I get asked about this a lot, and on the topic of security, self defense and firearms, most of what I have to say so far is captured in my Rolling Stone feature, “Journal of a Progressive Prepper” (May 2021), the companion video installment below.

TL;DR: From March 7-9, 2020 (the weekend before the Covid-19 pandemic forced us into lockdown), I did a research trip of sorts to the Louisville Survival Expo & Gun Show. It was bleak. But in my conversations with preparedness experts across the political spectrum—including survivalist Bob Gaskin, emergency food purveyor Teri Whisenhunt and archeologist/author Chris Begley, I learned a lot about how people in this country are approaching and preparing for an ever-shifting reality.