Concerns About Violence

There are perceptions of risk and realities of risks.

First, there are demographic characteristics of the above. When I was studying social psychology, we read of research into self-perceptions of risks and realities of risks.

The demographic that was least concerned about being a victim of violence was males, aged 16-25. The demographic that was most concerned about being a victim of violence was males, aged over-65.

The demographic that was most likely to be a victim of violence was males, aged 16-25 and the demographic least likely was males aged over 65.

I have seen that perception dynamic repeatedly as family members and friends have aged.

I suggest there are a lot more males over 65 on this board than other demographics, skewing the perception of risk.

Being in the male, over-65 demographic I try to temper my perceptions with reality.

Second, there are those things that have the potential for significant impact on a community largely and those things that have the potential for significant impact on subsets of a community. I am glad I am not a young person trying to start my life in a Mexican state that has a multi-generational history of violence by government toward people and a history of muted government action when there is other violence toward people. Having said that, we have not seen the repression of the 1960s and 1970s for some time. Aguas Blancas lives on in the memories of some people in Guerrero, but it was almost 30 years ago.

Most non-war violence in most communities worldwide is between relatives or friends/known-acquaintances. Stay away from relatives who are disposed to violence and do not befriend people who are.

Yes, there are frightening killings in Guerrero and elsewhere in Mexico. Those killings are largely internecine warfare involving members of organized crime. The collateral deaths of those who are not involved in organized crime are terrible tragedies. They can devastate the lives of surviving family members. But we are well-advised to recognize those as the notable aberrations, not the norm.

I have a relative who is a retired RCMP officer who worked in major crimes. When his children were in their early 20s they were “shoestring-budget world travellers”. I asked him about his worries as they travelled. This hardened murder investigator said he was more worried about traffic that murder.

“People like you and me and my kids are unlikely to be murdered. We are more likely to die in an accident.”