Rage Equilibrium and Fear

   In the course of human existence, we feel things. Not with our sensory organs such as eyes, ears, fingers, toes, and the nerve endings of our skin, but more deeply, in the realm that is known as our emotions. While researching the internet for this blog post, two recent events caught my attention.  In each instance, men allowed their emotions to overwhelm reason, and as a result have harmed someone else, or conducted themselves in a manner which caused someone else to be harmed.
     In the first case, a large man who'd just survived a sudden traumatic event went in search of assistance. Help was called for, and this societies' first line of defense responded. The man seeking help approached the defenders, but was in such a state of shock that he was unable to appropriately comply with the instructions he was being given. He tragically lost his life unnecessarily, when the defender found himself engulfed by fear, and responded to it by unleashing deadly force.
     In the second case, again, a fairly large man lost control of his sensibilities, and found himself in the center of a busy intersection, placing the safety of many drivers at risk. Societies' defenders were again called upon and responded en masse. The defenders initially attempted to subdue the large man by way of physical contact, but after a couple of them were clearly unable to control the large man, a defender once again chose to use potentially deadly force, which quite unintentionally injured persons who were not involved in the incident.
     My point in mentioning those two incidents is to highlight a unifying principle that I developed for my own behavior when confronted with potential danger. First and foremost, I decided that the initiation of and participation in violence on my part would always be carried out as a Last Resort. The underlying principle in my book, "Personal Security Techniques", is Security Awareness. This awareness is an analytical process that occurs very quickly, and takes into account all environmental, ethical, tactical, legal, and survival aspects of the situation. I felt determined to never cause another human being to lose their freedom, or their life, unless I had attempted every other possible way to defuse the situation first. Measured violence can be kept in check, just below the surface, and brought forth overwhelmingly when needed. The secret lies in being able to project ones' warlike proficiency through body language, verbal communications, and literal demonstration, when all else has failed. Professionally, I was once verbally provoked to commit violence by a man who was drunk, and wanted me to do something that I was not authorized to do. He said something to me similar to, "Go ahead, hit me, I dare you to".  My response was, "No sir, I tried everything I could to help you, but if this goes badly, someone is going to get hurt, and will end up in jail, and it's not gong to be me". He instantly calmed down, departed, and went on with his life. I was able to allow him to transition from Rage, back to Equilibrium. On another occasion, an obsessed fan attempted to get in contact with a celebrity, and after informing him that he wasn't expected, invited, or authorized to see the celebrity, I told the fan once again that he had to leave. I'd lost all patience with his delusional version of reality, and decided to give him 30 seconds to leave the property. At that time, I had already alerted my fellow Officers, and had placed them just behind him on both sides, and just out of his reach. As I looked at my watch, counting down the seconds, he asked me, "What time is it"? My response, (without cursing or yelling or disrespect, but with full confidence) was, "Time to go to jail. Get on your knees, and put your hands on your head". He did exactly as I ordered him to. I patted him down for weapons, turned him over to the Police, and that was it for about three months. 90 days later, a co-worker who had participated in his detention saw him return again, in his apparent quest to see this celebrity. My co-worker told this guy, "Man, are you sure you want to do that. Don't you remember what happened last time"? This obsessed fan let the message sink in, departed, and never returned. Without exhibiting rage or instilling Fear, we were able to return the obsessed fan to a state of relative equilibrium. As far as I know, he never returned.
     In summary, it may be said with some degree of certainty in the majority of cases, that in times of potential distress: When confronted with Rage, show Equilibrium, and this will deflate rage. When confronted with Fear, show Equilibrium, and this will promote understanding and self confidence. When confronted with violence, utilize Rage, promote Fear, and for yourself afterwards, seek Equilibrium.  Peace.
http://www.fastpencil.com/publications/4182-Personal-Security-Techniques