Guns anyone?

[No one]

You're a witch doctor?

[Dark Lightning]

Well one, your idea of an average person has never held a gun, however the average gun owner trains with a gun. so 1/2 your argument is gone.

While the "average" gun owner in the US might have received some training in how to handle their weapon, literally millions of gun owners in the US have not.

"One in Four Americans Receive Formal Firearm Trainings; Fewer Learn About Suicide Prevention" | University of Washington Department of Epidemiology

The United States does not have a national standard or requirement for firearm safety training prior to purchasing a gun, putting the responsibility on gun owners and those who live with them to find ways to learn firearm safety. Only about three in five U.S. firearm owners have received any formal gun training, according to a new study from the University of Washington.

Here in California, one is required to take and pass a proctored Firearms Safety Course in order to purchase a firearm. The seller is also required to demonstrate how your new gun operates (without shooting it) and you have to sign a statement affirming this training was received. Not every state does that, to my knowledge. I believe that it was legislated into law in 2014. So, anyone who purchased a firearm prior to '14 possibly received no training. They'd be pretty stupid to not get training, but it happens. I can train people how to use firearms and coach them to shoot for marksmanship. I'd certified for that.

[xSilverPhinx]

I live in Texas and don't own a gun.

how is that even possible?

Neither do I own boots, a Stetson, or a horse.  I kill my enemies the old-fashioned way; I infect them with a virus.

Is there a Texvirus we should be worried about? 

[Magdalena]

While the "average" gun owner in the US might have received some training in how to handle their weapon, literally millions of gun owners in the US have not.
...

[xSilverPhinx]

While the "average" gun owner in the US might have received some training in how to handle their weapon, literally millions of gun owners in the US have not.
...

That was the cringiest video I've seen in a while.

"I just fucking shot myself!"

[Magdalena]

While the "average" gun owner in the US might have received some training in how to handle their weapon, literally millions of gun owners in the US have not.
...

That was the cringiest video I've seen in a while.

"I just fucking shot myself!"

"Dude, my mom's gonna kill me!"

--You think!? Maybe with the same gun.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

You're a witch doctor?

Infectious Disease doc.... same thing.

Not really, I'm a lawyer

[jumbojak]

I was talking about this today. That total societal breakdown that is distinctly possible if the stars align just right. She framed the topic in terms of survival of the fittest. I don't believe that's an accurate description - we are taking about the survival of the survivors.

Today owning firearms is largely a luxury. So is owning a large bank account. Either one affords a certain amount of security in certain circumstances but it's unclear when or if those circumstances will occur. In either case it is foolish to not be flexible enough in your thinking to change your mind.

Right now having some money in the bank is worth a lot. You can deal with whatever expenses arise and hope to ride this plague out. Tomorrow could be a very different story and you might have to actually fight someone for the food in your pantry.

The truth is that none of us know how we would react, this is a scenario that none of us have seen before. I suspect that a lot of the preppers would shrink from real conflict and that lots of suburbanites would answer violence with violence if it came to that, in whatever way they could. The opposite is also true. People will be people and survivors will survive.

I do hope it doesn't come to that. 

[Tank]

I live in Texas and don't own a gun.

how is that even possible?

I have to say that the same thought crossed my mind. But I have an excuse, I don't live in the USA. All we get here is a continuous diet of mass shooting reports and media reports on how lawless the USA is.

That said my son knows better as he has spent a lot more time in the USA than I have. He has an American wife and emigrated to Orange County 10 days ago. I'll ask his opinion.

[billy rubin]

texas is special.

a friend of mine from hico up in northeast texas bought a used car. when cleaning it he discovered it came with a little .25 semi auto under the front sear

[xSilverPhinx]

I was talking about this today. That total societal breakdown that is distinctly possible if the stars align just right. She framed the topic in terms of survival of the fittest. I don't believe that's an accurate description - we are taking about the survival of the survivors.

Today owning firearms is largely a luxury. So is owning a large bank account. Either one affords a certain amount of security in certain circumstances but it's unclear when or if those circumstances will occur. In either case it is foolish to not be flexible enough in your thinking to change your mind.

Right now having some money in the bank is worth a lot. You can deal with whatever expenses arise and hope to ride this plague out. Tomorrow could be a very different story and you might have to actually fight someone for the food in your pantry.

The truth is that none of us know how we would react, this is a scenario that none of us have seen before. I suspect that a lot of the preppers would shrink from real conflict and that lots of suburbanites would answer violence with violence if it came to that, in whatever way they could. The opposite is also true. People will be people and survivors will survive.

I do hope it doesn't come to that.

I think one thing most people get wrong when it comes to saying stuff like 'survival of the fittest' is they think of the fittest as being the strongest, most ruthless or antisocial or those with enough smarts to be an evil genius. I think most dystopian media push this idea as well...a nice guys finish last scenario during a major socioeconomic crisis. 

I don't think this scenario necessarily applies to human beings because we are and evolved to be a highly social species, even if there are the odd antisocial or asocial ones among us. I'm assuming most humans want to preserve order and the societal structure while obviously trying to survive at the same time.

I think it's very likely that cooperation is what made us so successful as a species and not antisocial behaviours during conflict. I also think that while this coronavirus crisis will bring out the worst in some it will also bring out the best in others, and good will prevail. For instance, I'm seeing a lot of interesting things happening in Brazil. While the president is clearly a psychopathic creature who wants to misuse power to create chaos for some purpose, most of his former allies are abandoning him and shutting down his every attempted move. Most people in society are not listening to him. While people are panic buying, supermarkets are limiting the amounts people can buy so that others can also get theirs. People are donating materials to hospitals and food to the poor.

I don't know. Could be a very naive point of view, but I don't believe this will play out like a dystopian movie. 

[Sandra Craft]

I don't know. Could be a very naive point of view, but I don't believe this will play out like a dystopian movie.

I seem to remember a book that came out a few years ago that defined survival of the fittest as being survival of the most cooperative, at least among primates.  Does anybody else remember such a book?

[xSilverPhinx]

I don't know. Could be a very naive point of view, but I don't believe this will play out like a dystopian movie.

I seem to remember a book that came out a few years ago that defined survival of the fittest as being survival of the most cooperative, at least among primates.  Does anybody else remember such a book?

The theme rings a bell, though we might be talking about different books. Do you remember the title or author's name?

[Old Seer]

Nature has it that all have a right of self defense. However, nature also gives the right of attack. We can know this because cattle have horns. Nature gave the right to use those horns as needed. Horns allow one being attacked to have the means to defend.  Horns also provide the for a means to dominate. Horns also provide a means to defend. Nature created the predator as well as the prey. Nature also created the will to dominate whether one be predator or prey. As long as there is a natural will to dominate then the prey also must have the will and means to defend. A single young cow with horns easily dominates an entire herd that is without horns.

   The first prime-moving force in an animal society is survival. The 2nd is to dominate. In a society of intellectual beings that allows contemplation of the natural processes one can choose and plan, the most dangerous being has come into existence.
What does history prove?

[Sandra Craft]

I don't know. Could be a very naive point of view, but I don't believe this will play out like a dystopian movie.

I seem to remember a book that came out a few years ago that defined survival of the fittest as being survival of the most cooperative, at least among primates.  Does anybody else remember such a book?

The theme rings a bell, though we might be talking about different books. Do you remember the title or author's name?

Sadly, no.  I think the author was a woman but I'm not all that sure.