Paranoia

[Revoltingest]

A friend no longer carries his cel phone because shadowy groups (government
&/or private organizations) track him, & send agents to follow & observe him.
He reports agents he's identified by their behavior, eg, engaging him with cryptic
conversation, appearing to ignore him.
I recently recommended a Chromebook for internet surfing, but he needs to pay
cash. Otherwise they'll track him.

His friend (Tom), whom I've met a couple times, has rigged his compound to resist
assassination attempts by government. He recommends disabling surveillance
satellites by aiming a TV remote at them. The infra red beam messes them up.

Another friend of mine, also has a compound up north. He has a collection of
military transport vehicles, supplies of food, & Gawd knows what else for the
upcoming armageddon.

----

I've discussed paranoia with 1st paragraph friend. He acknowledges the
possibility that his fears are unfounded. But they remain nonetheless.

This thread is flexible, ie, discuss whatever inspires you about paranoia.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

It readily coexists with bigotry and can be deadly.

 

[Estro Felino]

Speaking of USA...it seems we are still before 1989...
I mean...when you read American articles about Russia...

 

[Revoltingest]

It readily coexists with bigotry and can be deadly.

Among the paranoid right wingers I know, bigotry
is about religious & political orientation.
I've never seen them exhibit racism.
But liberals & Muslims are feared.
Atheists seem to escape their scorn.

Caution:
My population size is small.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Among the paranoid right wingers I know, bigotry
is about religious & political orientation.
I've never seen them exhibit racism.
But liberals & Muslims are feared.
Atheists seem to escape their scorn.

Caution:
My population size is small.

I suppose it's a matter of defining the "they" in "they are out to get me."

For the record, I distinguish between "coexist" and "co-dependent," and I have no doubt that one ban be paranoid without necessarily being racist.

 

[Stevicus]

A friend no longer carries his cel phone because shadowy groups (government
&/or private organizations) track him, & send agents to follow & observe him.
He reports agents he's identified by their behavior, eg, engaging him with cryptic
conversation, appearing to ignore him.
I recently recommended a Chromebook for internet surfing, but he needs to pay
cash. Otherwise they'll track him.

His friend (Tom), whom I've met a couple times, has rigged his compound to resist
assassination attempts by government. He recommends disabling surveillance
satellites by aiming a TV remote at them. The infra red beam messes them up.

Another friend of mine, also has a compound up north. He has a collection of
military transport vehicles, supplies of food, & Gawd knows what else for the
upcoming armageddon.

----

I've discussed paranoia with 1st paragraph friend. He acknowledges the
possibility that his fears are unfounded. But they remain nonetheless.

This thread is flexible, ie, discuss whatever inspires you about paranoia.

In all fairness, though, the government is rather paranoid itself. If you go to any government building or complex, they have surveillance cameras everywhere and sometimes guards, checkpoints, metal detectors. It's like they believe that ordinary citizens are dangerous.

Even in privately-owned stores, one can find cameras and even security guards, as if they're afraid of the general public. A lot of places (such as banks) ask for ID before making any transaction. And let's not forget the paranoia of the airline industry and all the checkpoints and drama one has to go through just to get on an airplane.

Some people carry weapons or mace when they're out and about, for much the same reason.

Paranoia is a widespread affliction.

 

[Revoltingest]

In all fairness, though, the government is rather paranoid itself. If you go to any government building or complex, they have surveillance cameras everywhere and sometimes guards, checkpoints, metal detectors. It's like they believe that ordinary citizens are dangerous.

Even in privately-owned stores, one can find cameras and even security guards, as if they're afraid of the general public. A lot of places (such as banks) ask for ID before making any transaction. And let's not forget the paranoia of the airline industry and all the checkpoints and drama one has to go through just to get on an airplane.

Some people carry weapons or mace when they're out and about, for much the same reason.

Paranoia is a widespread affliction.

I distinguish between precautions against what is likely & real
vs what is unlikely & imagined.
The former is productive cuz crime is real & common.
Security cameras record malefactors, & lead to prosecution
while discouraging theft.
The latter is unevidenced & leads to dysfunctional behavior,
eg, fear of using credit cards, fear of being followed, spending
resources on preparing for improbable threats.

 

[Secret Chief]

engaging him with cryptic
conversation

Don't recommend RF then.

 

[Revoltingest]

Don't recommend RF then.

I did once years ago.
He came here, had a post moderated for proselytizing,
& was so offended by that, that he never returned.
RF's rules were all wrong, staff were authoritarian censors,
he was right, they were wrong, & there is no compromise
in such matters. RF is just big government & big business
all rolled into one....so it's dead to him.

He tends to see everything in black & white....no gray.

 

[Estro Felino]

Fear is useful.
It makes one prudent.

 

[Stevicus]

I distinguish between precautions against what is likely & real
vs what is unlikely & imagined.
The former is productive cuz crime is real & common.
Security cameras record malefactors, & lead to prosecution
while discouraging theft.
The latter is unevidenced & leads to dysfunctional behavior,
eg, fear of using credit cards, fear of being followed, spending
resources on preparing for improbable threats.

Most of these things are set up for the extremely rare and unlikely events, though (such as hijackings, terrorists blowing up buildings, etc.).

There have been enough cases of innocent people being arrested/imprisoned for things they didn't do, along with numerous cases of police brutality, shootings, etc. A wee bit of paranoia about the government may not be a bad idea. And it's not just about our government either. Anything that any government has done against its citizenry, our government could do that, too.

 

[Revoltingest]

Most of these things are set up for the extremely rare and unlikely events, though (such as hijackings, terrorists blowing up buildings, etc.).

The only reason such terrorism is rare is because of precautions.

There have been enough cases of innocent people being arrested/imprisoned for things they didn't do, along with numerous cases of police brutality, shootings, etc. A wee bit of paranoia about the government may not be a bad idea. And it's not just about our government either. Anything that any government has done against its citizenry, our government could do that, too.

I make a distinction between useful wariness of government
& paranoia about government.
For example, creating a secure compound (in which nothing
illegal is being done) for defense against government wet
work teams isn't reasonable.

 

[Prim969]

A friend no longer carries his cel phone because shadowy groups (government
&/or private organizations) track him, & send agents to follow & observe him.
He reports agents he's identified by their behavior, eg, engaging him with cryptic
conversation, appearing to ignore him.
I recently recommended a Chromebook for internet surfing, but he needs to pay
cash. Otherwise they'll track him.

His friend (Tom), whom I've met a couple times, has rigged his compound to resist
assassination attempts by government. He recommends disabling surveillance
satellites by aiming a TV remote at them. The infra red beam messes them up.

Another friend of mine, also has a compound up north. He has a collection of
military transport vehicles, supplies of food, & Gawd knows what else for the
upcoming armageddon.

----

I've discussed paranoia with 1st paragraph friend. He acknowledges the
possibility that his fears are unfounded. But they remain nonetheless.

This thread is flexible, ie, discuss whatever inspires you about paranoia.

Revoltingest you have some very intriguing friends I’m sure life must never dull with the company you keep : )

 

[Stevicus]

The only reason such terrorism is rare is because of precautions.

Or because it's rare. You make it seem like there'd be hijackings every day if not for the TSA. I don't see any real evidence of this. Those hellbent on terrorism would go after softer targets where there aren't so many precautions, but we don't even see much of that - at least not in America.

I make a distinction between useful wariness of government
& paranoia about government.
For example, creating a secure compound (in which nothing
illegal is being done) for defense against government wet
work teams isn't reasonable.

Yes, although someone going to the trouble of building a secure compound is going to attract attention, which is the last thing a paranoid person would want. Someone that paranoid would want to live under the radar and off the grid as much as possible.

But in the cases which have been in the public eye, a lot of these compound builders want to make it into a big spectacle, complete with their own flags and declarations that they're now the free independent republic of Poopistan. They're going to immediately get the attention of the government, which will be just as paranoid about anyone in a compound.

 

[Revoltingest]

Revoltingest you have some very intriguing friends I’m sure life must never dull with the company you keep : )

There are many interesting people out there.
I might just have a slight tendency (more than most
it seems) to ferret out & discuss uncomfortable issues.

 

[Revoltingest]

Or because it's rare. You make it seem like there'd be hijackings every day if not for the TSA. I don't see any real evidence of this. Those hellbent on terrorism would go after softer targets where there aren't so many precautions, but we don't even see much of that - at least not in America.

Do you think that taking precautions against terrorism isn't useful,
& is just paranoia?
I speak of the general intent to do this...not every stupid thing
government does, eg, putting babies on the no-fly list, or sexual
groping of children.

Yes, although someone going to the trouble of building a secure compound is going to attract attention, which is the last thing a paranoid person would want. Someone that paranoid would want to live under the radar and off the grid as much as possible.

But in the cases which have been in the public eye, a lot of these compound builders want to make it into a big spectacle, complete with their own flags and declarations that they're now the free independent republic of Poopistan. They're going to immediately get the attention of the government, which will be just as paranoid about anyone in a compound.

I think government completely ignores my friends....except
perhaps for the occasional eye roll.

 

[Left Coast]

A friend no longer carries his cel phone because shadowy groups (government
&/or private organizations) track him, & send agents to follow & observe him.
He reports agents he's identified by their behavior, eg, engaging him with cryptic
conversation, appearing to ignore him.
I recently recommended a Chromebook for internet surfing, but he needs to pay
cash. Otherwise they'll track him.

His friend (Tom), whom I've met a couple times, has rigged his compound to resist
assassination attempts by government. He recommends disabling surveillance
satellites by aiming a TV remote at them. The infra red beam messes them up.

Another friend of mine, also has a compound up north. He has a collection of
military transport vehicles, supplies of food, & Gawd knows what else for the
upcoming armageddon.

----

I've discussed paranoia with 1st paragraph friend. He acknowledges the
possibility that his fears are unfounded. But they remain nonetheless.

This thread is flexible, ie, discuss whatever inspires you about paranoia.

I'm sorry to hear this about your friends. It's unfortunate that so many people are crippled by it. Quite often I've noticed they're otherwise intelligent folks, but they can't shake these bizarre conspiratorial beliefs that have little to no evidence supporting them. I also notice that when one belief falls apart and they can't maintain it anymore, they quickly move on to a new one. For some it seems to be like a personality trait.

 

[Prim969]

There are many interesting people out there.
I might just have a slight tendency (more than most
it seems) to ferret out & discuss uncomfortable issues.

It’s always good having ones mind stimulated with such interesting odds & ends. I look forward to reading more

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm sorry to hear this about your friends. It's unfortunate that so many people are crippled by it. Quite often I've noticed they're otherwise intelligent folks, but they can't shake these bizarre conspiratorial beliefs that have little to no evidence supporting them. I also notice that when one belief falls apart and they can't maintain it anymore, they quickly move on to a new one. For some it seems to be like a personality trait.

Don't feel sorry for them. The cope with their difficulties
well enuf. If they were real downers, I wouldn't associate
with'm.
Most people believe in unevidenced conspiracies of one
type or another. These are just more interesting to me
than most. And because they're rather foreign to most
RF posters, it's easier to discuss than more mainstream
illusions (eg, religion).

 

[Revoltingest]

It’s always good having ones mind stimulated with such interesting odds & ends. I look forward to reading more

I even venture into dangerous territory....discussing racial
issues & relations with black folk (usually my tenants).
This has always gone smoothly & interestingly. It seems
much easier in person, as opposed to the internet.