Why aren't there any heroes?

[XMan]

This may seem like a strange question, but strange questions often occur to me as I am roaming the countryside in my company car . . .

Why do people see things happening, and do nothing to stop it? Friend of mine was in New York City and saw a woman have her purse snatched. She kind of stood there and yelled at the guy and chased after him while he was running off, and nobody tried to stop him. They just acted like it wasn't happening.

I'm not ascribing vigilante behavior to stopping a purse snatcher, but that fits, too. I'm not talking Bernie Goetz or Death Wish, but community interaction can do a lot to make neighborhoods safer. People complain about crime all of the time, but do nothing to stop it. I know people in my grandmother's neighborhood who are unhappy because it's slowly going bad (lots of immigrants coming in, and no I won't say what kind) and causing problems, dealing drugs, blocking the streets off with their cars so they can have fistfights in the middle of the road, that sort of thing. But when I proposed starting up a Neighborhood Watch group, none of my grandmother's neighbors were interested. "Won't do any good." And they continue to complain on and on. They can't even be bothered to call the damn police . . .

So what do you think? Has apathy slain courage?

 

[Viper GTS]

I think a lot of it is fear. What's stupid is we outnumber the "bad guys" by probably 99 to 1 or MORE. There's no reason we should get bullied around like this. If 99 men showed up at the door of every drug dealer & let him know in no uncertain terms that he was to leave, & never return... I suspect they' get the picture.

They're our streets, by God, NOT theirs.

Viper GTS

 

[thebestMAX]

Unfortuneately, if you stop to help and mess up or are even peceived to have messed up, YOU GET SUED. The good guy is a target once again. Who wants to take a risk like that in todays litigious society.
Sad but true, I think a lot of people would like to help but dont and not out of fear of physical harm but legal harm.

 

[Stark]

A. Heroes get sued by the bad guys.
B. Tragedy and injustice gets better ratings than heroism and valor.

 

[GreenBeret]

Yes, fear has a lot to do with it. Also, there isn't much to hold up as an example to follow. Someone has to step up, and many/most are afraid to.

 

[GreenBeret]

Maybe we should go back to taking away criminals' citizenship? That would certainly stop the lawsuits. 0.5*j/k

It's much easy to ignore something than to accept its existence, and have to deal with it weighing on your consience.

 

[ltk007]

One word: apathy

 

[Cosmic_Horror]

most people, sadly don't want to get involved.

 

[DonaldDuck82]

I've got another word for you, liberals. They dont want punishment they want rehabilitation, this makes everyone a victim(except those who dont agree with them of course).

 

[GreenBeret]

This has got NOTHING to do with politics! This is about John/Jane Doe being totally spineless! Stand up for each other, for the love of humanity!

 

[Yeeny]

I think a serious lack of motivation is the main problem. People don't want to bother anymore, they feel the world is worthless, so why try to save it. But just keep faith in the fact that there are alot of good people in the world, they just don't get the press the bad guys do.

 

[JellyBaby]

I believe you all nailed it: apathy combined with fear of litigation. I also feel a lost sense of community compounds the problem. Unfortunately, my personal ethics and way of life would probably cause me to get involved. There's absolutely no way I could stop myself from helping some woman from being beat up, for example. I'm not apathetic but I do indeed fear getting involved in the court system.

 

[ltk007]

<< I think a serious lack of motivation is the main problem. People don't want to bother anymore, they feel the world is worthless, so why try to save it >>



Wow, do you know me or what?

 

[GreenBeret]

Exactly, Evan, exactly.