"It may seem onerous to prepare yourself and your family to respond to violence, but not doing so is also a form of preparation. Failing to prepare is, generally speaking, preparing very well to do the wrong thing. Although most of us are good at recognizing danger, our instincts often lead us to behave in ways that increase our chances of being injured or killed once a threat emerges." ~ Sam Harris, "The Truth about Violence"

This piece is a incredibly eye-opening read. Both scary and (potentially) empowering.


I loath the cult of false fear-mongering that is worshipped in North America. The evidence shows clearly that violent crime rates in Canada are going down (despite the media bias and what certain governments would like voters to believe) and Ottawa is a very safe city. Fear is used far too often to con and control us.

I don't think anyone should live their lives in perpetual anticipation of a violent attack they're (thankfully) unlikely to ever experience. However, I also believe as a general life-philosophy that being prepared is never a bad thing. Somehow though I've always subconsciously allowed myself to accept that I will willingly play the role of victim should I ever be confronted with violence. And that's really scary.

I've been dithering about starting some sort of martial arts training for a while. This article was the final boot in the butt I needed.