Where does this extreme behavior come from? At first glance it would seem similar to people that had been through the depression saving things they don't really need just in case. Are they really fearful or is it more of a tribal thing.
In reply to Sherry. They’re trained to be “scared”, thus the “I feared for my life” justification. The fear is cultivated and baked in and results in an “us vs them” world view. It’s why the “Brotherhood” is so impenetrable; it feeds off of power and fear of survival.