The real reason this world is such a crappy place.

[November Rain]

meh, I have a feeling sometimes about people tha help others..

are they genuinely doing it to help or are they just looking for a way to make themselves feel better by being able to say they did help.

I've helped people before and i'm sure plenty of hypers have but i wouldnt make a thread about it.

nor would i throw a blanket case out when there are so many factors that come into play.

there are cases when i would and there are cases where i wouldn't do anything even when it comes to friends and relatives.

Just because i have helped someone though doesn't give me the right to condemn others that have decided not to, especially other strangers with their own concerns and worries.

 

[heypapajinx]

this poll is interesting, because it's anonymous and still it is staggeringly in the good samaritans favor.
this EXACT same question was asked in my sociology class and that majority of people said that they wouldn't help.
or that they would only help if there were other people around that were helping too.
OR if they felt that there was something to gain through their good deed (like some sort of reward or fame).

if so many people in my class were not afraid to be honest and say that, does that mean that the people on these boards are better people or just liars?

 

[kainedamo]

We read comic books and watch movies about superheroes. We learn from their example.

I myself, to answer your question - the reason why I would intervene is because I know what it's like for people to stand around and do nothing while I get my ass kicked. I can put myself in the position of the victim. I think society should have more of a "watch my neighbours back" attitude. We should look out for each other. I think it's incredibly selfish NOT to help out, especially if the perpetrators aren't even that old.

It makes me incredibly angry when I read news stories about horrible things that happened in public places that could have been prevented if the people just standing around watching did something. They're worthless human beings. Probably worse than the perpetrators themselves.

 

[kainedamo]

A situation that would have got really ugly if it wasn't for the intervention of a good person -

I was in StarBucks once (I know, horrible horrible place.) These girls were sitting talking amongst themselves. A man came in (we were at the top floor) and came to the top floor. He went over to the girls, I assumed he knew them. I think he was possibly drunk. And he just started smacking one of the girls. I mean full force punches. I had already gotten up, but fortunately another man closer to the situation had gotten up and got between the crazy man and the girl. He didn't know the girls - he put himself at risk for complete strangers. He said to the man very calmly "I think you should calm down and just leave", and he just lead the man out of the store. I don't know if I would have handled that as well.

See, you don't have to fight to resolve a bad situation. If a bunch of kids are throwing bricks at a house, it can be enough to yell at them to clear off.

 

[Kyalesyin]

I've had things broken before now stepping in to stop a fight. Its amazing how many people won't though. My school bus was a nightmare for it, people would just sit by while someone else got beat on, or got their heair set alight. I can't count the number of times I put out fires and braced broken fingers for someone while everyone else just stared. Thing is, half the time when you get involved with something like this, you're the one getting arrested or attacked.

Happens with other stuff too though. I was on my way home from work once and a guy passed out in the street, turns out he was alergic to bee stings and had got stung, and nobody helped him. I ended up trying to wake him up, give him his adrenaline shot and talk to the ambulance operator at the same time, and people just walked past. Same happened when a pair of grown lads [easily about 19, the pair of them] threw a kid in a stream near a campsite I was in and walked a way. Loads of people saw it, but I was the only one that went in to help, and I can't even swim. Was only after I'd jumped in that someone else thought they should do something.

I think once one person joins in and does something, other people will too, but everyone waits for someone else to go first. Everyone looks for a leader.

 

[heypapajinx]

so i guess more people than not suffer from the Kitty Genovese syndrome

 

[redmarvel]

I would try to help. Dialing 9 1 1 would probably be my first step!!!

 

[Colossal Spoons]

so i guess more people than not suffer from the Kitty Genovese syndrome

That's called the bystander effect and it's a terrible thing.

I would try to help. Dialing 9 1 1 would probably be my first step!!!

I believe more immediate action was required. You know how police are, the kid could have been dead by the time they got to the scene.

 

[Hyper Venom]

What I find really sad about this story is, as far as I could gather from reading it, the kid was USED to getting beaten up by these guys everyday.

 

[NyteWing]

I referee soccer for adults, and you'd be surprised how often fights break out (maybe every third game or so). It's crazy since I'm usually much smaller than the guys fighting, but you just throw yourself in there to break it up. Not that they appreciate it, they sometimes decide to go after you for interfering.

And if anyone thinks "well, that's your job to break it up," no, no it ain't. Most people just watch the idiots go at each other.

 

[NyteWing]

so i guess more people than not suffer from the Kitty Genovese syndrome

BTW, great Boondock Saints reference

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

I asked him why the **** he was doing it in as scary a voice as I could muster and the kid turned and ran while screaming "cause he's fat".

Hahaha, that should be in a movie.

 

[Master Chief]

Starring me/lol

That's called the bystander effect and it's a terrible thing.

It happened to me once when a guy's car broke down in front of a bus stop. Only one guy stepped up and helped push the car off to the side. I still feel like an a**hole about it. And I found out that I'm truly not the kind of person who takes action. But that changed me so. Awesome.

 

[Hyper Venom]

I referee soccer for adults, and you'd be surprised how often fights break out (maybe every third game or so). It's crazy since I'm usually much smaller than the guys fighting, but you just throw yourself in there to break it up. Not that they appreciate it, they sometimes decide to go after you for interfering.

And if anyone thinks "well, that's your job to break it up," no, no it ain't. Most people just watch the idiots go at each other.

You think you got it bad? I do security at Lincoln Financial Field for the Philadelphia Eagles. Picture 68,000 drunken fans almost every Sunday afternoon, with a majority of the games being lost by the home team. Not to mention the fact that they don't take too kindly to out of towners who wear the opposing team's jersey. I can assure you that situation is rougher than any soccer fight.

 

[The Last Meatbag]

When Im older, definately, I don't think Ill be running into fights with guys older than me...I feel really bad for saying that, but if I see that kinda **** going down when I'm 18, I'm stopping.

And that's awesome that you did that Hippy

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

Well, wanting to stop fights is ONE thing. Looking for fights to stop is a total other thing.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

Hahahaha, "'Cause he's fat!:run:"

 

[jaguarr]

You think you got it bad? I do security at Lincoln Financial Field for the Philadelphia Eagles. Picture 68,000 drunken fans almost every Sunday afternoon, with a majority of the games being lost by the home team. Not to mention the fact that they don't take too kindly to out of towners who wear the opposing team's jersey. I can assure you that situation is rougher than any soccer fight.

I don't know about that. Some of those riots at soccer stadiums in Europe have gotten pretty brutal in the past, resulting in people being trampled to death are damn near pressed completely through the chain-link fence to the point that they died as a result. I haven't heard of anything like that happening at an Eagles game.

jag

 

[Iceman]

So I was driving home from work today and since I go through various villages on my way home I was only doing about 20mph. I noticed a couple of kids that I thought were trying to knock some railings over, but I realised when I got a bit closer that these three lads were kicking someone who was curled up into a ball against the railings. I pulled my car up onto the curb, ran over and grabbed one of them by the back of his jacket and chucked him onto the ground behind me. The other two ran off before I could get to them so I turned round to have a word with the one I'd grabbed. I asked him why the **** he was doing it in as scary a voice as I could muster and the kid turned and ran while screaming "cause he's fat".

After the three were gone I went over to make sure the kid was alright and I swear he couldn't have been older than 13 whereas his attackers were all clearly 16-17.I asked if he was ok and he said he'd be alright but he was covered in bruises and had a bloody nose. He told me that this happens to him every day!

Now at this point these kind of rants would normally start having a go at the kids or the parents but that wasn't what bothered me about this, yes the kids were bastards and their parents should give them a good hiding but, 4 cars went past before me and probably many more since this was a busy road and it had clearly been going on for 5-10 minutes. The kid seemed genuinely SHOCKED that I'd stopped. Like I was doing him some big favour!

The real problem is not the scallies or their parents, it's the fact that out of at least five people I was the ONLY one who stopped to do something about it. It's not like these kids had dragged him into a dark alley and set on him, they were doing it in plain sight and not one person thought to stop and break it up. The problem with this world can be encapsulated in one sentence.

"NOT MY PROBLEM"

So I ask you this, and be honest since I've made it a private poll so that you won't look like a coward if you say no, would you try to stop it if you were in my position?

I give you a lot of credit for your actions. If there were more people like you the world would be a better place.

The reality is that we don't live in an ideal world and while I'll stop if I can help someone without putting myself at great risk, if there's a good chance of getting seriously injured and the victim is at least capable of putting up a fight I'd be tempted to keep clear and dial 999.

 

[jaguarr]

I would try to help. Dialing 9 1 1 would probably be my first step!!!

If you owned a gun you could break up the fight all on your own.


jag

 

[terry78]

A lot of people would be more apt to help out a female in danger than a male, mostly due to the innate reaction of the former needing assistance moreso.

 

[Sensi]

I would want to help. I would call 911 first. I am not sure how much I could do after that.

 

[jaguarr]

Then, very recently I was at a friend's house hanging out when I heard a woman screaming. I looked out the window and this guy was beating his girlfriend/wife right outside on the sidewalk. My friend went to call the police and I went outside to intervene. But you won't beleive this. The guy drives off in his car and the woman starts screaming at me! I just helped her out, stopped her from getting beat and she's screaming at me calling me an a**hole and what not. Point is, regardless of your intentions, people just might not want your help. This incident has made me think twice now about getting involved.

My brother and several of my friends are cops and they all swear that the most dangerous calls to respond to are domestic violence and dispute calls. A good portion of the time they wind up having to handle hostility and aggression from both of the people in the relationship, even if one was abusing the other just moments before.

jag

 

[triplefive]

I'm about 5'2'' and a bit over 100lb, so honestly, I wouldn't jump into to stop a fight. I'd probably yell and scream, and if I was in my car, honk, to see if i could scare them away or at least draw enough attention to them that they'd stop what they were doing.

But good for you, hippy. Someone's got to stick up for the little guy.

 

[Kyalesyin]

I'm about 5'2'' and a bit over 100lb, so honestly, I wouldn't jump into to stop a fight. I'd probably yell and scream, and if I was in my car, honk, to see if i could scare them away or at least draw enough attention to them that they'd stop what they were doing.

But good for you, hippy. Someone's got to stick up for the little guy.

I'm an inch taller than you, and a whole lot skinnier, but I rarely get hit. Its all about presentation- you act like you have god-given authority over them and a lot of people back down.