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The Psychology of Fear
10 September 2012, 08:32,
#1
The Psychology of Fear
Walking round a "show", I was intrigued by all the stalls selling a wide range of 'unusual' equipment for preppers and survival.
From BOV gas conversions to pressure cookers built into solar ovens, the "must have" gadgets seems never ending.

Yet there was an under note to some sales pitches which concerned me.

Exploiting "Fear" was built into some of the spiel.

I started to listen more closely and I've been quite shocked about how this emotion is used to make money.

Four examples come to mind.

This filter system is the latest version. Did you know that tap water contains 144 different poisons?
For only £75 this will save you and your family from the toxins. Huh?

Or, don't buy canned goods the food degrades the can and can harm you, buying our freeze dried food (at 10x the cost of a can) is much safer for your family.

You've got kids? Here is a little set of easily sterilized kid sized eating utensils to protect them.
Buy three sets for the price of two.

Knife, call that a knife?
This tungsten bladed serrated double tuck and spin knife will save your life when that rust-able Morey blade you carry will fail after a few months.
Cost? Special show offer £150.

OK some will say that it's just good sales patter and as always the gullible will buy anything yet it concerns me.
The prepper world has it's paranoia level. It always has had.
That's probably why a lot of us are here.

Yet some people joining the prepper movement (if that's the word for it) come into a world where emergency is the norm and stubbing your toe akin to disaster.

Trying to explain that prepping isn't all about self defense or TEOTWAWKI sometimes brings derision from hardened preppers but is it a bad thing?

People need guidance, not an overdose of adrenaline from fear yet sometimes that's all they get. Fear.

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10 September 2012, 08:41,
#2
RE: The Psychology of Fear
i used to be on a forum where the majority were "prepping" for ordinary things like price increases, unemployment, redundancy and divorce, these things to me are just NORMAL life and i have been through them all, some of them several times.
Some people that prefer to be alone arent anti-social they just have no time for drama, stupidity and false people.
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10 September 2012, 08:59, (This post was last modified: 10 September 2012, 09:07 by NorthernRaider.)
#3
RE: The Psychology of Fear
Good post, its a terrible fact that many arseholes and dickheads use prepping as a simple excuse to sell junk or expensive gear playing on peoples fears.
These bastards be they selling T shirts or Ceramic Knives replace common sense with fear , logic with panic and live off our community as parasites.
This is why I so like to see members of the forum providing honest reviews of their purchases on the forum. anyone with a genuine and adult aproach to prepping is going to seek out INFORMATION long before they go shopping, Newbies who arrive on the forums and spend time asking honest question about what they actually need and not what the sellers are pushing are the ones I have the most time for.

The US prepper community is riddled with get rich quick types and firms just out to make money, and you are satarting to see it here.
Right guys for only £180 I can sell you a tactical assault system T shirt that will protect you from radiation, dirt, water and the cold, its emblazoned with the corporate network logo*** and is available in Cammo Green, Urban Blue, Blood Red, Tactical Grey. The T shirts are guarenteed to protect you from the end of the world and if they dont you are guarenteed your money back.

*** Corporate network is actually one prepping forum

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10 September 2012, 19:08,
#4
RE: The Psychology of Fear
It's an old saying but it's true: A fool and his money are soon parted

The prepping world is no different from the rest of the world, people will always try and make money out of the gullible and there are plenty of gullible people in the world. Every product is marketed, buy this deoderant and the girls will throw themselves at you is just the same as saying buy this survival tin and you can survive the zombie hordes.

I haven't got much sympathy for either the prepper or the spotty teen who buys the women magnate deoderant, if you want to spend your money without doing your own research then you deserve all you get

In fact I have just developed a survival tin that will not only protect you from zombies but also makes women fall at your feet, just send me $100 and your life will be changed forever Smile

You have the right to hold any beliefs you want. You do not have the right to have those beliefs automatically respected
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10 September 2012, 19:32,
#5
RE: The Psychology of Fear
great post paul, its sad but true isnt it, fear is one of the best ways to sell things, personally i just like having a decent product to sell and then putting some spin on my sales spiel, as opposed to saying buy this or die xD

i think alot of people get into prepping out of fear for what will happen, but i dont think they remain like this, i know that i for one am alot more relaxed about things than when i first started out, its all about assessing how bad a risk is and how likely etc and toughening yourself up, who knows maybe its just because i joined an excellent prepping community?

if a prepper is scared sh!tless of germs and endeavours to protect themselves from everything (like those kids cutlery you mentioned) then they just need to toughen the hell up, fair enough, worry about deadly virus's, but understand transmission and the mechanisms by which infection happen!...mental fortitude is an important part of prepping, and if your worried or gullible enough to be moved by all the "this will save you, its necessary" then your stupid Tongue....personally i operate on tried an tested, if someone says it works, and has used it extensively, and is not the only person to say so, then i consider buying it, peoples reviews are infinitely better than any sales spiel Smile
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10 September 2012, 21:42,
#6
RE: The Psychology of Fear
What was the sho? Sounds like it would be worth a visit.
Skean Dhude
-------------------------------
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. - Charles Darwin
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10 September 2012, 22:24,
#7
Thumbs Up  RE: The Psychology of Fear
Buy Dehydrated water!
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10 September 2012, 22:27,
#8
RE: The Psychology of Fear
(10 September 2012, 22:24)Auto Wrote: Buy Dehydrated water!

new scientist reader per chance?
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10 September 2012, 23:10,
#9
Wink  RE: The Psychology of Fear
(10 September 2012, 22:27)Hrusai Wrote:
(10 September 2012, 22:24)Auto Wrote: Buy Dehydrated water!

new scientist reader per chance?

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11 September 2012, 20:03,
#10
RE: The Psychology of Fear
the thing is ALL goverments ALL over the world use FEAR as a control tool , thats why people like us a waking UP to the shit. There will always be sobs to take advantage of any situation BUT folks it just gos to show there are loads of people WAKING UP and are not going to take the shit anymore.
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