The DNA of "derp"

[Zach]

I was reading the following article about communications equipment/techniques commonly used by militias; it's primary focused on the most recent Bundy standoff in Oregon.

Militia Radio Frequencies

I've never really looked into it before, but all of the pictures the author used for his article have more than just radio equipment (typically a Baofeng HT) as a commonality. Barska red dots, Condor nylon gear, polymer UTG accessories, and other ChinaChina products are well represented, if not ubiquitous.

I'm wondering if there's a deeper psychological issue at play here, something that unifies these folks and prevents them from higher thought and self-introspection necessary to see the fallacy of their position. It would seem that even a modicum of critical thinking would allow a person to realize, "Hey, if I'm going to risk my life to fight for XYZ cause, maybe I should invest in quality equipment." But, we see the opposite happening, and it isn't simply for lack of availability: "Holosun is just as good as Aimpoint", "PSA/Del-Ton/Bushmaser is just as good as BCM" etc. None of them deny that Aimpoint or BCM exist or that they're available, but that there's nothing inherently different between them and their budget brand of choice.

Further, and ultimately what I'm trying to get at, does this psychological issue also has other ramifications beyond equipment choice. In that it is the principal cause for people to join these types of militias, take up these political causes, and cry "teh guberment" as a panacea for all that they see as wrong?

tl;dr: Is "derp" a mental illness and can it be quantified?

 

[PM07]

No. It boils down to "just as good as" syndrome because most don't know better. Most folks get by with cheap red dots, condor gear etc. because they don't actually shoot very much, or use the gear very much. Or train very hard for that matter . Its not exclusive to the groups you mentioned. One of my favorite quotes to use from Uncle Pat. "What's the only thing cheaper than one cop? Two" . This is not some new fad. Back in the 80's they were called survivalists. Same thing , just new name and now they have the internet to spread their unknowledge.

 

[Longeye]

It is a mindset thing. The focus is on the cause, not on the hardware that might get incidentally used in the furtherance of the cause. Some folks are process oriented, some are product oriented, some just want to watch the world burn.

That's my take from the outside looking in.

In this state I have not seen any particular focus on tactics, or equipment in those groups, just the usual drama and impotent paranoia. While they are a legitimate threat, I don't view them as a skilled or well equipped threat, just one that is more likely to go off than other folks when they perceive they are pushed into a corner.

In this area one small group did do some counter vehicle practice after LE killed one of the principles while executing a homicide warrant on him. Proactive policing followed and nothing came of it.

 

[Pat Tarrant]

I get to work with some of the best analysts in the country, most of them smarter than I. There's a group of firearms owners who have a chat room as well as a Facebook group. Most are veterans of some sort. The level of Derp there is stupendous. I could write a whole blog on just the dumb stuff that comes from smart, analytical minds. Short example: yesterday one posted about his belt breaking and wondering about a replacement. I posted a link to Mean Gene Leather, and was quickly surrounded by scores of posts about how a cheap walmart leather belt was fine, and that if I needed such a sturdy belt, maybe I should carry a smaller gun.

Derp to me seems something that knows no boundaries.