"What people call “street sense” is really the philosophy of criminal enterprise in general. It’s really very basic. Fingers summed it one time like this: “The world is simple. Simple causes and simple consequences.”
It took a long time for that to soak in. But he’s right. When a place gets robbed, it’s an employee with the most knowledge of the place. When someone gets shot, it’s a payback. When you get a bad vibe, something will go down. Good criminals treat instincts like perfect certainties. Intellectualization tends to paralyze, and makes people scared or hesitant – both of which can get them killed or jailed. "
It’d been awhile since I went there, so it came as a let down to see gangstories has ceased updating. Still, its a good page if you’ve an eye for streetlife…take a look before its gone.
Good assertion. I feel that its true the more that you know the more you learn to fear. Also you learn to respect… And think before you act. (hopefully)
Thanks for the link.
“Size ain’t ****” was a cliche in my old neighborhood. The idea was that physical size doesn’t determine toughness. Ability to shut off fear does. And the best ones at this were always the little guys.
This is counterintuitive. And it’s the opposite of “tough-guy” movies where meatheads like Vin Diesel beat up an entire bar, one idiot at a time. This is exactly backwards. In my neighborhood, small guys were the ones to watch out for. They’re the ones forced to scrap to survive. And after a while, they get good at it.
When most people talk about someone “being able to fight,” they usually mean technique, like boxing or kung-fu. But in actual fist fights, that stuff is mostly beside the point. Fighting is maybe 10% technique. Another 10% is maybe strategy – getting in the first punch or bringing a roll of quarters for your fist. But the other 80% is heart. What matters is not having anything to lose, not caring about the black eyes tomorrow or the blood on your new shirt or the next day in a dentist’s chair getting your teeth fixed. We used to call it “craziness.” Fighting is not size, or technique. It’s craziness
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All the biggest guys I knew were useless in fights. The problem is they’re never challenged, and never learn anything but intimidation. It’s funny to watch those rare times when big guys get confronted, and have somebody call their bluff. They always try to settle things down, try to avoid going to blows, do a little pushing and shoving. But you can see it in the eyes, how they’re scared to death.
comments? Read the rest of it- its quite good- about halfway down
its this part: "Funny how you never see a small guy try to calm things down. He knows he can’t do it. Being the perennial underdog, he either fights or gets disrespected and beat. " that gets me..
..see, we’re always told in CMAs to stay calm and not fight, to back down- but heres another truth…
Made me laugh…