The Lure of Vulnerability

In this video, Gary Ridgeway, a serial killer, talks about the lures he used to get his victims. What Ridgeway tells us is that whatever a person’s vulnerability was, he exploited it to gain people’s trust. He lied as a ruse to fulfill his needs.

Hence, it is a logical assumption that people who are needy are more likely to believe other people’s lies than those who aren’t. Emotions, in times of need, do make us all vulnerable and it is wise to be conscious of this, specifically when we are needy.

Read moreI am always very wary of a stranger who show care or concern about something in my life that wouldn’t provoke an emotional response in most people. I know people don’t build bonds in quickly and when people try, it’s a big red flag for me to back away–that something is likely off. It’s much like a love interests who confess to loving you within days–it’s a big sign to run for the hills!

Of course, kindness and generosity do exist, so it is a delicate balance, but it is always safer to err on the side of caution when it comes to strangers. Good people will usually understand your hesitation, and if they don’t, I certainly don’t make it my worry. To worry is precisely what titillates people like Ridgeway.