Well, then those so-called freepers are as foolish as the day is long. Failing to prepare for the very real possibility of disaster is utter insanity.
Electricity can be out for weeks at a time due to hurricanes and heavy snowstorms. Water can become contaminated for extended periods of time as well. Forrest fires, mudslides, etc.,... the list of natural disasters that occur with relative frequency are many.
Then there are those intenitionally made disasters like terrorist attacks, riots, pandemics, etc., that seem increasingly likely to be on the horizon.
How about the subsequent looting? A store owner should just keep all his merchandise on display in the window and stay home to watch the news?
And if the gov’t is that all powerful, all knowing, all generous, altruistic entity some believe, the fact that preppers prep will have no effect whatsoever on anyone else’s outcome.
Anyone that is not actively preparing for disaster is passively preparing to be a thief and murderer. On a preparedness blog site I know of, the posters estimated that 60% of the people they know expect THEM to provide if/when it is necessary. My neighbors are the same. We’re moving. OPSEC.