tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post8404988618556982245..comments2024-01-12T11:26:35.176-05:00Comments on Working Stiffs: They're in your neighborhoodWorking Stiffshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270595837074553752noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-47588353216640853512007-01-30T14:29:00.000-05:002007-01-30T14:29:00.000-05:00I agree. Knowledge is power but when it hinders yo...I agree. Knowledge is power but when it hinders you from living a normal life, it turns into paranoia.<br /><br />I think it's important to protect our kids but not lie to them. Too much reality when a child is too young to understand it, however, can scare them to death. The trick is to find a happy medium.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-18225665862353262072007-01-30T12:09:00.000-05:002007-01-30T12:09:00.000-05:00I think you can spend you can spend your entire li...I think you can spend you can spend your entire life protecting yourself and what happens? Then you haven't had any time to live it.<br /><br />I'm all for taking reasonable precautions: locking doors, not giving stranger's private information, etc. But you need to look at what you're giving up through the protection. I always lock my car. I figure thieves will tend to gravitate towards the unlocked one on the street. But, realistically, my car has never been broken into and I've subjected myself to the stress of locking myself out of my car a dozen or so times in my life.<br /><br />And if something bad happens? You go to a good therapist like me and get help recovering from it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-66001237098275974132007-01-30T10:13:00.000-05:002007-01-30T10:13:00.000-05:00Whoops, the link didn't work. The article is abou...Whoops, the link didn't work. The article is about "Wish I Could Be There: Notes from a Phobic Life" by Allen Shawn, son of the famous editor William Shawn (and brother of actor/playwright Wallace Shawn).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-85364604184940113642007-01-30T10:11:00.000-05:002007-01-30T10:11:00.000-05:00Judith--I second Joyce's comments fully. This era...Judith--I second Joyce's comments fully. This era of too much information too easily disseminated and accessed--and too little analyzed--is a perfect recipe for a growth in confusion, fear, helplessness and anguish, so much of it unnecessary and harmful. And to echo Nancy's comments about shielding the young for the life ahead of them, check out this book review in today's New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/30/books/30kaku.html)--so sad and so insightful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-62948598563545854902007-01-30T09:33:00.000-05:002007-01-30T09:33:00.000-05:00At the zoo a couple of weeks ago, I found myself s...At the zoo a couple of weeks ago, I found myself standing in front of the tiger exhibit, and a little girl asked why the daddy tiger was separated from the rest of the family. Her father immediately said the daddy tigers sometimes ate their babies. Which made every mother within earshot grab their kid and rush away, blathering some nonsense about daddy tigers not really eating babies, that man was just joking, etc, etc. But really--isn't the daddy tiger discussion important to have when a kid is young enough to grasp the concept that the world isn't necessarily a good place all the time? <br /><br />My attitude? Start young. Be honest. Kids aren't stupid unless their parents are too protective. <br /><br />Don't get me started on home schooling.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-38805216771996963842007-01-30T07:27:00.000-05:002007-01-30T07:27:00.000-05:00Judith, the best way to protect yourself is to be ...Judith, the best way to protect yourself is to be aware that these offenders are everywhere. And not just sexual offenders, either. There are junkies, thieves--you name it--living in every neighborhood. No place can be completely safe. <br /><br />Personally, I think some of these websites prey on peoples' paranoia. We get calls all the time from people browsing the Megan's Law website wanting to know why they weren't notified they had predators in their neighborhood. Some of the people listed on the site aren't child predators or their crimes aren't considered serious enough for the state police to notify the residents. People don't like to be told that.<br /><br />I think there's a real possibility for people to take things into their own hands and go too far (which will be my story for book #3). <br /><br />Sometimes I think there's too much information out there. I was much more content to live in ignorant bliss.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com