I grew up overseas and from a very young age discussions of kidnaping and hostage taking were common in my family. Every couple years I had to attend the State Dept terrorism/kidnapping seminar. My mom is still an adventurous traveling in Africa and South America. She has made it very clear that if she’s taken hostage then freed and finds that I’ve paid ransom that she’ll hunt me down and kill me herself. I take the threat semi-seriously but not every family has the same “enlightened” view. Ransom payments happen but that’s why hostage taking is a profitable business.