People Are Collecting Their Own DNA, Fingerprints & Dental Records in Case They Go Missing
America (including my wife) is so obsessed with true crime, that now some people are taking it a LITTLE too far.
The latest social media trend is people putting together what’s being called “In Case I Go Missing” binders, in the event THEY become the subject of a missing persons case and/or Netflix miniseries.
These binders include their DNA, fingerprints, handwriting samples, dental records, blood type, medical history, photos of tattoos, scars, and birthmarks, as well as images of themselves with different hair styles.
Other information in the binders are passwords for social media and messaging apps, important documents like birth certificates, licenses, and wills and work details, along with information on current and past relationships, friends, family members, coworkers, future travel and past addresses, and on and on and on and on.
The binders are currently selling on Amazon and Etsy, and one called the “If I Go Missing” binder sells for about $50. The folders first went viral a while back because of a podcast called Crime Junkie. Here’s a video of one binder.
So the question now: is this healthy behavior?
Probably not.
But, like most things, it depends.
There’s talk about how the information included in the binders could be really handy in situations with older family members or sudden health emergencies.
It could also help with people’s anxiety and mental health if they’re stuck in troubled relationships or feel unsafe.
However, there are also reasons this is a bad idea, beyond spending hours and hours preparing for being the victim of a violent crime.
It’s unlikely that you’ll go missing, be kidnapped or be the subject of a murder mystery.
Even if you are, would anyone know that you have this hidden binder?
And if it’s NOT hidden, couldn’t it be tampered with?
Plus, keeping all this vital information together can also be problematic if it falls into the wrong hands, so if you do put one together, you DEFINITELY shouldn’t be talking about it or posting pics of it on social media!
(Slate)
