipment. Investing in goods and skills for long-term survival is at the core of prepping, but what is it that preppers are preparing for and what understanding of the future does the preparations reflect? This paper will discuss prepping as way of relating to and managing orientations towards an uncertain future in everyday life. The phenomenon will be examined through the lens of late modernity consumerism, individualism and nostalgia. As many preppers strive towards self-reliance and the reclamation of the skills and knowledge of yore, lost to modern civilization, they are at once oriented towards the past and that which is not-yet-here – getting ready for the 'when' (not the 'if') of a coming crisis.