Honestly my theory is that the compulsion to hoard toilet paper was a subliminal test on cable and tv, because all the people we know who had cut the cord did not suffer from the compulsion. Asking people in the store, they would get a weird look on their faces, like confused and lost, because they really could not explain why they felt strongly that they had to buy a bunch of tp.

It was, IMHO, a proof-of-concept demonstration that worked and then a lot of money was made to put more of them out there. It helps drill in the hate, fear and key words.