This is not about being selfish. Don't tell your friends, don't tell your parents, wife, husband or kids. If anyone knows it only takes time for everyone you know or even don't know to assume you've stockpile a certain product when the worst happens and things we take for granted now have turned their value in gold.

There is a difference that your close ones see you as a handy person with everything at hand rather than someone that prepares for a situation that hopes it never comes. Keeping spectations low is the best thing you can do if you really want to survive a dire situation of scarcity of essential goods.

If you tell your kids, they'll tell to their friends and then their parents. If you tell to your partner theyll tell to their friends and family at some point, not with ill intentions but because is just easy conversation, specially in these times. The more people know you have stuff, the more people will try to get your stuff.

I'm not a deep down prepper myself, I plan on short terms eventualities like a logistical disruption that would create shortages or situations were I think it might be safer to be at home for a week or two. But to those that have the ability to make mid to really long plans, which I really respect, try to keep it as low as possible or everything you've work for will be for nothing.

Of course everyone will do as they fit as it's everyone's right to do so. No one says you shouldn't help your neighbors if you can but you have to be smart about it. Don't tell you have a 24/7 in your kitchen or that you can spare all the batteries in the world, just be discreet and humble about it. For, if the worst happens, the moment people count on what you've prepared it would just no longer be yours or your closed ones. It's the hard truth.

It seems like commom sense, but if you take a look at people around your social circles it is not really that hard to know who is stockpiling and who is not. In 2020 I belive most had had situations we all were grateful we've prep for them, that it is the nature of prepping. But, it probably has also shown to the people who you move around who is ready for a bad situation and who is not. So, take my advice, try to be very humble about how much you prep because if shit really hits the fan (which we all hope it does never happen) all your prep isn't going to mean anything.

Edit: Come on people, how can you award this. Take at look at the comments, there are people you have to trust specially if you are married to them. I was trying to bait a bit to focus on the discussion of socialetal trust an perception of prep individuals but seeing some answers I regret doing so. Unless you are a long wolf that lives paranoid of everyone near you before SHTF, you actually need to speak to someone about prep planning, specially if you live with family and decisions carry financial stress.