In reading the news each day, I almost always come across a story about a guy who sadly experienced a very preventable death. Take this case in Ohio: a teenage kid, Ethan Liming, and his buddies decide to drive around shooting random people with a paintball gun. The people chased him down and beat him to death. Police said “that in the moments leading up to the incident, one or more occupants in the [Liming]’s vehicle were riding around the surrounding area shooting a SPLATRBALL Water Bead Blaster at objects and possibly unsuspecting people,” according to a statement cited by Fox News. As tragic as this story is, it’s an opportunity to teach guys the three important reasons you should avoid looking for trouble.
In the case of Ethan Liming, this was clearly a dumb and disrespectful thing to do. The teenager decided to go look for trouble instead of doing safer and more productive things with his time. Obviously, he did not deserve to die for his actions, as the people he crossed took their retaliation too far. None of that matters now, as four lives are ruined, and one is gone forever. That’s the moral of the story here. There is plenty of trouble in the world lying in wait for you. If you seek it, you will find it. Crossing the wrong person can cost you your life. Let’s analyze why you these situations are so potentially dangerous.
Looking For Trouble: Armed
You never know if someone is carrying a deadly weapon. Guns, knives, tasers, batons, or well trained fists can cause lethal damage. Concealed carry gun laws are expected to loosen across the country, meaning you’re only one misunderstanding or disagreement away from a bullet to the brain. Instead of escalating a situation with an armed individual, learn to diffuse situations. It takes more strength to walk away from these situations than it does to give in to your anger and impulse.
Looking For Trouble: Unhinged
Even if someone isn’t armed with a Glock, the person you tangle with might be legitimately insane. Unhinged people are unpredictable, and capable of horrible things. Someone who’s off their rocker, whether due to drugs or a severe psychological disorder, may escalate a situation significantly faster than a normal, sane person. Across America there are daily reports of random acts of violence in our city streets. These incidents include innocent people stabbed in broad daylight, unsuspecting civilians pushed onto subway tracks, and random knockout attacks. Do you really want to involve yourself with someone so off the rails that they have no respect for human life? Avoid these people at all costs.
Looking For a Fight
Your future attacker doesn’t have to be clinically insane to be motivated to land a fatal blow. They may just be really mad at the world, looking for someone to unload on. If they’re living life by different rules, feeling slighted or disrespected may be a death sentence for their ‘offender’. These people are trigger happy, looking for a fight if the opportunity arises. Sadly, it seems Ethan Liming crossed people who were ready and willing to fight for any reason. These perpetrators didn’t have to be armed to kill him; they just needed to be provoked. The best strategy is avoidance. Do not seek out inflammatory situations, and if you accidentally come across them, diffuse them immediately.
I’m not sure if it’s all of these “prank videos” that go viral, or the nature of social media itself in which people feel they can say whatever they want to others with little to no consequences, but either way we’ve created a culture where many people don’t think about the repercussions of their actions.
Keep to yourself and mind your own business. When you encounter potentially hostile situations, learn to de-escalate. Every man will encounter potential battles in their life; choose the ones you decide to take wisely. This piece focused on being the victim of violence, but also consider this: say if you win and you’re the one to land the fatal blow? Could there be legal consequences, including jailtime? Would your conscience be able to handle it? You’re better off getting to where you were planning to go than getting tangled up in unnecessary conflict.
Remember, if you go out of your way to disrespect someone, expect the unexpected. You never know when the person you cross is carrying a weapon, psychologically unhinged, or just straight up looking for someone to unload on. You’re rolling the dice with your life. The world needs strong men.
-Your Big Bro
