Looking for the best word to use....

[1Admin]

I use the word "taker" sometimes in this regard, "leech" other times.

I'm thinking we need a better word to describe this sort of this.

Working on an article on the bigger danger of people like this versus the classic survivalist bad guy of "looter" or "raider."

What I'm looking to describe is the kind of people that could easily fool a lot of like minded folks out there. They know how to talk the talk. They know how to fit in. They know how to manipulate to get what they want.

Their only TRUE concern is themselves. Once they get their hooks in, you'll never get rid of them.

I'm thinking specifically of the classic thread you see come up on survival forums with the theme of "would you take in someone you don't know at your retreat."

A lot of well meaning but naive people answer yes, and I honestly think a few of them would to the right people. The people I'm looking to describe with this word I'm looking for would know how to "talk the talk" and might actually be able to show a few skills that would impress a newer survivalist. Just like the welfare mooches, these folks would then feel "entitled" to your stuff.

Some of them you would have to kill to get rid of. Most of us aren't capable of that unless we felt threatened, which of course would be too late to act.

There ARE folks like that out there, I've met some of them. The main goal is to never let them get an inch.

What's the word I'm looking for? Ideas?

[WiseOwl]

Car Salesman....lol

[610Alpha]

chameleon? They look the part but aren't...

[WiseOwl]

chameleon? They look the part but aren't...

Thats the best definition I believe sir

[Pop_45]

What you are describing is a poser. He/she poses as a true survivalist, maybe even has some military background, but will expect to be taken care of when accepted into the group.

[protus]

What you are describing is a poser. He/she poses as a true survivalist, maybe even has some military background, but will expect to be taken care of when accepted into the group.

LMAO


i would never call anyone a poser LOL

[snarlbuckle]

I've seen something similar in everyday life. More often than not, one of my buddies gets sexually involved with a female of this type and she continues to generally destroy his life until the authorities get involved. Even then, it usually takes a few years before said buddy is free and clear of what I call a 'leech'. I looked it up once though, and I recall the official term being sociopath. The distinction being that a sociopath is a person who only looks out for himself/herself and actually has a broken brain that does not empathize like most other humans would.

This documentary series takes a look at the psychology surrounding some of these very same issues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vlGR7S2wcI

Some people's brains are wired such that violence doesn't bother them and that seeing someone get hurt doesn't trigger any sort of response. In a nutshell, life isn't worth much to them. If you combine that with a selfish personality, you have a dangerous person especially when or where there is no law. The difference between a 'sheepdog' and a 'wolf' is that a 'wolf' doesn't value life at all and will gladly snuff it out to get what he or she wants. A 'sheepdog' is willing to do violence, but still cares about people and his conscience still pays the price for taking a life.

What you might want to be careful of is that this specific type of person statistically congregates in violent professions like gangs and special forces. On the bright side, there is a test you can conduct that might give you some insight. A person with this 'short circuit' in the brain won't have any remorse at all over killing or harming something. If you catch the person doing something like throwing a puppy off a cliff with zero remorse, then I would consider the person positive for this brain condition. I have to stress though that this doesn't mean he or she is a bad person, but that you should be careful around him or her because your life means little to them.

I'm not an expert on the subject, but I would like to use this opportunity to recommend Dave Grossman's book: On Killing. This is stuff you should know anyway if you have ever accepted the fact that you might have to defend yourself or your home with lethal force.

[610Alpha]

i would never call anyone a poser LOL

Yeah riiiiiight. I think it would take about 2.3 seconds and you would call em out.

[EX121]

I was going to parasite or remora becase they attachs themselves to healther individuals and feed off them and don't contribute to the survival of the host.

[1Admin]

Yeah riiiiiight. I think it would take about 2.3 seconds and you would call em out.

I would have said 1.7 seconds, but he might have been in the middle of fondling some Multi cam of his ;) LOL

Good replies folks, keep them coming.

[TyrannyUnleashed]

Although I like the chameleon response, but what about...

"charlatan"

[Mjollnir]

I was going to parasite or remora becase they attachs themselves to healther individuals and feed off them and don't contribute to the survival of the host.

Parasite was the first word that came to my mind as well.

[Grinnan Barrett]

They are the guy who was a Navy Seal, got the Congressional Medal of Honor, a sniper, Green Beret, and planned the first Gulf War. Just take them shooting and see if they can even take down a weapon. They are the ones that have all this STUFF but it is in another town right now. Could I just borrow your ____________? that is a nice gun. Could I pay you over a period of time? You can TRUST ME. I am a little short on cash today and I need to go to the bank but it is closed so could I just borrow a couple of hundred till next week?

they are the gal that when she meets you she see who is willing to come over and babysit your kids for you while you and your spouse go out for a while. Maybe for the weekend. When you come back you can't figure out where you things got off to. they are the relatives who never come to see their mother till she dies and then show up to get any money she had. There is no word for their type other than worthless.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Yep they call themselves a group, cause so far all i've seen is groups who would get me KIAd and have ideas of grandure that they wil be able to hook up with other groups to make up for shortcomings and help them start their own government, end hunger, restart humanity the right way and save the world etc etc (think ending speeches given by miss Americas with patriotic music playing in the background)
maybe zombies cause they feed off the living

[barfife]

Being from the south, I thought of Kudzu. Maybe Survival Kudzu. For information to those not blessed to be living in the south, Kudzu is a parasitic plant that latches on to other plants, ground, fences, trees, houses...slow moving animals and people, until it completely takes over and is very, very hard to get displace/kill. It looks similar to ivy but with larger leaves and can grow 2 feet overnight!