Matt Sevald, Author at The Prepper Journal

In the first installment of this series I wrote about the dangers to life and property one might face during disasters if one relies entirely upon the government to provide protection and relief. More to the point, I highlighted the folly of such reliance as small, regular preparations ahead of time would mitigate the lion’s share of any life disruption. Much like the grasshopper in Aesop’s fable, those who shirk personal responsibility during times of plenty often go running to their neighbors asking for, and even demanding or stealing items of necessity, and sometimes televisions. This is human nature, and you or I would do exactly the same if we felt our lives were at risk. The difference between us and them is we prepare for emergencies.

6 minute read

The Risk of Government Dependency When Disaster Strikes: Pt. 2

Editors Note: The following guest article has been generously contributed by Matt Sevald. In the first installment…

byMatt Sevald

19 comments

7 minute read

‘X’ Marks the Spot: Free Software Helps Map Your Future Homestead

Editors Note: The following guest article has been generously contributed by Matt Sevald. Matt has created a unique…

byMatt Sevald

7 comments

6 minute read

The Necessity of Liquidity in an Increasingly Cashless Society

Editors Note: The following guest article has been generously contributed by Matt Sevald. I was taught all the…

byMatt Sevald

3 comments

(Originally in this part of the article I wrote about 800 words detailing my disdain for the rat race aspect of my job, my frustration with the economy, and my revulsion towards the decay of American society and government overreach but no matter how I edited it I sounded like a whiny Communist angry at “the man”. My thoughts are much more complex, but suffice to say, I hate the way our country has made it quite difficult for a person to be his own master. I have thus omitted it in order to better focus on the benefits of homesteading.)

6 minute read

The Case for Homesteading

Editors Note: The following guest article has been generously contributed by Matt Sevald. Recently, Pat Henry wrote more…

byMatt Sevald

20 comments

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the readers at The Prepper Journal. I trust you and yours are well and progressing each day. The holidays have blessed our house with good food, too many toys, and a welcome respite for myself between nursing school semesters. While I have whittled down a few chores on my honey-do list, I have found some time to attack the growing number of shows on the DVR that sit idly for viewing between getting home from work and passing out for a few hours’ sleep. Among these was a pleasant surprise: Revelation: The End of Days on the History Channel.

6 minute read

A Prepper’s Review of History Channel’s Revelation: The End of Days

Editors Note: The following guest article has been generously contributed by Matt Sevald. Merry Christmas and Happy New…

byMatt Sevald

16 comments

As far as the “PANIC!” school of thought goes, I think we Preppers often get blamed for it (whether we’re panicking or not) and we certainly can fall victim to hysteria, even more than the general public because of our hyper-vigilant mindset. Already we have seen a woman wearing a full hazmat suit to the airport and an airport worker forced to remove mask and gloves or be fired out of fear he would spark a panic. Sales of masks and “survival kits” are on the rise in both Britain and the United States. Keep in mind that Prepping is supposed to give us an edge for these sorts of scenarios so that we don’t have to panic. I advocate having health care supplies, but it’s not time to lock ourselves in the bunker just yet.

6 minute read

Perspectives: Avoiding Hysteria

Editors Note: The following guest article has been generously contributed by Matt Sevald. There’s been a lot of…

byMatt Sevald

4 comments

7 minute read

The Risk of Government Dependency When Disaster Strikes

Editors Note: The following guest article has been generously contributed by Matt Sevald. As Preppers, when we speak…

byMatt Sevald

9 comments

7 minute read

Could We Have it All Wrong?

Editors Note: The following guest article has been generously contributed by Matt Sevald. Reading the article “Bartering With…

byMatt Sevald

5 comments

Editors Note: This post originated as a discussion in the comments on our blog from a relatively new reader, Matt in response to another reader. His comments were so interesting I asked him if he would be willing to expand his thoughts and experiences into an entire post and luckily for us Matt obliged. I believe his conversations with other people he worked with below are very illuminating and useful to anyone who is considering what choices they will be faced with and what life could be like if all hell breaks loose and society collapses. If nothing else, it is a glimpse into the thought processes of people who are pondering some of the questions we ask on the Prepper Journal. Have you asked yourself what value you would bring to a survival situation?

7 minute read

What Value Do You Bring to a Survival Situation?

Editors Note: This post originated as a discussion in the comments on our blog from a relatively new…

byMatt Sevald

9 comments

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The Risk of Government Dependency When Disaster Strikes: Pt. 2

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The Necessity of Liquidity in an Increasingly Cashless Society

The Case for Homesteading

A Prepper’s Review of History Channel’s Revelation: The End of Days

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The Risk of Government Dependency When Disaster Strikes

Could We Have it All Wrong?

What Value Do You Bring to a Survival Situation?