6 Comments

I was stationed in Afghanistan when Dave Grossman's "On Killing" came out and spent the better part of the deployment arguing with a fellow Marine officer over Man's "nature". He advocated for Michael Ghiglieri's view from "Dark Side of Man" and I took Grossman's side.

I've now come to believe we were both correct.

Expand full comment

Tony Blauer - the SPEAR guy - is a good person to look up on the subject sudden violence and human reactions to it.

Most people now have only seen combat sport violence (UFC) or Hollywood depictions of violence, rather than lots of security camera footage of muggings, robberies, or prison shankings.

Unexpected/sudden violence - including animal attacks - is a decidedly different thing than the Octagon which is different than a bar fight.

High explosives and projectile weapons now make it all kinda nuts.

Situational awareness is a thing and a little paranoia will take you a long way in life!

Expand full comment
author

Hear hear!

Expand full comment

"And it terrifies me to know I’m living in a world where most people can’t even imagine what they’d be capable of if the bear showed up to threaten their family."

Perhaps it is a generational thing or maybe being from a military family but the idea of not knowing these are normal reactions is alien to me. If I think about it I'm more afraid of not reacting as you did the second time when the bear shows up than anything else. Those reactions are not unimaginable to me; they are the baseline expectations of adulthood and manliness.

Expand full comment
founding

A show called "the league" had an episode where one character got a 'fear boner'. Thought it was just silly for laughs but apparently very real. Makes sense given the fight then usually very visceral make-up sex cycle some couples experience.

I also thought about the litigation people face when they have injured someone intruding on their property. Full fledged vigilatism is likely not a solution but punishing those defending their own on their own property, according to ones arbitrary definition of danger or excessive threat or whatever is disheartening and does seem to encourage a dangerous level of passiveness.

Also emphasizes the importance, for women in particular to communicate that you're "ready" or have the capacity to fight to deter potential assaulaints, even if in one's own mind you can't predict exactly what you'll do. Head high, shoulders back and all that.

Looking forward to your post later in the week. Loving "accidental superpower".

Expand full comment

In the long run I suspect such punishment for those protecting themselves/property will only encourage quiet vigilantism. Law Professor Glenn Reynolds loves to say the police exist to protect the criminals, not the public. I wish he'd phrase it "to protect those accused of crime" as I think it makes the point better, but it still stands.

Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up is a saying for a reason.

Expand full comment