Sunday 28 September 2014

Risk Taking

I have a shout-out to an old high-school chum for inspiring today's post.

I've heard much talk about risk lately.  People want to only take actions which hold no risk.  Perhaps that's why there has been a relatively low turnout at many political demonstrations.  Humans are wired to respond only to immediate threats, not to what "might" happen.

I have never met a sailor who managed to sail across the ocean who was afraid to leave port.  The port is certainly the safest place for the boat to be.  I've also never met a mountaineer who managed to climb a mountain who was afraid to leave the bar.  It's nice and warm in the bar: no avalanches, no crevasses, and plenty of beer!

In anything you do in life there is some risk.  If you think you can get through what's coming with no risk, think again.

The absolute biggest risk you can take is to do nothing.  If we all do nothing I can guarantee that what is coming will not be good.  People will have to move, businesses will close, cities will shut down, and people will lose rights that are already being infringed upon.  In the worst case, there might even be armed conflict in unexpected places.  There is so much fear, hatred, and ignorance right now it's hard to imagine that it wouldn't break out.

There is already violence happening.  A halal meat store in the city of Sherbrooke had five bullets put through their window.  In Montreal an "Ethnic" taxi driver was shot in the head.  Robbery was not the reason and the shooter did not know the driver.  There are daily reports from women who wear head scarves of their ill treatment on the streets and in their workplaces.  Let's not forget about everything else that's happening in the Middle East and around the world.

The greatest risk people can take right now is to do nothing.  Nobody can expect the government to stand up for you if you won't even stand up for yourselves.

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