I've been thru a couple of types of SHTF (car breakdown, flood, power outages, street demonstrations, severe storms). None of it required a gun for me to survive. Although in retrospect, a gun would have been a very good idea, just to be on the safe side. After seeing some major SHTF situations like the NorthEast blackouts, Katrina, Mt. St. Helens, 9/11 and other assorted fusterclucks, I'm convinced that it makes sense now more than ever to have a few "preps" in place.
The way I figure it, every time I've been in a "situation" it came in a form different from what I'd envisioned. When I was younger and had a different view of "risk vs. reward" I would pretty much just take my chances and roll with the punches. To put it frankly, I was lucky a lot. Now that I'm more mature and conservative, I see things like auto insurance as essential, not optional, because sooner or later the law of averages is going to get the better of you. This is my attitude where SHTF scenarios are concerned as well. No matter what I'm expecting, the thing that catches me off guard is going to differ from whatever I may have planned for. So I don't think it's ridiculous to plan for exotic scenarios like Civil War II or a Zombie Outbreak. Are those ever going to happen? Probably not. But on the way to getting set for these outlandishly unlikely scenarios, I'll have put a good deal in place that will turn out to be very beneficial for whatever DOES eventually come down the pike. First aid kit, water storage, a few month's worth of food, some cash put aside, plenty of "loaner" guns and ammo to feed them... I hope I never need them, but I'll be darn glad to have them if the time ever comes.