The Psychology behind the run on toilet paper (Covid-19)

[dcontesti]

This article attempts to explain why folks are rushing out to stockpile toilet paper.  I especially agree with points 1 and 2 in this article....no clear message except stay off cruise ships......

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/the-psychology-behind-why-toilet-paper-of-all-things-is-th...

[iso27701]

An interesting article, and one that resonates with me.

[Beads]

Haven't noticed a shortage in local stores here but the second article I have seen panicking over toilet paper. I mean really, how long do people expect to be in self-quar, ntine. Months? Years? Will the trees we use for paper pulp stop growing? Will factories that produce butt-wipe shut down for months at a time leaving us scrambling for old newspapers and non-slick periodicals? Think of the childeren!

TP? Really?

- b/eads

[AndreaMoore]

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@dcontesti wrote:

This article attempts to explain why folks are rushing out to stockpile toilet paper.  I especially agree with points 1 and 2 in this article....no clear message except stay off cruise ships......

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/the-psychology-behind-why-toilet-paper-of-all-things-is-th...

---

Interesting article! Thanks for sharing!

This (from the article) reminds me of Hurricane season prepping.

Panic buying begets panic buying: All those photos of empty shelves may lead people to believe that they must rush out and grab toilet paper while they still can. And what started as perceived scarcity becomes actual scarcity.

It allows some to feel a sense of control: Fischhoff said that preparing, even by purchasing toilet paper, returns a sense of control to what seems like a helpless situation.

[iso27701]

If you take the inherent risk management methodology, apparently, being used, and then apply it to road fatalities that run about 1700 deaths a year, all vehicles would be banned from the roads.

Much safer and far fewer deaths, other than those experiencing cardiac arrest carrying large quantities of toilet roll home!

[Caute_cautim]

@AndreaMoore @dcontesti   Then why is it when natural disasters occur, that people simply don't think it will happen?   But this sort of situation gets people to think about Civil Defense Emergency Management (CDEM) and think about what they would do.   It is a bit late when the latest Tsunami or high winds are about to inundate the coast line due to a King tide.  When people expect the authorities to help them out and pull them out of situations, they could have been well prepared for in the first place? 

Incidentally it is not just Toilet rolls, it is cold remedies as well - whole shelves have disappeared in supermarkets even in New Zealand and Australia.  Now the authorities have limits on the number that can be taken away per family member.   Now if one was thinking appropriately, one would go to the nearest Chemist Warehouse, and buy in bulk and take several family members along with you and it would be far cheaper too.

So is the answer invent a situation, which is not a Civil Defense Emergency Management event, and this will cause people to actually prepare? 

There is something deeply disturbing, in the sense that human beings actually need to be fully motivated by doing something, but to do the correct thing appropriately.

Regards

Caute_cautim

[rslade]

> Caute_cautim (Community Champion) posted a new reply in Tech Talk on 03-10-2020

>    But this sort of situation gets
> people to think about Civil Defense Emergency Management (CDEM) and think about
> what they would do.
[...]
>   So is the answer invent a situation, which is not a Civil Defense
> Emergency Management event, and this will cause people to actually prepare?   

The answer, as I have been telling people for years, is to get everyone (and
particularly those of us in security) to volunteer in your local emergency
management office or agency. (It might be Red Cross or a local fire department.
Here in Canada we are fortunate: every municpality has an emergency
management office, and is set to take on and train volunteers.)
https://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/1346

(And, for those of us with certs, since you have to know BCP, the training gets
you CPEs, as well!)

====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rslade@vcn.bc.ca slade@victoria.tc.ca rslade@computercrime.org
Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My
strength lies solely in my tenacity. - Louis Pasteur
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://twitter.com/rslade
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
https://is.gd/RotlWB

[Caute_cautim]

@rslade   Lets get upbeat and positive: 

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_keep_the_greater_good_in_mind_during_the_corona...

Regards

Caute_cautim

[iso27701]

The positive side is that I have not heard of Brexit in ages!

[rslade]

> iso27701 (Newcomer I) posted a new reply in Tech Talk on 03-11-2020 03:54 AM

> The positive side is that I have not heard of Brexit in ages!

Now *that* is a definite plus ...