The wussifying of America

[slim 1,525]

I'm going to get slaughtered for this, and I'll say first off, save it. That's not what this thread is about. All respect and prayers to the victims in VA and elsewhere. I do not condone violence or violent acts, and would prefer a world at peace.

BUT IT DOES NOT EXIST.

Most of you on this website have been overseas. You've seen what's wrong (and right) with other countries. What is acceptable and not acceptable in other places. Hopefully you can compare and contrast that with what goes on here.

What I'm wondering though, is if any of you have noticed a trend that I've seen recently that was highlighted during the horrible events at Virginia Tech a few days ago.

I believe we as Americans are losing our will to fight back.

If you've seen Fight Club, you can recall the part where their homework assignment was to go out and pick a fight with someone, and how hard it was for most of them to do just that. Most people in America will go out of their way to avoid a fight, even to the point of running away from someone hitting them in the face. Instead of standing our ground, we'll run away and ask everyone around "did you see that guy? He's crazy! He was hitting me in the face!"

Think about that for a moment. Someone starts hitting you in the face for no reason. Did you do anything to provoke it? No. You were just minding your business walking along the street or shopping for groceries, and someone starts physically assaulting you for no reason. Why would you not hit them back? Is it wrong to defend yourself?

The answer is, YES. Here in America we've become so afraid of "getting in trouble" that we're now scared to stand up for what is right. We're scared to fight back when something bad happens to us because we're scared that we'll be the ones that get in trouble for it. We're scared that we'll be the ones that end up in jail or end up being "the bad guy" in everyone's eyes because we didn't "let the authorities handle it."

Now, I'm not talking about when you have a fender-bender and one guy gets all mad and starts hitting the other guy, I'm talking about when something extremely bad happens to you, like you're walking home from class one night and someone hits you on the back of the head with a large stick, or you're sitting in your car with your family and someone runs up to your car and starts hitting your wife trying to steal her purse. Why don't we fight back?

We have a conditioned response here to run away or hide, to "get away" from anything bad, to flee to safety and then let the police catch the bad guy based on our description. And the tragic fact that comes along with that is when a single individual armed with handguns attacks a group of unarmed people, he's able to kill 33 of them without facing any resistance what-so-ever.

A little over five years ago, 3000 people lost their lives because 19 men had box cutters and were able to hold a few hundred at bay for an hour.

It's ugly to think about, but we as Americans have lost our stomach for a good fight. We'd rather die a blameless death than be judged for standing up and protecting ourselves. I'm not saying go out and fight someone because they piss you off. I am saying though, next time you see something like a massacre of students by ONE MAN armed with pistols, instead of telling your kids to be careful at school and to run away from impending death, teach them to fight back, and rely on courage and the will to not go down without a fight. If just one of those students would've rushed the gunman, perhaps another would've helped. Then another, then another, then another, and before you know it, instead of 33 dead, we have 3. The three that first rushed the gunman and died saving the rest of their class. The three that will be remembered as heroes... not victims.

[almaty 19]

most of the students were in shock and disbelief as most people would be....and just wanted to be alive when it was over with....

the plane on 9/11 "94....the people on the plnae knew the score and had time to prepare for an attack...

in closing, violence begats violence......

[pedroh 21]

"even to the point of running away from someone hitting them in the face. Instead of standing our ground, we'll run away and ask everyone around "did you see that guy? He's crazy! He was hitting me in the face!"

LOL.. true..

on the other hand.. nice post...

although I guess that's just suburbia.. here in the country.. noone waits for the cops to arrive (cuz they never do).. it's ur protect urself or ur dead..

[*JG* 2]

If myself or someone I loved were involved, I sure as hell would fight back. Let someone just try to hurt my kids and see what happens.

However, for the most part, I don't believe in violence in any form. Don't see the point.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

With all due respect I think you're talking a bunch of romantic nonsense...

I wonder why you think that people's reaction to events like in VA and 9/11 is really that untypical from the way people have historically acted in high-stress situations.

After all people have spent years and continue to study the mentality of people in WW2 who not only walked like sheep into the gas chamber, but actually collaborated with their executioners to inform on those people who tried to organise some sort of resistance.

Outside of that situation its really easy to say how people should react, but the reality is much different. People's thought processes don't exactly work the same under high stress.

[mawilson 2,133]

The problem when facing a man with guns is that if you fight back, you will almost certainly die.

There aren't many heroes who would be willing to sacrifice their own lives to save someone else's.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

See, in places other than the US, wussyfying is referred to as civilizing. That is where people see beyond an eye for an eye...

[Amby 490]

One night back in December Neil walked up to the vid store to take a movie back and a random person just walked across the street and punched him in the face for no reason. Neil hit him back and knocked him on the ground. I was asleep when this happened so when he told me I found it to be such a crazy story I didn't believe him until I felt the massive welt on his face. I think if someone is so messed up that they just walk up and punch a random person for no reason they're not even going to remember doing it or being hit back.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Amber&Neil

[mawilson 2,133]

See, in places other than the US, wussyfying is referred to as civilizing. That is where people see beyond an eye for an eye...

Thank God, America is not completely wussified yet.

We can still fight and kill, unlike Europe where most people seem to believe that all

conflicts at home and abroad can be resolved by talking everything to death.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

See, in places other than the US, wussyfying is referred to as civilizing. That is where people see beyond an eye for an eye...

Thank God, America is not completely wussified yet.

We can still fight and kill, unlike Europe where most people seem to believe that all

conflicts at home and abroad can be resolved by talking everything to death.

Don't forget sanctions!!!

[*JG* 2]

See, in places other than the US, wussyfying is referred to as civilizing. That is where people see beyond an eye for an eye...

This is exactly what I was thinking.

Andre is from Jamaica. I've seen more rock throwing, punches flying, guns drawn, and machettes swinging then you can imagine around his community. And, most of it was silly little arguments about not sweeping the house, the music is too loud, etc.

I just don't see the point at all.

[mawilson 2,133]

See, in places other than the US, wussyfying is referred to as civilizing. That is where people see beyond an eye for an eye...

Thank God, America is not completely wussified yet.

We can still fight and kill, unlike Europe where most people seem to believe that all

conflicts at home and abroad can be resolved by talking everything to death.

Don't forget sanctions!!!

Hans Blix: Let me look around, so I can ease the UN's collective mind. I'm sorry, but the UN must be firm with you. Let me in, or else.

Kim Jong Il: Or else what?

Hans Blix: Or else we will be very angry with you... and we will write you a letter, telling you how angry we are

[Robor007 0]

See, in places other than the US, wussyfying is referred to as civilizing. That is where people see beyond an eye for an eye...

Thank God, America is not completely wussified yet.

We can still fight and kill, unlike Europe where most people seem to believe that all

conflicts at home and abroad can be resolved by talking everything to death.

Don't forget sanctions!!!

Hans Blix: Let me look around, so I can ease the UN's collective mind. I'm sorry, but the UN must be firm with you. Let me in, or else.

Kim Jong Il: Or else what?

Hans Blix: Or else we will be very angry with you... and we will write you a letter, telling you how angry we are

That would be more funny if it wasn't true.

Edited April 18, 2007 by Robor007

[peejay 327]

I once punched a guy in the nose for popping me in the face with a towel. Does that count any points away from wussidom?

[Alex+R 0]

The OP was um, a load.