Earlier quoted context omitted.
You can't, because a rebellion/revolution is a potentiality. Sure, it seemed unlikely, but now not so much. Would I criticize someone for not locking their front door? No. Locks only keep honest people honest, and the chances of your property being broken into are fairly slim. Would I criticize someone for preparing themselves for a collapse/rebellion/revolution of some kind? Absolutely not. The cost of not doing so…
I have not locked my cars in probably fifteen years. In the summer I usually leave all the car windows open (all day). Most of my neighbors do the same. It is common to see garage doors open all night in my neighborhood. When I want to throw out something like a bike it can stay on the sidewalk for weeks if I don't put a sign on it that says "free, take me". So it should come as no surprise that we don't really feel…
I was just referring to the effects of these variables on people's minds. I agree with you that it's almost always contextual, but you'll find the odd person or two that feel very strongly about a low odd potentiality and it can definitely make you feel like their are some crazies...
But I think everyone does this to some degree. If you cancel a marathon in Halifax because of a 5 seconds phone call to the police referencing a the Boston Bomber, then most understand that... However, when one looks at the facts, in my country no one has died from Terrorism in the last 9 years... a far fetched reason for this government power grab. So I don't know. Maybe the Gun Nuts are wrong, and they have nothing to fear. But maybe most of the populations of OECD countries are completely wrong in this manufactured fear.
Source: http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/11/6/332/T1.expansio...