I want to talk to you about lightening up. About breathing a little easier. About easing up on this whole the-world-is-going-to-hell-in-a-handbasket approach to life. I want to address an aspect of real-world self-protection that, in my opinion, is a little overdone in some places—an aspect to which I may have inadvertently contributed.

In my book No Second Chance: A Reality-Based Guide to Self-Defense, I hammer the need for effectiveness, for commensurate brutality, for awareness and preparedness. I discuss predator profiles that delineate real-world examples of the evil our fellow man can perpetrate on his brethren. I drive home the point of just who the enemy is.

I stand by this approach 100 percent. Horrible things do indeed happen in this world. Despicable acts of violence are perpetrated every day. We must not turn a blind eye to what can happen, but it’s essential to keep such preparation in the spirit of a “just in case” rational choice and not let it drive us to paranoia.

Rational people install smoke detectors in their homes, wear seat belts, see doctors for checkups, purchase insurance, wear safety goggles and lock their doors at night—all in the spirit of “just in case.” We do these things not because we live in fear but because we know that unpleasant things can happen, and these acts can reduce the likelihood or the impact, no matter how statistically rare those things may be.

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