Here’s an example of what we think we know: Weak and fearful body language attracts predators. It’s a green light to them. That concept is a staple of self-defense training. It makes sense, too. Be afraid and look like a victim, and you’ll be selected. So now you know how not to be selected as a target, right? Walk with confidence. Don’t look like a victim!
Except, contrary to what you might think, most violence doesn’t take place when you’re scared. Nor is it the person acting like a victim who is overwhelmingly attacked.
In fact, it’s the direct opposite.
Most violence takes place when you’re angry, aggressive, or confident. Things go south when people think they’re handling a situation. They’re sure what they do is the correct response—right up until it goes horribly wrong. That’s violence dynamics out on the sharp end.
It’s not the quivering mouse who is going to get robbed. Often such a person never hesitates to flee from a dangerous situation. It’s the person who looks at a bunch of robbers—waiting in a developed a trap—and decides, “They wouldn’t bother me.” Then walks right into the trap.
Being certain is a greater danger to you than fear.
COMMENT by Erik Kondo
Following Marc’s theme, here is another incident to learn from:
“There’s no audio on the surveillance video of a man being punched, knocked out cold, landing on and cracking his skull Dec. 1 on Chaparral Street. You can’t hear the words that were exchanged leading up to the attack.
Today, 25-year-old Erik Schwirtlich, the man who was left on the downtown corner near the intersection of Starr Street, still has no words.
The trauma to his brain — which required emergency surgery to reduce the swelling by taking out a piece of his skull — impacted the speech center, and Erik fumbles, trying to communicate with friends and family who visited him in the intensive care unit. But it comes out as gibberish sometimes; other times he can piece together enough to convey his needs…
Here is another story involving women.