A Solicitor, a Zombie, and a Raider Walk into a Bar...

Are Solicitors Predatory?

Have you ever avoided answering your door when you hear a knock or ring of the bell? Do you hide from your windows when you spot an approaching figure in the driveway?

It may not be obvious to some, but actively selling something to others (especially something undesired) is akin to an attack against an unwilling bystander. Solicitors often have a completely different mindset than others. A solicitor will often look for an opening or a weakness to exploit.

Do you identify with one or more of the following scenarios? If so, you understand what it’s like to be a victim of a predator.

Scenario 1: Shambling Humanoid Approaches During a Zombie Outbreak

A humanoid figure shambles toward your location. Maybe you’re in an abandoned house for shelter, or perhaps you’re holed up in a convenient cave for the much darker nights you attempt to survive at the end of each day. It doesn’t matter. You throw your legs out from under yourself and get as low as possible to prevent detection.

Zombies eat the brains of their victim (or whatever you have to offer really). However, it doesn’t take much grey matter to know that minimizing your footprint on the horizon is essential. A zombie seeing you is just as bad as one hearing you; especially if you’re moving when any eyes still in their sockets swivel in your direction.

Scenario 2: Blood-thirsty Raider Investigates During the Post-Apocalypse

A raider (or bandit if you prefer), hell-bent on taking from other survivors of the post-apocalyptic world you share, investigates your current place of refuge. He is likely looking for food, weapons, ammunition, or other…toys to help him forget the situation he faces daily. He will be just as pleased to find a victim to have some fun with. You instinctively collapse to the ground to avoid being spotted.

You survive by breaking line of sight. Your best case is to never get sighted in the first place! Sounds are your other enemy. You have to be quiet or risk detection. If you’re not out terrorizing others, you must be weak and the perfect target for these horrible excuses of “humanity”.

Scenario 3: Solicitor Knocks at Your Door During a Weekend

A solicitor (this includes any overzealous group recruiter as well; you know who you are) knocks at your door on one of your precious weekends. You just know it’s a solicitor; someone there to sell you something or convince you to believe in their “thing”, whatever that may be. Your immediate and instinctual reaction: hit the deck! That’s right, you drop to the floor.

You could possibly prevent further attempts if you would answer the door and send this person on their way. Maybe you just don’t feel like dealing with it right now. It’s your day off! This person may as well be a predator waiting for easy prey at a scarce water source.

Common Similarities

Each of the above scenarios shares something in common. The “victim” wants to avoid contact. If you think the third scenario is far-fetched as a comparison to the other extreme concepts (scenarios 1 and 2), then you’re likely the solicitor in the final example. Furthermore, you probably think there’s nothing wrong with what you do. Most of us want to justify our actions.

Ask others if they feel like they are being stalked in the same scenario. If you end up seeing an enlightening pattern, please consider that perhaps solicitors are “invading” the space of people who just want to be left in peace.

Are you a zombie or raider? Are you a solicitor? Can you tell the difference? It’s a blurred line to me.