Do You Feel Safe?

[Emiliano]

There is a lot going on in the world. And I won't limit this to a conversation about terrorism alone, though I suppose this is inspired by what happened in France - but there is a lot more going on that could also make a person not feel safe.

So take it as you like and describe it in any context, but expect follow up questions from me (or others if they feel compelled to ask any).

In your day to day life, do you feel safe?

[InbetweenDreams]

I feel relatively safe, I live in a rural area, most people are decent but you do have a small portion who cause trouble... Although despite that I have felt that having pepper spray or a tazer might be a good idea since things appear to be getting crazy. Part of it is the media, fear sells, that's why you don't hear good news...either terrorism, global warming, crimes, murder, death and destruction. All that sells, part of it is simply being human, we strangely enough like to be scared. If that weren't true horror movies probably wouldn't exist.

[Scootaloo]

I don't know if safe is the best way to describe it, but I feel comfortable knowing anything can happen anywhere. Knowing that, I don't let it bother me. I'm not going to live my life paranoid about what might happen, and instead focus on making what I want to happen, happen.

[Cobalt]

In bed with my partner with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around me, absolutely.

[MikeW]

In your day to day life, do you feel safe?

For the most part, yes, I do. I live in a big college town, Berkeley, in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. It's all merged together into one spread-out megalopolis of which Berkeley is just one small part. There is actually quite a bit of violence of one sort or another that goes on around me... but it is rare for me to either see it or be affected by it. I'm knocking on wood as I say this. Looking on a crime-watch map, I see there have been 21 assaults in Berkeley in the past two weeks, five of them within blocks of where I live (and I don't live in a bad neighborhood at all... up-scale student ghetto 3 blocks from campus).

Perhaps it is a kind of illusion, perhaps it is because I've never been assaulted myself (ever), perhaps because I've never witnessed intentional violence... I just don't think about it. Well, that's not totally true. When I'm near some of the more "scruffy" areas (there are a lot of street people and some unsavory types around), I *do* pay attention to what's going on. I've always managed to avoid any altercations.

I have no idea what is going on in world events other than the big events (such as the recent attacks) that get mentioned in forum. I do not watch TV type news (I actually ashore it), neither do I read magazines or newspapers.

Overall I don't know what's going on globally in any detail.

That said, I DO know that the world we live in is undergoing extreme socio-economic stress, mostly due to a growing population demanding ever more energy and resources (most notably oil and water). This is creating economic and ecological havoc. So far this havoc has been contained within regional areas... but these stressors could trigger any number of global crises.

I pay no attention to the details because I feel powerless to change any of it. I don't want to live my life in fear and worry. I do what I can to minimize my economic and ecological footprint. But I know that I'm among the fortunate and my efforts amount to near nothing. I'm not wealthy by "US" standards and yet, unlike 800 million of my fellow humans, I never go to bed hungry. Worse, even though I try to minimize my consumption, I'm still appalled at the amount of trash I have to recycle every month. I think to myself, "My god, if *I* am generating this much... WTF are people who are true CONSUMERS generating?!!" :eek:

So...........

[Anocxu]

In bed with my partner with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around me, absolutely.

He is in a perfect position to choke you to death..

Get outta there!!

[Cobalt]

He is in a perfect position to choke you to death..

Get outta there!!

Out of every hoe here you're the best...

[Emiliano]

I feel relatively safe, I live in a rural area, most people are decent but you do have a small portion who cause trouble... Although despite that I have felt that having pepper spray or a tazer might be a good idea since things appear to be getting crazy. Part of it is the media, fear sells, that's why you don't hear good news...either terrorism, global warming, crimes, murder, death and destruction. All that sells, part of it is simply being human, we strangely enough like to be scared. If that weren't true horror movies probably wouldn't exist.

I agree that people in general like to be scared. But Im not sure if that crosses over into liking to not feel safe. The thing about horror movies and roller coasters and all that kind of thing is that you are more or less guaranteed to survive it.

But im definitely guilty of scaring myself into an uncomfortable state of mind to the point that hear the neighbors making noise downstairs i begin mentally preparing for the zombie apocalypse. I think i forget about my safety in that moment.

You mention a portion of your local population who cause trouble though, and the idea of getting some sort of weapon for defense. Is it run of the mill crime you're talking about, or anything larger?

[Emiliano]

I don't know if safe is the best way to describe it, but I feel comfortable knowing anything can happen anywhere. Knowing that, I don't let it bother me. I'm not going to live my life paranoid about what might happen, and instead focus on making what I want to happen, happen.

Where do you draw the line between being aware of potential danger and being paranoid?

I also like how you say you are comfortable knowing anything can happen anywhere. Big cities are seen as more dangerous than rural or suburban areas, but a lot of really terrible things like mas shootings in this country are taking place in suburban areas, not in the inner city.

[Emiliano]

In bed with my partner with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around me, absolutely.

I'm glad that you feel safe in bed with your partner. Ideally one's home should feel safe. Does that sense of security carry over when you are up and walking around too?