Is our world really less safe than it used to be?

[AreaCode707]

My observations of humanity would suggest that there are about the same number of bad people in all races, in all countries, in all religions, in all eras. But I am at a loss how to explain how it does truly seem that the world today is less safe than it used to be.

Now, I know this is a classic case of, "when I was your age..." but it's really not. I remember the world as unsafe as it is today. But my dad was able, at the age of 10, to hop on a bus and go spend the day in downtown San Francisco, no reporting into adults, no worries about being kidnapped or molested, no cell phone, no whatever. My younger sisters are 14 and there's no way I'd let them get on a city bus to anywhere. I don't know a parent who would.

Are we just more paranoid now and people are the same as they've always been? Are kids more naive and so the same number of bad people have more opportunity to do bad things? Has the spread of media and reporting on the bad people of the world normalized the bad behavior and made more people willing to do terrible things that they wouldn't otherwise do? Or are people just naturally getting worse?

 

[funkymatt]

the media has to stay in business by releasing these scare stories.

 

[ScottMac]

Same number of wolves; more sheep.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
the media has to stay in business by releasing these scare stories.

So, same number of bad people, just more reaction to it?

 

[Aberforth]

:music: All ideas of violence occurs in the mind first- media only reports them. This proves that more people are going mad day by day, that's why people ought to meditate for at least 5 mins daily, it will calm your nerves. :music:

 

[StageLeft]

In our society we are, overall, a lot safer than we were, say, 50 years ago. Statistical fact. The rest is hysteria.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
the media has to stay in business by releasing these scare stories.

 

[LtPage1]

There are more people, period.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
In our society we are, overall, a lot safer than we were, say, 50 years ago. Statistical fact. The rest is hysteria.

Collectively that's probably true. What about just children and crimes against them? It really seems like there are way more pedos than there used to be... or maybe they just get caught more often now and people don't sweep it under the rug.

Would you let Skoorbaby hop on a bus without supervision when he's a little older?

 

[Farang]

I think you're applying your own ideas to the general population. As the youngest of 4 my parents had given up on trying to be at all protective of me, and by 14 I was generally doing whatever I wanted (including taking city buses around and between cities). This was 8 years ago so still the same era of overprotectiveness you speak of. At least since 7-8 I would ride go into town on my own if I needed to buy things (usually candy)

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Farang
I think you're applying your own ideas to the general population. As the youngest of 4 my parents had given up on trying to be at all protective of me, and by 14 I was generally doing whatever I wanted (including taking city buses around and between cities). This was 8 years ago so still the same era of overprotectiveness you speak of. At least since 7-8 I would ride go into town on my own if I needed to buy things (usually candy)

Entirely possible. Would you say that most people you know were granted the same liberties as a kid? Where did you grow up?

 

[AlienCraft]

Indeed it is.

Originally posted by: funkymatt
the media has to stay in business by releasing these scare stories.

What role does Law Enforcement and Application play in that? How about the role of poverty or lack of education or occupational opportunity.
Isn't it more accurate to say that Law Enforcement and Community Administration have a greater stake with hyperbolic reporting of criminal activity?
If criminal behavior were eliminated, it would be re-invented simply to justify a local force to maintain "public order".
There is always someone who feels the need to tell you how to act regardless of what it is you're doing. Humans are incapable of leaving the other person alone.

Originally posted by: ScottMac
Same number of wolves; more sheep.

This is impossible. Either both categories rise and fall as the population changes or neither does. There is no upper limit for "Evil" either in terms of who or what.
Evil people are formed as they grow. They are rarely, if ever, born that way.

 

[Farang]

Originally posted by: AreaCode707

Originally posted by: Farang
I think you're applying your own ideas to the general population. As the youngest of 4 my parents had given up on trying to be at all protective of me, and by 14 I was generally doing whatever I wanted (including taking city buses around and between cities). This was 8 years ago so still the same era of overprotectiveness you speak of. At least since 7-8 I would ride go into town on my own if I needed to buy things (usually candy)

Entirely possible. Would you say that most people you know were granted the same liberties as a kid? Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town but by 14 was in a mid-sized city (Tacoma) and ventured into a large city (Seattle). I'd say I definitely had more liberties as a kid but as a teenager it was mixed, it seems by that time more families have broken up so there are a lot of unsupervised kids that had a lot more freedom than me.

It is entirely different with girls though so it isn't comparable

 

[theflyingpig]

People are not able to slaughter their enemies like they used to. If we were still able to do that, the world would have peace.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: AreaCode707

Originally posted by: Farang
I think you're applying your own ideas to the general population. As the youngest of 4 my parents had given up on trying to be at all protective of me, and by 14 I was generally doing whatever I wanted (including taking city buses around and between cities). This was 8 years ago so still the same era of overprotectiveness you speak of. At least since 7-8 I would ride go into town on my own if I needed to buy things (usually candy)

Entirely possible. Would you say that most people you know were granted the same liberties as a kid? Where did you grow up?

Perhaps Your question is better asked in this way.... Do you think most people where you grew up were granted the same liberties as a kid, more or less?
The people I know now are different than the people I grew up around.

I think that where your parents grew up is as important to this question because MOST parents would tend to value their personal values above those of the immediate neighborhood . Who hasn't heard this...."I don't care what the other parents let their kids do, You're MY kid, and I said NO". 😉
It's only AFTER local assimilation occurs usually within the next generation that local customs start to inculcate themselves.

 

[DeliciousTacos]

Originally posted by: LtPage1
There are more people, period.

This

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: AreaCode707

Originally posted by: Skoorb
In our society we are, overall, a lot safer than we were, say, 50 years ago. Statistical fact. The rest is hysteria.

Collectively that's probably true. What about just children and crimes against them? It really seems like there are way more pedos than there used to be... or maybe they just get caught more often now and people don't sweep it under the rug.

Would you let Skoorbaby hop on a bus without supervision when he's a little older?

I bet they're way down against kids, way way down without looking at numbers.

I wouldn't let myself get on a public bus, they are teeming with poor people and criminals. I can't stand the damn things.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: AreaCode707

Originally posted by: Skoorb
In our society we are, overall, a lot safer than we were, say, 50 years ago. Statistical fact. The rest is hysteria.

Collectively that's probably true. What about just children and crimes against them? It really seems like there are way more pedos than there used to be... or maybe they just get caught more often now and people don't sweep it under the rug.

Would you let Skoorbaby hop on a bus without supervision when he's a little older?

I bet they're way down against kids, way way down without looking at numbers.

I wouldn't let myself get on a public bus, they are teeming with poor people and criminals. I can't stand the damn things.

I'd bet that the numbers show they're way up because better enforcement means better reporting. Doesn't mean more actual crime, just more visibility into the existing crime.

 

[caspur]

OP has younger sister (s) (ie more than 1) who are 14. Therefore, they might be twins?

Please post pics of hot young twin sisters please. Since they are 14 it shouldn't qualify as a babe thread.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: caspur
OP has younger sister (s) (ie more than 1) who are 14. Therefore, they might be twins?

Please post pics of hot young twin sisters please. Since they are 14 it shouldn't qualify as a babe thread.

Apparently there are more bad people in the world after all. A request for photos of underage children where the request has sexual overtones ("hot", twins, babe thread) should be a bannable offense.

 

[Jeff7]

Information travels easier, I think that is the main difference.

If little Tommy in a state 500 miles away vanishes on a bus, and turns up raped and dead a week later, the whole country can hear about it today, within minutes of the discovery of his body.
Before national news services existed on TV and radio, the only people who would know were those in the community immediately affected.


For example, we hear a constant stream of stories about teachers having sex with students. I do not in any way believe that this is a new trend. This sort of thing just makes it into the news more easily now, so it merely appears as if there's a sudden increase in their happening.

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: AreaCode707

Originally posted by: Skoorb
In our society we are, overall, a lot safer than we were, say, 50 years ago. Statistical fact. The rest is hysteria.

Collectively that's probably true. What about just children and crimes against them? It really seems like there are way more pedos than there used to be... or maybe they just get caught more often now and people don't sweep it under the rug.

Would you let Skoorbaby hop on a bus without supervision when he's a little older?

The internet made pedophilia mainstream and also seen as worse by society.

 

[BabaBooey]

Much worse,even kids,they are all lilttle bitches now days they have to carry a gun a nd run in a pack to be tough,and even then they rather shoot someone than fight them.

It is goes into a shit slide from there.....welcome to the beginning of the end and you all thought those shooter videogames were just fun when they are preparing you for the near future of apocalyptic zombies and half humans.....we're fucked.

 

[kranky]

I think you're right - things are less safe. And I think there are 3 reasons why. First, fewer people choose to act in a civilized manner. Second, fewer people step up to bring others to account for their behavior. Third, we are more lenient in general in punishment. Society never relied on law enforcement to keep things safe - it relies on the general public to choose to behave. Over the years there has been a movement towards "do what you want as long as you don't get caught". Once that starts, people start to realize the police can't really force people to obey the law. And when nobody who isn't a cop will lift a finger to do anything, we're seeing what happens.

Look at how many people speed, pirate software and music, the massive financial scams which are now coming to light, people being shot in some neighborhoods on a nightly basis. There was a story in our paper a couple months ago about a bunch of teenagers going through a local mall grabbing packages from shoppers and throwing them over the railing to the lower floor. Approximately 20 people were victimized. All the quotes in the paper from shoppers were complaining about how long it took security to show up, which is probably because people just kept on walking and did nothing and called no one. Twenty years ago, once the first bag got grabbed, the surrounding shoppers would have beat those kids to a pulp and THEN called for security. The punishment for the kids was a $500 fine and banishment from the mall. A kick to the groin and one to the head at the time it happened would have been a better punishment and a better deterrent.