Things we do for a false sense of security

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Barracuda

Barracuda

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The point of this thread is to find the things that we do to make our self feel better mentally, but in no way would help the real situation physically.

As a kid, or even an adult, a strange noise while in bed tends to bring fear as to what that noise is or was. What do we do in a situation like this, pull the covers over us as tightly as we can of course. In no way could this prevent being killed by whatever you think or is lurking throughout your house, but somehow it brings on a large sense of security.

What do you think would be the reasoning for this, and what other things do you find us humans do that bring such a largely false sense of security.
 
The answer to that IMO is actually quite simple, because you think you are safer, you mind tells the rest of you, you are safer. Weather there is any truth to this or not, I dont know.

Another thing i find brings a false sense of security, is thinking of a loved one. You think of good times, and mentally believe you will pull through, because you know you are fighting for someone you love, like you are trying to protect them or whatnot, and therefor you know you will come out on top of whatever it is that is in your way.
 
Just things in general that make me a little happier?

Checking out GTPlanet and Giles' place for one. An episode of South Park usually helps cheer me up, too.



Maybe you mean more of the instinctive things?
 
Uh, so would blaring Metal though headphones be one of those little things that make us feel better? That's what I'm doing atm. See -->
headphones8sf.gif
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Though the question has already been answered, the point of the thread is not what makes you happy, but what you tend to do instinctively, as said, in a situation, that doesn't affect the physical situation, but changes the situation for you mentally.

Another example would be walking in a dark hallway or room. What do you do? you walk faster. Will walking faster help if there really is something dangerous lurking in the shadows? Not at all, but it makes you feel better about the situation that you are in
V1P3R
Uh, so would blaring Metal though headphones be one of those little things that make us feel better? That's what I'm doing atm. See -->
headphones8sf.gif
headbang8ty.gif
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Rock on! :D
 
Hmm.. so then fight or flight right? There was one time when I was a kid at a cemetery going to the bathroom and something scared the **** out of me. I ran so fast and stayed in the room with my family. Today, I avoid going to the bath room at a cemetery not that I frequent them in the first place. xD
 
*sigh* I mean the silly things us humans do in reaction to certain events.

Even animals run when they are frightened by a sound, so that is not what i am looking for.

One last example, for some people, would be going towards a loud commotion or sound. You don't know if something could have just fallen, or if there is a rabid wolf around the corner, it is just our human nature to want to know the source of such a disrupting noise, which is the last thing you should be doing if you think about it.

Do you get it now :dunce:
 
I agree, when I was younger, I used to run through hallways at night because i was scared, and in reality, that doesn't help at all physically.

Oh, and right now, im blasting dragonforce.
 
I really like it when my favorite waitress bends over right in front of me to pick something up off the floor. Makes me choke one of those chokes you do when you spy amazing booty right in front of your face.
 
I've got one.

Some people will start believing that they'll live forever in the sky with a benevolent all-powerful being who will take care of them for eternity in a sea of bliss.

This does two things. First, it gives a false sense of security that things are "planned" and that someone above is watching out for them. Second, it gives the security of not being able to truly die. Death simply becomes transportation to a much "better place".

I know it's not what you had in mind, but it fits your description perfectly - very much like pulling a blanket over your head.
 
Just step on the gas and close my eyes.
...Or just blare heavy metal to pump me up incase the fecal matter hits the fan.
 
Some people will get into 'self help' thinking that they can 'do it' by themselves, that they don't need any one or any thing to help them along. This false sense of security in themselves actually works for a bit, but much like the other analogy presented by Danoff, it's much like putting your head in the sad.
 
Pako
it's much like putting your head in the sad.
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Much like that one South Park episode.
Some people purchase firearms to give themselves a false sense of security, which in reality makes the situation twice as dangerous as it first was.
 
Pako
How about people who close their eyes right before an accident. :D
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Gah, those people are the worst. They can't give an accurate accident report because "Oh I closed my eyes I don't know what happeend!?" I've never been behind the wheel of a car in an accident but I've been shotgun numerous times in an accident. Each time I just look at the driver then the impending crash and yell "F:censored:!!!!!!!!!
 
How about people who slam on the brakes for false security? Sometimes it's better to accelerate and get out of the way.....
 
Read, or go blasting into every room threatening the ghoulies...

I MUST learn when to accelerate instead of just slamming the brakes... I KNOW when, but I'm scared instinct will screw me over.

Watch TV, listen to music, draw...

Play games.. covers..

Close my closet doors and/or bathroom, room, etc doors.. Basically anything that looks dark, I get rid of it.

Call my friends

Sleep next to my staplegun...

Keep my pocketknife near

Sleep facedown

I also feel safer if I sleep with the blanket on, even if it's hot..

Write [usually rap songs].
 
At night when I hear a strange noise, I pull up the "mental catalog" of what all the kids foot falls sound like, figure out if the noise matches one of them, or one of the cats.
If not I grab my flashlight, my glasses, my BFK, and go see what it was.
 
Ban firearms.

A very false sense of security, when the truth is, places with the least firearm restrictions are the more safe places to live or visit. (At least for the U.S. and a few other countries).
 
Things we do for a false sense of security
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I have a perfect example for this:

Trying to ban guns.

The problem is that banning guns is just banning only weapons people know of, in fact its banning legal guns only because it wont affect illegal guns in any way except increasing their value.

99% of guns involved in crimes are from the black market, mostly coming from russias military selling their dated army surplus to Iraq, Afghanistan, Slowakia etc. The bad problem is that people are so shortsighted, they just think if they ban something it wont appear anymore on the planets surface and the world is saved - if you tell them that its not that easy the curse around and get very vocal and insulting.

I am a professional target shooter and I dont think that taking away me and my friends guns would make the world any safer. People are still selling illegal guns on the street uneffected by silly harsh gun laws. Arguments like defending myself does not count for a reason to be armed anymore, but everyday in the news they show us people which could be alive if they would have been able to defend theirselfes against robbers armed with a illegal pistol against an unarmed person.

Why do people still want to ban guns? Its just stealing the defence possibilitys of law-abiding citizen since criminals get their gun not from gun-shops anyway because they get a back-ground check and have to wait some days to get the gun. I dont understand such people, but why do they dont understand? And why are they outnumbering logically thinking people?

I really get sick of people saying that the police responsible for your personal safety, tell that the people which died in crimes waiting for police half an hour long. Thats the worst argument of them.
You cant beat the feeling of having a gun in your hands if you hear strange sounds at your door in the middle of the night with having a police officer on the phone saying you have to calm down and that they'll make a visit in a hour or so.

I just cant understand motives of people wanting to make a total gun ban, if you are an intelligent person and if you think only just a second about this you get it why banning firearms is just silly nonesense and not possible at all.

Just look at Great Britain, the crime with guns involved increased - I dont know how much- but it increased to a silly high level.
England has a 100% gun ban even affecting black powder muzzle loaders from the 18 century. But guess what? Criminals have still illegal firearms. Why did this happen?

And yes, some people do like firearms like someone liking cars or football or watching movies in the cinema.
Yes, I like to the smell of powder early in the morning, I like to get a accurate bullseye shot, I like the noise the igniting powder makes, I like to make bullets and cartridges myself. So what? I cant see anything dangerous in it.
 
I get terrified when I'm on a slant or steep hill. Especially in a car sitting at a stop light, and when the car rolls backwards for a split second when the light changes, I tend to move my head forward and grab onto something. It doesn't make the situation any better, but it seems to stop me from having a panic attack when that happens.

Off-topic: Ironically, I'm not as scared of pure vertical heights. I can look down at the streets from a 60th floor apartment with ease. My guess is that I had a bad experience rolling down a hill as a kid.
 
The car's lights in front of you can when the dumbass hasn't figured out that his brake lights are out... Luckily I ignore brake lights and concentrate on the car's behavior.
 
Diablo'
The point of this thread is to find the things that we do to make our self feel better mentally, but in no way would help the real situation physically.
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Banning guns. Declaring a state of emergency during hurricanes and stuff. Invading Iraq.
 
Michael88
Just look at Great Britain, the crime with guns involved increased - I dont know how much- but it increased to a silly high level.
England has a 100% gun ban even affecting black powder muzzle loaders from the 18 century. But guess what? Criminals have still illegal firearms. Why did this happen?
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In 2004, 11624 people were murdered by guns in the USA. Population is about 301 million people, giving you a 1 in 26000 chance of getting killed by a gun.

In England, 58 people were murdered by guns in 2006/7. Total population is 61 million, giving a 1 in 1051727 chance of being killed by a gun. That's one in a million, compared to 1 in twenty six thousand. Hardly a good argument for allowing people to arm themselves.

You are at least right about gun crime rising to silly figures in the UK. Gun homicides here used to be in single figures. :rolleyes:

Back on topic, examples of a false sense of security:
When I was young, I used to barricade my closet door by leaning a continental pillow against it. I thought that would be enough to stop monsters coming out and attacking me..:dunce:
More recently, my bowling ball stuck on my thumb momentarily one night, and as a result, instead of going down the lane, it more or less went straight up in the air. I didn't see where it went, didn't know if it had gone over my shoulder or straight up or to one side. All I knew is that it was definitely not in front of me, and that it hadn't landed yet. I didn't know which way to run and didn't want to look up in case I got a face full of Storm's finest, so I tried to protect my head by putting my arms over it. I doubt it would have done much good... fortunately the bowling ball landed about 5 feet in front of me. Witnesses estimate it went up about ten feet up. :ill:
 
Alfaholic
In 2004, 11624 people were murdered by guns in the USA. Population is about 301 million people, giving you a 1 in 26000 chance of getting killed by a gun.

In England, 58 people were murdered by guns in 2006/7. Total population is 61 million, giving a 1 in 1051727 chance of being killed by a gun. That's one in a million, compared to 1 in twenty six thousand. Hardly a good argument for allowing people to arm themselves.

You are at least right about gun crime rising to silly figures in the UK. Gun homicides here used to be in single figures. :rolleyes:
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Except England is an island and you have no privacy there. Maintaining borders and thus control of banned weapons is much easier with those two going for it. Guns don't kill people though, people kill people. That, and I oddly enough don't worry about being stabbed, how nice :)
 

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