100% Certain. Really?

Just got an interesting call. It was one of
those pre-recorded deals. Not sure why I was
on their list, and maybe *I* wasn't, maybe it
was for someone who used to have my number.

It was a guy's voice. Very stern. Sounded
like he was from Massachusetts. He was saying
that it was "100% certain" that if I was over
60 years old and I was alone at home that I
would have a stroke, heart attack, accident,
or fall.

He then was nice enough to repeat the "100%
certain" part.

He was selling fear in the guise of a home
alert system.

Two questions that come to mind are:
* No one over 60 can live safely and without
incident? Really? (What about those under 60?
Are they not able to be scared or manipulated
as easily? Nothing ever happens to them?)
* How can he be so certain that it *will*
happen, unless he is hypnotizing someone
into thinking it will happen?

It sounds to me like preying on a person's
fears, rather than helping to support
another and make a difference for someone
and their needs.

I am sure many things can be useful and
helpful, but I find some of these tactics
abhorrent...especially if words are used
to influence actions based on unconscious
fears.

Then he also said, "Press 1 for more
information now" 3! times.

Alert the fear, create a suggestive state,
tell the person what to do, and...wallah!
You have a sale. Yuck.

We gotta do better than this. I don't
usually say things like that. But can't
we take better care of our neighbors
without scaring and manipulating them?

Maybe that's the problem. I'm thinking
more of the people than the money.

What do you think?