"Stranger Danger" harmful
2012-07-02 15:34:28.828523+00 by Dan Lyke 3 comments
Folks — Here’s a story that manages to encapsulate exactly why “stranger danger” is such a stupid — no, HARMFUL — concept to preach.
2012-07-02 15:34:28.828523+00 by Dan Lyke 3 comments
Folks — Here’s a story that manages to encapsulate exactly why “stranger danger” is such a stupid — no, HARMFUL — concept to preach.
[ related topics: hubris ]
comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2012-07-03 05:23:45.809914+00 by: hananc
It's an American thing. I'm glad I live in Israel where culture is less violent.
Reminds me of this post by Zeldman.
http://www.zeldman.com/2012/06...vorce-keeps-breaking-your-heart/
#Comment Re: made: 2012-07-03 14:21:30.831613+00 by: meuon
Our actual culture, for most people, is very non-violent and very very safe. Where it breaks down though, it breaks very badly. What has happened is fear is being used as a means of power and influence. Our media/political overlords are constantly promoting a "state of fear" for a variety of reasons. Add in the closed mnded religious nuts that want you to be afraid of contact with other ideas and you have a serious problem.
#Comment Re: made: 2012-07-03 16:12:26.027472+00 by: Dan Lyke
Yeah, I think one of the big disconnects that happens here in the U.S. is that the actual violence is fairly well contained in a set of fairly narrow socioeconomic classes, but the fear of that violence spreads out and we end up with the human tendency to be really bad at risk assessment making decisions that aren't reasonable.