The few people I know who've studied martial arts have never actually used it. And when you ask "what would you do if...", they all say (a) keep your eyes open and try not to get into trouble; (b) if you do get into trouble, the best thing to do, if you can, is just run away.
It seems to me that the real purpose of self-defence training is just to increase self-confidence. But that's going off on yet another tangent.
I hear what youre saying about the improvment and press skewing our view. Life is very very much safer now than 100 years ago. Probably even 50.
I dont think we should leave it at where we have it, though.
I'm sure it's safer than 100 years ago, maybe even 50, but I don't think it's as safe as it was 20, 30 years ago. Or maybe I've just got more scared as I've got older.
Even if it is statistically safer nowadays, I think the difference is that more people are - how can I put it? - close to the edge. There will always be "bad" parts of town and a hardcore of nutters, wherever you go. But I think people generally have become more aggressive and unpleasant, simultaneously less tolerant and less considerate of those around them.
It may just be small things like not holding doors or letting someone else go first, or playing music loudly, or shouting into mobile phones, but everyone is so self-centred. And on public transport there's this strange stay-out-of-my-space atmosphere - defensiveness mixed with mild hostility.
Maybe it's just a London thing.
it's possible about self-defence. much like the way in 4x4 adverts, when it says, "buy one and don't be pushed off the road by other aggressive drivers" what it really means is "now you can be the aggressive one!"...
But I don't know. I'm sure plenty of people are doing it just in case. or maybe they just like it.
I'd also tend to agree with the fact that it was perhaps safer 20 or 30 years ago. Certainly, in the grand scheme of things, it's safer than it's been in the past. However, in the past few years, things seem to be going backwards- for example, we're better educated than at most points in the past, yet reading skills probably aren't as good as they were in the 50s.
I know I noticed that when i was at school, the younger kids seemed a lot cheekier and more confident than we'd been at the same age. that was maybe 7 years ago. when we were the youngest in the school, we were scared of the 6th formers... when we were 6th formers, they didn't seem to be.
maybe that's back to my wussiness, though.
Theres no doubt that poor socio-economic circumstances lead to higher crime rates.
But the fact that so many people, the vast majority, that are in those circumstances dont screw other people over to get by proves that there is something else going on (probably many things).
I'm not so sure about 'nicer' either. Its not as simple as good or bad person.
i dunno mark... the whole concept of capitalism seems to be "screw over or be screwed over"... that's another reason why i'm very sceptical of the law. form a plc and float on the stock exchange, and it's a good business model... don't and you're a common criminal. e.g. l'oreal with their fake eyelashes in mascara adverts.
as you say, it's complicated.
