I think there has been a general increase in violent public incidents involving things like road rage and people acting out in restaurants, airports, on planes, and so. I suspect many of us are aware of it.
I am not going to go into the whys and wherefores, because politics. Let's leave that alone.
But talking strictly about the seeming increase in violence, especially as it pertains to the calculus of self-defense.
What I mean by that is this. As we prepare and train to defend ourselves, it seems the chances are growing that we may be called upon to actually defend ourselves or others from violent people.
On the other hand, I have also noted that more and more people seem to be willing to pull guns and fire them during such situations. I recall a recent shocking video from NYC in the Bronx, where a young man was acosted by two armed robbers who tried to take his money. He fought back and punched one of them in the head, whereupon they shot him repeatedly.
It's kind of difficult to employ self-defense techniques against firearms.
Given that it seems there is more propensity to violence nowadays, and more situations where firearms are involved, does that change your calculus where it concerns self-defense?
Personally, I try to avoid violence wherever possible, based on the reasoning that in a physical altercation, anything can happen, planned or unplanned. You throw a punch in a road rage situation, the guy falls down and hits his head, freak accident, he's dead and you might be going to prison. Situation reversed and your spouse and family may have to face a lifetime without you because you were wiling to fight over an improper lane change on the highway or something equally rediculous.
I was recently involved in a road rage incident. Normally I am a very laid-back driver. I just don't let people get to me. If someone tailgates me, I move over and let them pass. I don't get hot under the collar, etc. However, recently I was bringing my wife home from surgery and she was still coming out of anesthesia and I was worried about her. Some idiot started tailgating me, charging up on me and flashing his lights, etc. I pulled to one side, he passed, I flipped him off. At the next intersection, he blocked me in and challenged me to fight. I got angry and wanted to fight him also. If my wife had not made it clear that she did not want this happening, I believe I would have. Dude appeared to be a construction worker, at least 40 years my junior, in good physical condition. Don't know if he knew how to fight or not, but he kept calling me out and calling me 'old man' and I really wanted to take him to school. If I could, of course. I finally calmed down enough to just drive away. He followed us for awhile and then disappeared. I'm still concerned I'll run into him again at some point.
But frankly, letting myself get upset and willing to fight was a primitive reaction, and a stupid self-destructive one. It would have proved nothing. If I had been seriously hurt or killed, my wife would have nearly nothing to survive on; we're not rich, I don't have a lot to leave her. If the guy had had a gun...well, you know. If I had hurt or killed him, possible bigtime legal consequences for me. Lawyer's bills, loss of income, etc, and that's at the very minimum. I don't need to be going to the cross-bar hotel at my age.
But other than that, which I am not proud of, I have been letting people get as mad as they want and then just letting it pass. Staying calm and focused. If I am attacked, of course I will defend myself. But only in those circumstances. Words won't make me fight. They nearly did, but I got over it.
How are you handling this? Have you changed your outlook? Have you noticed what I have noticed? Interested in your responses.
I am not going to go into the whys and wherefores, because politics. Let's leave that alone.
But talking strictly about the seeming increase in violence, especially as it pertains to the calculus of self-defense.
What I mean by that is this. As we prepare and train to defend ourselves, it seems the chances are growing that we may be called upon to actually defend ourselves or others from violent people.
On the other hand, I have also noted that more and more people seem to be willing to pull guns and fire them during such situations. I recall a recent shocking video from NYC in the Bronx, where a young man was acosted by two armed robbers who tried to take his money. He fought back and punched one of them in the head, whereupon they shot him repeatedly.
It's kind of difficult to employ self-defense techniques against firearms.
Given that it seems there is more propensity to violence nowadays, and more situations where firearms are involved, does that change your calculus where it concerns self-defense?
Personally, I try to avoid violence wherever possible, based on the reasoning that in a physical altercation, anything can happen, planned or unplanned. You throw a punch in a road rage situation, the guy falls down and hits his head, freak accident, he's dead and you might be going to prison. Situation reversed and your spouse and family may have to face a lifetime without you because you were wiling to fight over an improper lane change on the highway or something equally rediculous.
I was recently involved in a road rage incident. Normally I am a very laid-back driver. I just don't let people get to me. If someone tailgates me, I move over and let them pass. I don't get hot under the collar, etc. However, recently I was bringing my wife home from surgery and she was still coming out of anesthesia and I was worried about her. Some idiot started tailgating me, charging up on me and flashing his lights, etc. I pulled to one side, he passed, I flipped him off. At the next intersection, he blocked me in and challenged me to fight. I got angry and wanted to fight him also. If my wife had not made it clear that she did not want this happening, I believe I would have. Dude appeared to be a construction worker, at least 40 years my junior, in good physical condition. Don't know if he knew how to fight or not, but he kept calling me out and calling me 'old man' and I really wanted to take him to school. If I could, of course. I finally calmed down enough to just drive away. He followed us for awhile and then disappeared. I'm still concerned I'll run into him again at some point.
But frankly, letting myself get upset and willing to fight was a primitive reaction, and a stupid self-destructive one. It would have proved nothing. If I had been seriously hurt or killed, my wife would have nearly nothing to survive on; we're not rich, I don't have a lot to leave her. If the guy had had a gun...well, you know. If I had hurt or killed him, possible bigtime legal consequences for me. Lawyer's bills, loss of income, etc, and that's at the very minimum. I don't need to be going to the cross-bar hotel at my age.
But other than that, which I am not proud of, I have been letting people get as mad as they want and then just letting it pass. Staying calm and focused. If I am attacked, of course I will defend myself. But only in those circumstances. Words won't make me fight. They nearly did, but I got over it.
How are you handling this? Have you changed your outlook? Have you noticed what I have noticed? Interested in your responses.