• In the post-pandemic world, the animalistic nature of people has been unleashed
Image: PEXELS
We woke up to a break-in this morning. Luckily, the thieves broke into a storage unit/shop that was built in a corner of our compound. What did the thieves make away with, you may ask? A door.
Yes, you read that right. They had time to break the metal door out of its wall. The door that faces a neighbourhood road, the door that is a step away from two neighbours' doors, was completely taken off its hinges, yet nobody 'heard' anything.
I don't blame the neighbours. However, it does say something about the society we live in. People will watch with relief as you get robbed. As long as it's not them, then it is okay with them.
I honestly do not have any empathy for thugs and robbers. These are people who have no shred of humanity left in them. The way they attack poor civilians or hack business people to pieces without any remorse is not something a human being would do. I personally believe that their punishments should be greater if not befitting the crime.
Let the human rights people and NGOs take a backseat in this discussion since this is not a discussion on human rights. This is about protecting the rights and lives of law-abiding citizens.
We deserve to sleep soundly in our homes without fearing insecurity. We deserve to walk in streets free of crime. We deserve to enjoy the fruits of our labour without a thief reaping what he did not sow. If a citizen's rights are not valued by criminals, then the criminal is not entitled to his rights either.
Only when one helplessly comes face to face with the dead-like evil eyes of a thug, only then will they understand why thieves deserve no remorse. When a thief has you cornered, their only agenda is to accomplish their goal of robbing you. They will harm you in the process, if they so wish. This is why many of us have been taught never to fight back during robberies.
I feel like in the post-pandemic world, the animalistic nature of people has been unleashed. Humans are more vile, less patient, more hateful, less accepting and more likely to harm others to get what they want. There's a bigger unpredictability when dealing with fellow humans than there would be if we ever encountered wild animals.
How many people have been killed in road rages? How many people have been shot because others could not control their emotions? How many victims have been stabbed over materialistic items? How many children are yanked from their mother's arms by kidnappers?
The world has become such a dangerous place that we are forced to be on alert always. We are told to be aware of our surroundings and never take our safety for granted. We walk with our guards up and the fight or flight mode is always activated.
This is not a way to live. It's barely a way to exist in this uncertain world. However, we must do what we can to protect ourselves and the ones we love. My husband and I have had the discussion that if ever we own our own home, then one of us must be a licensed gun carrier. We do not gamble with the safety of our children and the property we toiled to accumulate. Anyone who would challenge that safety will find themselves staring down the barrel of a gun.