*hugs* We already talked about this, but rereading your comment, what jumped out at me was the idea of 'mini bullhorns'. Whipping one out and yelling in the face of someone, "SIR. BACK DOWN. SWAT IS ON THEIR WAY." is a priceless mental image.
I know what you mean about the knife, though. In your case, there's the additional complication of who'll be there to shout at him, but there's also the vocal paralysis. It feels still for me like it's easier to fight off someone than to verbally get them to back down, though I know that words work. I don't know why, but assembling the part of my mind that functions with language is more difficult a response to terror.
Maybe it's because language is a learned response. We have to be taught how to speak and communicate.
Violence is a purely natural, instinctive response. There's no need to tap into what we were taught. Our body takes over and moves for us, moves us away.
Violence is easy compared to summoning up the strength and presence of mind to say 'no'.
no subject
I know what you mean about the knife, though. In your case, there's the additional complication of who'll be there to shout at him, but there's also the vocal paralysis. It feels still for me like it's easier to fight off someone than to verbally get them to back down, though I know that words work. I don't know why, but assembling the part of my mind that functions with language is more difficult a response to terror.
Maybe it's because language is a learned response. We have to be taught how to speak and communicate.
Violence is a purely natural, instinctive response. There's no need to tap into what we were taught. Our body takes over and moves for us, moves us away.
Violence is easy compared to summoning up the strength and presence of mind to say 'no'.