Guess I'm confused at your statement. How will they "survive" if they don't "prepare"? Are you saying "survivalist" are just planning on going to the woods and live off the land or become robbers?? Got news for you, that's real good for movies, but not realistic at all. Either one won't last long. They will starve to death or be shot by "preppers" protecting what they have.
I may only have a years worth of food saved up, but I also save seeds, have minor livestock and other items and skills to keep eating. The years worth of food is to get you thru till the next growing season, or until you get a garden going.
Don't think anyone is "prepping" for only one year, what good would that do? In fact I would say that a prepper would be the real long term survivalist. That person is getting ready for whatever comes along for however long it lasts.
Just saying...
Jimmy
Being prepared can be many different things for many different people. This is just my opinon and does not mean it is right. A prepper gathers many things together that they think they will need if something does happen. They have food, water, guns, ammo, gas, seeds, tools, and lots of other stuff. Again this is just my opinion. I think many preppers think storing these items will guarantee they survive. Many would not last very long if they are caught away from their preps. Many would not be able to hang on to their preps. Many do not have any experience going without food for weeks. Many don't know how to live off the land or just by their own wits. They depend largely on their preps for their lives.
A survivalist can live without any of the stuff preppers need. They can be dropped into almost any place with just the clothes on their backs and survive. Most of their preps are stored in their heads and their experiences.
They are not tied down by their preps. They do not have the worry about protecting their preps. They have a good idea how long they can go without food or water. They already know, from experience, that 3 meals a day, or even one meal a day is not necessary. A survivalist , from experience, knows how to use, when to use, and how to make weapons. They are not limited to firearms and ammo.
Guess what I see as a survivalist is much like the people who settled this great country. Many of them crossed the nation with less than the normal prepper thinks they need for a week. Many of them can live for years with only what they can carry.
Some preppers may turn into survivalist but the numbers will be few. Most preppers are much like the normal city dweller, waiting for someone to rescue them. They are prepared to wait much longer but they are still waiting for rescue. If rescue does not come they will eat their way through their preps. They are only putting everything off for an amount of time. It might work, hopefully it will.
The survivalist is not waiting for rescue. They know who they can depend on. They know how to survive.
Again, this is just my opinion and may be wrong. I think a prepper can become a servivalist, a few arleady are but many preppers are just hopeing to last until rescue comes.
Guess petedewd described it some.