Why do some people fear guns? NOISE!

[Owen Sparks]

I read an interesting theory the other day that has real political implications. We all are aware that some people have knee jerk emotional reactions that can be used like handles to manipulate them. How many times have you heard "for the children" used by an unscrupulous politician? This reason this form of manipulation works is because it totally bypasses critical thinking and goes straight for the emotions.

How else can people be manipulated? By FEAR.
People are born with a natural fear of only two things, falling and loud noises. All else is learned behavior. If there were a sudden loud BANG behind you right now, you would jump. No matter how many years you have been shooting, if you did not know it was coming you would revert to natures reaction to loud noise with fear. In fact, as shooters we constantly have to suppress this natural urge to flinch even when we know it is going to happen. Gunfire is loud. It is scary on a subconscious level even to a seasoned shooter. How much more so is it to a person who is unfamiliar with firearms? Guns can have a very negative connotation to people who don't understand them, as they associate guns with loud frightening noises.

Interestingly enough, the type of person who is scared of guns and would not allow one in their home would probably be totally comfortable around archery equipment. Even though being run through with a broad head can be just about as deadly as being shot, it does not make that loud scary noise therefore it does not elicit that strong primordial urge to avoid it.

With the new Congress and President taking power it is critical that we, as gun owners promote shooting in a positive way as we are dealing with peoples deep seeded subconscious fears and the only way to conquer that fear is with knowledge.

Just an observation, OS

 

[Lewis130]

the only way to conquer that fear is with knowledge

...or a silencer

 

[Lewis130]

It's an interesting thought, but I'd have thought that the majority of antis have very little experience with firearms, and would be more likely to think the noise of a gunshot is at the quiet and restrained level it is in Hollywood.

 

[Mr Crowley]

Definitely noise is up there. Something else is that some guns kick back really hard. I think people get scared that they might have the pistol come back and hit them in face or have the shotty knock them down. Even in reality my 9mm isn't going to hit you in the face unless your doing something really bad wrong.

They just need to get over the "kick anxiety". And you idiots with your hand cannons that really can fly back into your face arn't helping that fear go away.

 

[Tyris]

Go with the silencer. Makes teaching newbies a hundred times easier.

-T

 

[lions]

All else is learned behavior.

I think it is mostly learned behavior. People grow up hearing "guns are bad, they kill people." I even had a co-worker freak out today when I got out my pocket knife (with at 3" blade) to open a package. Some things are pounded into peoples heads until they belive it, whether it is about a gun, knife, or other "evil instrument of death".

 

[jakemccoy]

I started a thread about this in September:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=390457&highlight=noise+jakemccoy

I agree that the loud BANG is a substantial reason for the emotionally charged fear of guns. Flip the script and imagine if, instead of a gun, a knife made a loud BANG every time the blade went to cut something.

I became a gun owner less than two years ago. I'm 35. It took a few range trips to get over the fear of the loud BANG from other shooters firing their guns. Up until that point, my main connection to guns was what I saw in the movies and on TV. Basically, all of those images are negative. As you can imagine, many newbies coming to the range will have these negative images flashing in their minds whenever they hear the loud BANG.

 

[retgarr]

You are right that loud noises do ellicit fear. However I think that seed of anti gun has to be planted for an otherwise rational person to hate guns even more because of the loud noise.

(also, fearof height and falling has been discovered to be usually a learned fear)

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Suppressor! I took a young new shooter out and had him shoot a P22 with a can on it. It was like a pellet gun. I shot a few rounds without the can and asked him if he wanted to shoot it unsuppressed. He was apprehensive until I told him it won't kick more, it's just a little louder.
Repeat that with several million more new folks and we not only eliminate fear of guns and increase the RKBA numbers, we have a ton of allies for eventually pushing to move suppressors to title 1. Cost of a .22 can and stamp is about the same price as a 9mm pistol.
Make sure you bring a camera so you can show them the size of the smile on their face when shooting.

 

[nate392]

People fear what they know little about, the other big reason is that people unconsciously don't fear the gun, but they actually fear is what they themselves are capable of doing with a firearm, and then hold that prejudice against others.

 

[lions]

the other big reason is that people unconsciously don't fear the gun, but they actually fear is what they themselves are capable of doing with a firearm, and then hold that prejudice against others.

This is called "projection" and you are absolutely correct.

 

[ServiceSoon]

The sound of a gun means freedom in my ears.

 

[regal]

They want to take our guns so they can remove the constitution, declare marshall law and make us slaves to the machine like in China.

It has nothing to do with the primordial instinct of sound. Make no mistake these are calculated strategies.

 

[7.62X25mm]

Because they're lethal.