MENTAL COMBAT: Attitudes

To project strength or confidence at a time when you should appear vulnerable, such as when you’re outnumbered or they are armed also causes the other person or persons to wonder just what they may be missing.

“He should be afraid but he doesn’t appear to be...why not? What does he know about himself or this situation that I don’t know?”

Appearing alone and On Unfamiliar Turf

There is a distinct difference in the way that people move and behave when they are comfortable and on familiar turf and when they are alone, on unfamiliar turf and a bit apprehensive. Local thugs can easily spot a person like this from a block away. In many situations they look specifically for just such a person as this. Like vultures on the prowl they lie in wait looking for someone who clearly is out of their element.

Understand that most criminals are opportunists. They will either respond to an opportunity that presents itself or perhaps look for or set up that opportunity. Some of the places in which the local predators hang out looking or waiting for victims are these:

1.Inner city bus-stops
2.Tourist traps
3.Bars and taverns, other night spots
4.Downtown shopping areas
5.Near popular military base hang-outs
6.Gas stations
7.Liquor stores
8.Alleys
9.Dark street corners
10.Parks
11.Local hang-outs, pool halls, taverns, etc.
12.any place that attracts a lot of "fresh meat" or innocent and unsuspecting visitors who are clearly out of their element and don’t have a clue.

The criminal element likes to capitalize off of situations wherein they feel that they have superior knowledge or insight into a situation or turf. They have worked out all types of elaborate schemes, ruses and hustles. The ultimate goal of most of these schemes is to separate unsuspecting victims from their money or other personal property. In some cases the goal may be more sinister. The goal may be violent assault, rape or murder, sometimes just for the sheer thrill of it.

You should also know that many people are much more comfortable and therefore much more aggressive on their own “turf”. This usually has a lot to do with their own basic cowardice. They rely upon their familiarity and your lack thereof. This inspires greater confidence and courage in them.

Sometimes, if you act as if you in fact own the place that they feel so comfortable in, you force them to rethink the presumptions they’ve already made about you. This alone can buy you an extra second or two. Sometimes that’s all that you need to turn the situation around.