I'm watching a segment of the Early Show (CBS), in which the producers sent out a team to try and lure college kids into cars with strangers. They went to Princeton. PRINCETON! Also to a major criminology school in NY (sorry, I missed the name).
Only one in four students walked away from the potential predator, even when using the same ploy that Ted Bundy used; the same that Jame Gumm used in "Silence of the Lambs!"
Other ploys included modeling gigs and reality tv shots. Several, when told they needed to have their hands bound with duct tape for the supposed "reality tv shot," just stuck their hands out there to be trussed up.
When interviewed afterwards, most of the students said they felt creepy about going along with the tempting offers, but did it anyway.
When will we learn to teach our kids to follow their instincts? When will we learn to follow our own?
That nasty creepy feeling in the pit of your stomach is something to heed, people. If it feels wrong, it is wrong. The purpose of the "creepy" feeling is to get you to refrain from doing whatever is giving you the feeling. There's no point in resisting the feeling--trussed up is trussed up, whether or not you feel "creepy" about allowing it. Once trussed, you are as good as dead.
This was a very disturbing program.
Very interesting, Ronni. I really wish I'd seen the program. I'll be sending my oldest over to read this entry.
ReplyDeleteYour topic is ironic to me because just a day or two ago I was thinking about blogging on "instincts" and was going to give examples of two times when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I literraly heard a voice in my head telling me to get myself out of the situation immediately. It's funny how we often second guess ourselves and dismiss those funny/creepy feelings. I think I might write about those experiences now.
Please do, Carri! The more we hammer on this, the better.
ReplyDeleteI loved the dog entry. Kudos to you in handling the situation so well.
Great post. I am with you---I am scared that future generations will just be passive and "go along" with things. Which could mean the end of their lives.
ReplyDeleteSo, this is how serial killers manage to pick up their victims with such ease.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and her girlfriend had a lucky escape when they were 16 years old.
A "photographer" flattered them up to the hilt and then invited the two of them to his "studio" which ended up being an apartment. They got suspicious so only one of them went up to have a look. When she got there he was in the process of being arrested and his apartment cleared.
Too close for comfort! Now, she knows how easy it is to be duped.
Thanks, Ronni. I credit the prayer because I was totally panicked seeing him like that.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to make another point on the topic. I once saw an interview on TV with a detective who was discussing a study that had been done on female victim's of violent crime. I can't recall the exact numbers now, but the majority of victim's interviewed after the crime admitted that they'd gotten that instinctive funny feeling beforehand but ignored it. His exact words to the audience was "those hairs on the back of your neck" stand up for a reason. Listen!
Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteAs parents we might also become more cognizant of our own (intentional or unintentional) sabotage of our children's perfectly good instincts. How many times do we say things to divert our children from their own instincts when it might not be necessary?
For instance, the parent who says "it's only a phase," etc... thank goodness my mom didn't do that.
I'm sure there are other examples, too.
The info should be on the CBS Early Show site tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Fire Berry!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter tends to push his lordship out the door to "get some exercise" against his will. There is a boy who spits, kicks and punches him on a regular basis. The poor child hates going outside, because he doesn't want to hit back. I know! He has to learn to do that, or it will never stop.
This kid kicked him in the head when he fell down. Maybe his instincts are kicking in!
His mother has now enrolled him in Basketball training, and he loves it. Better exercise than being kicked in the head, I reckon.