I had typed out a few paragraphs about swords before saving it as a draft, but apparently it disappeared when I posted the truncated comment.
Anyway, the gist of it is, crazy people can’t commit as many mass murders with swords for a variety of reasons.
1.) They’re limited by range, and can’t just mow down crowds as they flee
2.) Wielding a sword requires more skill than wielding a gun. Unlike swords, guns are more dangerous the more incompetent the wielder is
3a.) People don’t really carry around swords because it would be useless in a world filled with crazy gun-toting maniacs
3b.) People would panic and freak out if they saw a person carrying a sword, but for some reason guns are normal?
3c.) In a world without guns, people who aren’t mentally unbalanced could carry swords, so the stigma would fade, and then anyone could carry a sword
3d.) In a world where everyone carries a sword, a crazy person killing people would require skill in swordsmanship. A crazy person with a gun can shoot people at random. Surprise and speed are the only things determine who wins in a gun duel. Swords however require skill, and sword duels are contests of skill, not just “whoever fires first wins.” And crazy people tend to not be able to wield swords skillfully.
4.) I want to live in a world where I can walk around with a sword on my belt without being accosted for it, dammit!
I would love to live in that world, but it’s not just guns. Anything is a weapon if you’re determined enough.
When I was in high school bomb threats were all the rage, some weren’t just bullshit. I believe around the same time Somme kid somewhere in the us took a knife to school and knifed a bunch of kids. People suck and will always find a way to maximize damage done to other people.
Yes, anything can be used as a weapon by someone who’s determined enough. And there will always be crazies.
We can either ban literally everything, on the grounds that it could be dangerous, and live in a surveillance state with predictive policing, imprisoning people who haven’t committed any crimes just because an algorithm said that they might, all to try to eliminate crime completely and bring statistics down to zero; or we can accept that there’s always some risk to living a life, we can be prepared by learning how to defend ourselves (and living in a society that permits us to defend ourselves when necessary), we can take care of each other by standing up for what’s right and not tolerating hatred and extremism, and we can provide robust social programs to get people the mental health treatment that they need and help them integrate into society rather than stigmatizing them and ostracizing them, driving them further into isolation and delusion, and occasionally locking them up extrajudicially under the guise of a “mental health hold”, without actually providing them with any effective treatments or paths forward beyond the bare minimum necessary to appear on paper as if you did your job, solely for the courts, to avoid lawsuits, and without any regard for the wellbeing of the patient.
There’s a lot we can do to make society a safer place, but unfortunately there will always be some element of risk, and trying to eliminate that completely isn’t even desirable. You either live with a risk of danger, or with guaranteed oppression (and still have a risk of danger!).
Unfortunately, when the people who deserve it are in the majority, it makes me seem like the asshole.
Like the “everybody smells like dogshit” argument, except that I did check and there’s no dogshit on my shoes. It turns out everyone else has been rolling around in it to make their dear leader feel less embarrassed about stepping in some.
It’s the Emperor’s New Clothes…
But still, they say it must be me. Couldn’t possibly be that the majority are in the wrong. Never that!
Or just keep guns out of society…
Guns aren’t the only thing people use to rob other people, though?
But unlike knives, guns have not any other use.
You know, I’m glad you mentioned that!
I had typed out a few paragraphs about swords before saving it as a draft, but apparently it disappeared when I posted the truncated comment.
Anyway, the gist of it is, crazy people can’t commit as many mass murders with swords for a variety of reasons.
1.) They’re limited by range, and can’t just mow down crowds as they flee
2.) Wielding a sword requires more skill than wielding a gun. Unlike swords, guns are more dangerous the more incompetent the wielder is
3a.) People don’t really carry around swords because it would be useless in a world filled with crazy gun-toting maniacs
3b.) People would panic and freak out if they saw a person carrying a sword, but for some reason guns are normal?
3c.) In a world without guns, people who aren’t mentally unbalanced could carry swords, so the stigma would fade, and then anyone could carry a sword
3d.) In a world where everyone carries a sword, a crazy person killing people would require skill in swordsmanship. A crazy person with a gun can shoot people at random. Surprise and speed are the only things determine who wins in a gun duel. Swords however require skill, and sword duels are contests of skill, not just “whoever fires first wins.” And crazy people tend to not be able to wield swords skillfully.
4.) I want to live in a world where I can walk around with a sword on my belt without being accosted for it, dammit!
I would love to live in that world, but it’s not just guns. Anything is a weapon if you’re determined enough.
When I was in high school bomb threats were all the rage, some weren’t just bullshit. I believe around the same time Somme kid somewhere in the us took a knife to school and knifed a bunch of kids. People suck and will always find a way to maximize damage done to other people.
Yes, anything can be used as a weapon by someone who’s determined enough. And there will always be crazies.
We can either ban literally everything, on the grounds that it could be dangerous, and live in a surveillance state with predictive policing, imprisoning people who haven’t committed any crimes just because an algorithm said that they might, all to try to eliminate crime completely and bring statistics down to zero; or we can accept that there’s always some risk to living a life, we can be prepared by learning how to defend ourselves (and living in a society that permits us to defend ourselves when necessary), we can take care of each other by standing up for what’s right and not tolerating hatred and extremism, and we can provide robust social programs to get people the mental health treatment that they need and help them integrate into society rather than stigmatizing them and ostracizing them, driving them further into isolation and delusion, and occasionally locking them up extrajudicially under the guise of a “mental health hold”, without actually providing them with any effective treatments or paths forward beyond the bare minimum necessary to appear on paper as if you did your job, solely for the courts, to avoid lawsuits, and without any regard for the wellbeing of the patient.
There’s a lot we can do to make society a safer place, but unfortunately there will always be some element of risk, and trying to eliminate that completely isn’t even desirable. You either live with a risk of danger, or with guaranteed oppression (and still have a risk of danger!).
I agree. Mental health isn’t taken seriously enough. People are still looked down on for seeking help so they don’t go.
You are a very pleasant human to have a discussion with.
I for one believe that walking around with a sword on my hip would be great for my mental health.
Like. “Yeah, that’s a sword. No, I don’t intend to use it. Do you intend to give me a reason to? 🤨”
Most people seem to disagree, but then again I find them unpleasant, so it could be selection bias
Most people suck.
My partner describes himself as an asshole, but isn’t to everyone. Just people that honestly deserve it.
Unfortunately, when the people who deserve it are in the majority, it makes me seem like the asshole.
Like the “everybody smells like dogshit” argument, except that I did check and there’s no dogshit on my shoes. It turns out everyone else has been rolling around in it to make their dear leader feel less embarrassed about stepping in some.
It’s the Emperor’s New Clothes…
But still, they say it must be me. Couldn’t possibly be that the majority are in the wrong. Never that!