Invisible On Purpose

Danger rarely announces itself; it watches for easy openings. We dig into the art of moving through public spaces without drawing eyes, sharing practical tactics that make you look like you belong while keeping your awareness high. From demeanor to environment, you’ll learn how small choices—your pace, posture, clothing, and signals—can shift you from interesting to invisible in seconds.

We start with the psychology of profiling and why predators hunt for anomalies. Confidence reads as competence, so we outline how to project calm purpose without overacting: walk like you’ve been there, handle minor obstacles like routine friction, and blend observation into normal social cues. Then we reframe “disguise” for the real world. No costumes—just neutral, local, and unremarkable choices that melt into the background. We extend that mindset to your home and car, showing how matching neighborhood norms, reducing noise and glow, and ditching flashy markers can lower your visibility when it matters most.

Operational security rounds out the playbook. Information leaks through stickers, posts, and routine habits, so we map ways to control what others infer about your gear, supplies, and capabilities. Finally, we call out the five behaviors that paint a target—texting while walking, phone calls, hooded tunnel vision, headphones that block cues, and napping in public—and offer simple replacements that keep your head on a swivel without looking paranoid. Walk away with a clear, repeatable system: be ordinary on purpose, choose quiet over showy, and let attention work for you, not against you.

If this sparked a rethink of your daily habits, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a safety reset, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Which habit will you change first?

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting The Stakes And Context
• 4:43 Why Predators Profile Targets
• 6:53 Demeanor: Confidence As Camouflage
• 11:08 Practical Blending Tactics In Public
• 15:23 Disguise Without Standing Out
• 20:43 Make Your Home And Car Unremarkable
• 26:03 Operational Security And Prepping

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 2:04

Welcome back to the Unchained Radio Podcast. I am your host, Armando Gonzalez. Glad that you guys are here today. So, today I want to talk to you guys about current events just a little bit before we kick off into some tactics. Um, so you guys may have a grasp on how to basically how to become invisible. Five tips for blending in. So, why is that important? And how does that connect to current times? Obviously, everybody here has uh noticed the uprising with the whole Muslim Islamic situation, to take over the violence, you know, in certain cities, the election of uh New York City, we have a communist mayor, also we have one out in Seattle. Everybody here knows that violence is gonna be a thing. It already is. So the deal for today is this, right? So you leave your house in the morning, you're gonna go out and about, and uh things are not really too copacetic where it is that you live. You have a little bit of uprising, you have uh some uh spooky characters out there, maybe some tense situations, and basically you do not want to stick out like a sore thumb where you could be uh eyeballed as a potential target, you know, to get mugged, uh, to get assaulted, or sadly, possibly to get stabbed or shot. Right. So these people, these evildoers, they look out for easy targets. They profile people when you're outside. The ones that they really don't pay any attention to are the ones that are not, that don't look vulnerable, that really don't uh attract their eyes, you know, to say, oh, he's probably an easy or she is an easy target, so let me go ahead and do that. No. So I'm gonna give you some tips here today on uh how to properly become invisible. Five tips for blending in, if you will. You know, because why? Well, nearly everyone fantasizes about being a secret agent at some point in his or her life. And the reason for this is simple. Secret agents are the masters of both perception and deception. They're both the detective and the criminal mastermind, all rolled into one. At least they are in the movies anyway, right? So, the funny thing is that although we tend to think of intelligence agents as borderline superhuman, their methods are surprisingly simple and equally surprisingly useful in everyday situations. The stock and trade of an intelligence agent is disciplined, along with always being aware of who's watching them and what signals they may be broadcasting intentionally or unintentionally. Once you've learned to identify these signals, you'll be able to better control what your observers notice or don't notice about you. You'll be able to judge what impressions you are making on a complete stranger and how to quickly spot the most vulnerable person in any given area. It's quite empowering, really. Now, you probably know the saying, quote, you know, if you can't spot the sucker at the poker table, then it's you, right? The same thought process applies to nearly all public encounters. If you ever want or need to protect yourself by blending into your surroundings, you'd better know how. Once you've uh gone through these five uh secret agent tricks, you'll have a strong understanding of the fundamentals. So knowing that, demeanor is your biggest asset and liability. We've all been in situations where we observe someone getting away with something incredible, or slipping by security professionals simply by projecting an air of unshakable confidence. Perhaps you've used this technique to your advantage in the past to sneak into a movie or get backstage at a concert. I mean, as teenagers, we always used to do this, right? Well, at least I did, but that's a story for another day. But we've certainly walked right past security checkpoints without harassment by acting like we were supposed to be there. Okay? You're like acting, playing a role. In the army, soldiers are taught to walk with c with purpose at all times. One reason for this, among others, is the simple human uh you know psychology makes us look for things that stick out as strange or unusual. Likewise, we're somewhat blind to things that seem completely normal. For instance, if you walk up to a gate as if you've gone through it many times before, it's highly unlikely that you'll be noticed. Even if you've had trouble with an unfamiliar latch, the casual observer would likely think to themselves, huh, that stubborn latch is always giving us trouble. On the other hand, if you approach the same gate as though you've never seen a gate before in your entire life, you'll stick out like a sore thumb. Nearly anyone in the vicinity will notice that you seem strange, and they might even think that, hey, you're disabled or you're drunk, right? It's pretty simple. It's a pretty simple concept. So there's no need to go on beating a dead horse about it, right? Here are a few tips that will allow you to use your demeanor to blend in while in hostile territory. And don't get me wrong, when I mean hostile territory, I don't mean that you're going into a war zone or anything like that. No, hostile territory. Uh for these tips are basically like I started off in the beginning. You know, you live in an area anywhere in the country, you know, or around the globe, you know, where escalations of violence have happened. You know, you've got these fundamentalists, extremist, Islamists, okay, that are actively knifing people. Uh, this is geared more for the folks over in Europe. And uh, you know, you guys know what you're dealing with over there, because I know I have some listeners from over there. So you need to be aware, right? You're going in the hostile territory every time you go out your front door, especially if you live in that part of the world. But it's it's a pretty simple concept. So there's no need to go on beating a dead horse about it, right? So uh let's just go ahead and get into this. So if you don't want to be noticed as you move through a hostile area, pretend you're in the middle of something important. Busy people are common almost everywhere. Dumb as it may sound, this tactic helps you conceal the truth that you are simply trying to get through without being attacked or harassed. In a situation where you need to hang out in a potentially dangerous area for a long span of time, it's best to simply do what everyone else is doing. If everyone is talking, smile and nod. If everyone is staring off into space, do that. If you need to get a good look at an unfamiliar area, find a least threatening person and strike up a conversation. While engaging in small talk, naturally scan the area as if you're reminiscing about an old memory. On the flip side, demeanor is an excellent way to detect someone who may be to no good or who means you harm. Most people, especially criminals, aren't great actors. They have a hard time keeping their body language from revealing their intentions. So, in short, it makes them pretty intense mental energy to maintain body language that's the opposite of your true intentions. For the majority of people, it borders on exhausting, which is why it's rarely done convincingly. Now, most people have an intuitive ability to see when someone, especially a stranger, is trying to conceal something. So when you get that feeling, trust it, right? Just trust it. Now, uh disguise doesn't mean a fake mustache, you know, or that, you know, plastic rubber nose, you know, with the round, funny-looking glasses or whatnot, right? So most people think the purpose of a disguise is to look like someone else, right? Well, you know, to conceal your identity. That's how disguises are typically used in movies, right? In the real world, however, that's not how it works. The the real world purpose of a disguise is twofold, right? So first is to be unnoticed or unmemorable as you go about your business. And the second one is to avoid sticking out in a crowd allowing you to disappear. Even if you're trying to hide from people who may be trying to target you specifically, this concept still applies. Being completely unnoticed is even better than simply not being recognized. The key is to change your appearance in a way that is completely vanilla and run of the mill per se. Here's an example. Donning the disguise of a biker or a priest is not a great idea, because you will stick out. Likewise, you don't want to wear expensive clothing simply because expensive accessories attract attention. The best tactic is to wear what everyone else is wearing. Don't stick out or look unique. If everyone is wearing long pants and sleeves, you don't want to show up like you're on your way to the beach. Apply the same disguise, philosophy to your home, car, and other facing property. Many of the same tactics were covered previously, right? So you can apply them here as well. And once again, the most effective way to avoid being targeted by criminals, thugs, or even government bureaucrats is to become invisible. In other words, it's not a good idea to build a giant wall with razor wire around your property if you want to remain unnoticed. Many of the security features that are recommended by professionals have the net effect of drawing unwanted attention to your home, especially when times are bad. And when your goal is to blend into the background, attention is not your friend. Therefore, the trick is to match the level of maintenance, affluence, or lack thereof, and taste for the locals. Right? So let's here's an example for you. A massive Dallas Cowboys flag on your front door stoop in Buenos Aires advertises loud and clear that you're not from around here. Likewise, any conspicuous signs of wealth are definitely a bad idea. Your cars should match the others in the neighborhood in terms of model, year, and price. If at all possible, of course, then you want to park your car in the garage and keep the door closed to conceal your license plate. If you follow sports, keep your banners and bumper stickers local. If your neighbors are meticulous with their landscaping, you should be the same way too. If nobody in your neighborhood bothers to mow their lawn, do the same. It's also important to take a few perimeter security steps. This includes trimming back shrubbery from your windows and walkways that are big enough to conceal an adult. Also remember that a passerby can easily see into your home at night, even though you can't see them. Keep your shades drawn in the evening. Alright? So, also another key feature here. If you are of the prepper mindset, right? Let's just say, you know, you collect ammo, you collect guns, you collect uh, I don't know, food, long-term storage food, water, what have you. Try not to do it in the daytime. Okay? For obvious reasons. Do it at night. It's a lot harder for you to empty out your car or your truck and get those goods and supplies, you know, into your home at night because it's kind of hard to notice details if somebody should be watching. In the daytime, you're broadcasting, oh my god, that guy's prepping. So when shit hits the fan, you're gonna get a knock on the door. Maybe a neighbor, it could be somebody up the street, or it could be a complete stranger, right? And now you got a home invasion possibility, right? So resist the urge to broadcast your preparations. It's natural when we spend a lot of time in and uh, you know, a lot of time and or money, right, working on a project or hobby that we feel the need to showcase our efforts to others. It's human nature. Just think about how many Browning, Smith and Wesson, and Glock decals you see on car windows these days, right? It is really wise to advertise your hobbies this way. You know, is it really wise? It's a question. Information is notoriously difficult to control. And it's important to realize that once you've uh shared the information with a friend, relative, or neighbor, it's now beyond your control. In a crisis, chances are you won't you won't want neighbors lining up to beg for supplies, like I said earlier. That would be bad. That's not to say you you need to be crucial, secretive, or stingy, if you will. Every person in the self-reliance movement must make their own decision about how much of their shit histophan preparations to make public. Right? It's obvious. This is common sense, folks. However, it's highly important that you consider what most experts call op sec, which is operational security. For example, running a noisy generator during an extended power outage will attract unwanted attention. I've spoken about this on my show numerous times, right? So, what are your options here? Well, maybe you want to go ahead and get yourself, you know, uh uh a quiet generator, if you can afford it, like a solar generator. They're a bit expensive, right? But by that same token, running lights, appliances during a power outage will also be visibly noticeable, right? So if prying eyes notice that you have working electricity, they'll also know you have a generator and gasoline generators, and who knows what else, right? They make noise. The gas generators make noise, and it's that's an echo, especially when the power is out in a neighborhood or wherever you're at. You're now megaphone. Oh my god, he's got a generator. That means he's got power. Huh. I need I might need to go pay him a visit. So once again, it's not what you have, but what someone believes you may have that creates a security issue. Looters, criminal, uh, opportunists, you know, and even neighbors might decide that you have what they want or need. And a moment uh in a moment of desperation, they may attempt to take it, even by force, like I said earlier. You need to be aware of these things. So that's why it's best to leave them no reason at all to assume that you're sitting on a stockpile of food, guns, or gold bars, if you happen to have those handy, right? Now, always stay alert in public places. So by now, highly prospective uh people such as yourselves have no doubt noticed a common theme in these uh tips, right? Your appearance, mannerisms, and other nonverbal means of communication are the keys to flying under the radar. Actions speak louder than words. In a very real way, you stick out in the crowd by simply appearing to be an easy target, even if you're a highly trained, heavily armed special forces soldier, in other words, the more vulnerable you appear, right? The more vulnerable you appear, more attractive you become to those with a predator mindset. It's the basic human philosophy. Um if you and don't kid yourself, it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to notice when a stranger seems to be obvious to the world around them. If any casual observer can tell when your guard is down, you'll be better. You had better believe that muggers, thieves, and law enforcement tips or types, I should say, can too. Right? So victim of victims of violent crimes often described the uh shock and surprise they felt. Sure, it was a surprise to them because they weren't paying any attention to their surroundings. Right? Always be vigilant, hyper-vigilant, okay? Your head on a swivel. You have to nowadays, right? So when you're alone in a dark alley, you've had a few too many drinks at the bar, or simply not paying attention, you are fresh meat, my friends. Remember that. The trick is unlearning many of the bad habits we all engage in on a regular basis. Habits that paint a big red target on our backs for anyone who may want to do us harm. In the same way, wearing expensive jewelry, this is for the gals, right? May attract unwanted attention. Any signs that make you appear distracted increases your odds of being targeted as well. If you haven't noticed, most Americans make it a habit to appear intensely distracted in public these days. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is, of course, the rise of the smartphone. Right? People are always staring down at their devices. So when you're texting, you naturally look down and focus on the screen inches from your face. It's hard to imagine another common habit that makes you more vulnerable. A video made, uh, the rounds on Facebook, that I remember, that illustrates exactly what we're talking about. In a video, a man steps on a huge bull snake while texting. The snake wasn't hiding. It was in the middle of the sidewalk. The man simply didn't notice it. Of course, the frightened serpent bit the crap out of the guy. Texting is by no means the only habit that can attract the wrong type of attention, but it may be the worst. So, what are the five habits that make you a target? Here we go. Texting while walking, talking on the phone, wearing a hood, right? That limits prop uh peripheral vision. Right? People, a lot of people wear hoodies today, right? Listening to headphones while you're walking, right? You're not aware of your surroundings. You're being you know drowned out by a podcast. Hopefully you guys won't uh listen to this with headphones on while you're walking, please don't. All right, or you're taking a nap in public, right? So what's the takeaway here? You may never be in a situation where the secret police are hot on your trail, but you don't need to be a literal counterintelligence agent for these tactics to come in handy. Blending in or at least knowing how to, when necessary, can be critical in all kinds of common scenarios. The better you understand how people, especially those who mean you harm, perceive your appearance and behaviors, the better you can assess the risks around you in any given situation. You may not always want to blend in. Who really does, really, right? But when you do choose to draw attention to yourself in a public place, it's critical that you understand the potential complications that may result. I just wanted to give you this really quick. I know it's a short broadcast, but I feel that in these current times that we're living in right now, people out there that are basically running on autopilot, okay, and that are not in tune to the world that we have at hand need to be aware of the information I just provided you. Okay. I just wanted to put that out there today. So you guys can have, if you don't have it already, some basic practices of how to, you know, how to basically go out into the public world once you leave the privacy of your home and just have your head on a swivel, people. I can't stress this enough. We are living in very uh not normal times. Okay, we're we're just not. All you're doing is just taking an extra measure. You're escalating your vigilance just a little bit more than normal for some people. They're just gonna they're just gonna walk around on autopilot, and when the shit hits the fan, okay, out wherever it is that they may be, there they're gonna be a casualty, in my opinion. Right? So please take notes, take heed of the message I brought you today, put it into effect, and with that, stay safe, keep your head on the swivel, like always. All right, keep your powder dry. You know me, I have to say that. And with that, good luck, stay safe, and we will catch you guys on the next one. Take care.