(PFM): As anyone who has ever been held captive at knife-point will tell you, stabbing is not the way you want to go.
A recent national telephone survey found that many people fear being stabbed more than they fear being shot. The poll was funded by The National Knife and Sword Council which seeks to better the image of cutting utensils among Americans.
64% of those surveyed cited death by terrorist attack as their favorite form of death.
Only 13% of American adults believe that being shot would be more horrendous than being stabbed. Many of those attribute their feelings to the assumption that they are more likely to die from bullet wounds than stab wounds – thus avoiding the excruciating pain from their wounds.
Nearly all of the respondents, even those that preferred it, were aghast at the prospect of feeling the steely cold metal of a sharp blade penetrating their tissues and organs.
When it comes to homicide, stabbing always comes out at the bottom of the list. A strike to the head with a hammer, strangling, being run over, even being thrown from a building or airplane were not enough to coax people to favor stabbing.
Only being held under water until the point of death seemed likely to overtake stabbing on the list of fears. About 24% of those asked ranked being drowned higher than being shot. …
Not surprisingly, the killer’s motive was not a factor when measuring preference. Even a case of mistaken identity did not help people feel better about being stabbed. In fact, stabbing fared even worse when death at the hand of another included accidental killings or manslaughter.
The poll didn’t break down the categories by age or race, but future studies may be necessary as researchers try to hone in on specific characteristics or personality traits that account for the differences.
In addition, knife marketers would like to assess the reaction of respondents to other methods, including electrocution, being deliberately infected with a deadly disease, or being fed to lions.
Surprisingly, nearly 64% of those surveyed cited death by terrorist attack as their favorite form of death. They point to the likely fame and sympathy that might follow a terrorism event. The unique nature of such a death also appealed to prospective victims.
Interestingly, other studies show that convicted and aspiring killers prefer shooting over stabbing their victims. “This isn’t a divisive issue. At least there’s one area where Americans come together,” said Clement Hall, who headed up the study.
Reported by Jake M – Health, Fitness, and Lifestyles contributor
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