Quote from OP article:
"For the most part, survivalists – or disaster-prepared “preppers,” as they like to call themselves – are interested mostly in indulging useful fantasies about “bug-out” packs and other necessary items to have and know how to use if there is a major societal disturbance that leads to uncontrolled unrest."

Readership increases as media writers present the world in brightly limned dichotomies. The writer in this case sacrifices some clarity in using the fascinating phrase "useful fantasies" juxtaposed with "societal disturbance that lead to uncontrolled unrest". "Fantasies" of this sort are occurring daily and occupy most of the daily news, but have escaped this writers notice entirely. But this writers job is to sell newspapers, or the digital equivalent, and that end is not served by exploring the wide world of prepping: that will be left to NatGeo's doomsday preppers.

It is easier to understand a world composed of heavily armed and fortified preppers and the presumed readers-folks who live un-prepped lives. Reality is much more nuanced, and preppers range from those with pockets empty except for grand dad's barlow knife to those with the 5 pound survival key chain.

Perhaps prepping is called fantasy because most of us will die from cancer, heart disease, and respiratory problems, issues that a PSK does not address; but we all make existential decisions; when I start thinking that my decisions are better than those made by others, I read Ecclesiastes...while hunkered in my bunker...