h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I wonder if the survival instinct of being aware of ones surroundings at all times is getting blunted by living in the city. I have the impression that especially big cities can really only function if people develop a capacity of blocking out awareness of all those teeming masses of strangers surging around one, and that may lead to a dulling of senses?

Interviewed criminals in prisons have said that people who look like they know what they are doing are less vulnerable than the hesitant.

I was in several dangerous situations in my youth but they, as was said, usually involved friends, family or schoolmates.

I have traveled blithely in many areas where one would think it would not be safe, but maybe I just looked dangerous myself.

My awareness of the potential for harm increased with the acquisition of a family, yet when I lived alone I was never quite unaware of whta was going on around my apartment complex. Had to call the cops on a couple of suspicious individuals.

Cities can be ecosystems up to a point. Darwin determined that species will fill empty niches in the food chain. Humans have predator and prey niches, too, in cities. If you stay within your territory or shared access areas (i.e. watering holes), you are pretty much assured that your instincts will serve you well.

We've had a couple of car-jackings at a local bible college and some home invasion vehicle thefts, both involving older teens.

It don't hurt to pay attention.

Or to remember that most accidents happen within the home or within a 1/2 mile of the house.

What you do at leisure is what you will do in an emergency.

I have also traveled blithely in many areas that turned out not to be safe, although I realised that only later and with considerable shock. Africa gave me the idea that many situations in human society such as cities can be compared closely to the savannah, big herds of game with predators always near. Most gazelles survive to live another day...

Like Abbi, I am ALWAYS aware of where doors & any other exits are. Plus I had a violent mother too, so I probably am hyper-aware of tension & aggressive feelings coming from a person.

I've been in several life-threatening situations such as fires & earthquakes & managed so far to survive. I'm one of those weird people who actually take notice of the safety demonstrations & have a "worst case scenario" plan of action at the back of my mind.

I don't tend to worry about being mugged/robbed etc much --- they can probably tell I don't have anything worth stealing! If they really need it that much, they can have what little I've got.

Having said that, if anybody threatens someone I love I am capable of using violence in their defence.

Yes, I think it's true about the desensitising effect of cities. Also I feel the media plays up fears, we only get to hear about the attacks, not the millions of people who don't get attacked obviously!

Terri.

The survival instinct is a very strong emotion, I also had a violent upbringing, thats why I always feel awkward when I see all MK2s family kissing and cuddling when they meet.
I suppose its because I never had that as a kid, but what I did have in my favour was the abality to see a violent outburst coming, and so take cover, or get ready to defend myself!
Being some one who spent most of their working lives away from home, and being in strange countries and cities, you seem to have a natural survival instinct, which never let me down.
Smudger.

I have certainly thought cities can dull your senses to nature unless you work at it.

Probably has an effect of more stereotyping if you have to judge for safety on a regular basis.That could be a sinkhole if you allow it. I imagine you might learn to ignore noises.

I am not sure about other senses, that is a good one to ponder.
Feel free to add more, nice to see you here Delicia

TR I too was taught young that if you act like you know what you are doing and where you are going it serves you well. People would rather mess with someone not looking aware or interested in their surroundings.

1/2 mile from home rule- Also work or other routine daily stops is good to remember, it's all too easy to assume all is the same in the auto-pilot driving mode.

Having dependants changes a lot of perceptions and attention to details, it's basic good nurturing I am afraid it would have been hard for me to contain myself, which would not be the best for a child!

You'd be surprised how much having a child can change your perceptions of yourself.

One of the problems I've been having with Uvula is her inability to realize how much has changed. She keeps clinging to her old self.

I am sure I would be!
Although not my child, having my niece here for an extended period gave me the smallest of clues.

Like many adults as a teen she was thrown into a total change unwillingly. She not only survived but learned to thrive and be proud of what she left behind. It was a lot of push-pull( from within herself) Today she says 50-50 fear - expectations of something positive to gain, are now her ruler for choosing courage

I mostly watched and listened.
She did it on her own.
I was present for her anytime she needed.
It was not always easy waiting.

Her Mom said she needs someone who sees who she is today, not someone having been there the whole way with the understanding of her many and varied fears. Unfortunately I was not around when she was very young.

However it paid off in this way.
I saw her as a teen and young adult. She saw herself as half child-half adult. She left the child behind when with me, someone whom did not know the small child *her*

Although I never said it all made me as nervous as her on the inside!

Her Mom knew us both well and it healed us all in many ways
It was a great joy that lives on.
It think it would have very different for me if I had all her fears from all her life living in me. I cannot fully imagine the extra responsibility, urgency & concern I might have felt.

I can sympathize with you a tiny bit at this particular stage.

In my experience one learns to ignore noises in cities, and in crowded places also often avoids to look round much, in order to ignore stranger people standing nearer than ones flight distance is, I've read a study of behaviour in crowded public transport that says the same, the only way to avoid the uneasiness about people crowding into your space, you ignore them, and they ignore you. Also if somebody bumps into me, first impulse is to try to break the bodily contact. All that must be exactly what pickpockets can count upon.

I myself usually try to know exactly what the situation is at all times, even thought that brings some discomfort. But I notice stretches of time when i am not aware of the people around me, and that gives me a nasty jolt each time.
In the country it's different, i see everybody a long way off, try to make out who they are, what they're doing, where they're going. Just like my dog. We also both growl at strangers.

Oh i forgot to add, yes, the presence of little children in the family can quite change ones perceptions, specifically of security, i observe myself turning into one of those anxious mother animals whenever my little niece is around, and i can now very much sympathise with any cat or dog never letting their young out of their eyes, as i do it myself.

Child safety programs having been instructing lost children to find a woman with a couple of kids to ask for help, avoiding all lone adults and particularly lone males or males with a child.

People find me a bit much, particularly strangers. I am a starer and I look at people's shoes and clothes and posture, as well as their facial structure.

I also like to sit where I can see the doors.

I make store plainclothes security people nervous because I notice them. They stand out.

I also make uniformed security and police officers nervous. I pay attention to their equipment and weapons. I often speak to them for a few seconds to put them at their ease, because a shoplifter's basic instinct would be to get as far away as possible.

TR, Oh! I had to laugh at that TR, you reminded of a British Railway ticket puncher, I used to see every day when I used to go to college, way back in the 60s.
He used to come barging into all the carriages putting the fear of God into all the ticket dodgers!!! I swear, one stare from that man, would even scare my ex mother-in-law!!
Smudger.

I found out it's good to practice a seriously intense evil glance!
Once I learned to routinely smile alot, I had to actually practice the scowl.

Ah! Well Abbi, It just goes to show that you have to hide your natural feelings some times you must be a natural happy person
Some people cant handle that!!
Smudger.

They look at me like I'm nuts when I go skipping through the mall with Shnooks.

Hi TR, Who is Shnooks??
Smudger.

I love it TR!

That keeps the people away from you with no sense of adventure or life!

My daughter.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/2713746/detail.html

In a copyrighted Associated Press story,
it is said that a now-retired former Jefferson County, Colorado deputy sheriff was warned about the Columbine perps TWO YEARS before the incident.
The details did not come from his own mouth at first. He now lives in South Carolina.
The report, from 1997, showed up in an old training manual binder that he had left behind when he resigned in 2000.
It was discovered two months ago. Investigators for the State's Attorney's office have since interviewed him.

The report involved internet postings made by one of the perps, including a list of targets and a list of arson and vandalism acts...
A year later a couple of parents of a school mate of the perps reported the very same perp and his web site, which contained their son's name...

Yes
There were actually lots of warnings.
The 2 boys did beautifully in their rehabilitaion program and evaluations for success.

A close friends' (who parted ways earlier)parents tried very hard to get the Police to listen to them about threats made on their sons life. The killers were very specific about threatning a couple of the students whom died beforehand The killers did unusual papers and projects with violent themes.

So much was ignored because of the "nice neighborhood"
The fact that most kids had phones and cars but did not have their parents actual phone number (some had voicemail)at work to talk to them was really absurdly sad to me. These phones are gotten under teh guise of safety usually. Also the number of the kids that were not covered by medical insurance in that school.

Lots of warnings.
Once it started there was No ability for the different police categories to talk to one another. Frozen they did nothing for the longest time. The news programs were getting calls from students fleeing in autos and those trapped inside were put on the air. The news teams kept saying call the sheriff! Call 911. Stop at nearest police station.

That was my 1st and next to the last glance at reality TV (2nd the 2nd tower going down)sitting for 40minutes watching & wondering why are they not going in?

I will never forget finally the kids slowly starting coming out single file with their hands on their heads, looking like suspects rather than victims.

I will never forget the kid hanging out the window one side paralyzed all bloody and trying to get out of the second story. He eventually did as a the swat team vehichle pulled up as cover he was pulled down by one arm upside down like a rag doll. He did survive. So many did not