» I witnessed a crime

" *Shakes head in sadness at the human condition* "
[Sorry, this isn't funny, but it IS very relevant]

Look up the 'Kitty Geneovese Syndrome' on that Wikipedia.

Basically, it seems very natural to Homo Sapiens that, when people are among large numbers of strangers, they *won't* make the first move.

They won't be the first to leave the room if there's a fire alarm.
They won't go to help a stranger being attacked (or broken down or ill).
They won't call the police when a young woman is being stabbed.

People have a STRONG 'herd mentality' / propensity not to change what they are doing without leadership.

In the King's Cross tube disaster, this 'isolation' effect led to people ignoring the Staff, pushing past, getting onto a smouldering escalator and riding up into the inferno in the ticket hall. Where they died a horrible death.

If you're reading this, please go through life prepared to react to fire alarms _before_ others do.
Be ready to see if people need help, even if you risk looking foolish.

React as a rational being, not by following primitive urges.

Yes, there are risks to being involved, but the alternative is what happened to Kitty Genovese.

Hoddy
(Thu 14th Feb 2008, 13:02, More)