“To me, there is a fine line between preparedness and paranoia. Just because I have mentally prepared myself for having to use violent force in defense of my life doesn’t mean I get up every morning and think about whether or not I’ll have to shoot a crackhead in the face that afternoon. That doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it; but it usually happens when I see a crackhead walking towards me on the street. I just can’t imagine what kind of life a person like that lives.” – Caleb Giddings

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29 COMMENTS

  1. how much would you have gotten for the sling shot in the great chicago trade in??

    • I make this country a shithole because I don’t want to shoot anyone? Or because I’ve taken responsibility for my own life and safety but choose to not go around saying dumb shit like “I live in condition yellow” or call myself a sheepdog?

      • You’re a douche who can afford to think like a douche. Fine. Keep it to yourself, close your eyes and fantasize about your next voting experience.

        • I don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about now. But I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with the post I wrote, so by all means continue to be crazy. Or, if you’d like to explain without ranting like an idiot, that would be cool too.

        • Wow, that was the dumbest thing I’ve ever read. How much does it cost to be a douche?

        • Judging by this Caleb should probably wake up in the morning and think “Is this the day I have to fight troll douchbags on the internet?”

        • I’d just like to say that based on my 8-9 months of reading and posting here, I’m confident in saying that Libertarian is not representative of the majority around here.

        • I don’t think Caleb is a douche at all. What he said pretty much describes my outlook each and every day and if that makes me a douche too then so be it. The last thing I want to have to do is shoot somebody and although I’m ready and willing to do so if necessary but I don’t let it dominate my every waking thought.

          The entire subject of “preparedness” is heavily subjective and slamming someone for what works for them is based on opinion and therefore the very definition of subjectivity. In practice calling a fellow gunner a douche because his practices don’t meet your standards shows narrow mindedness. If you’d like to write an article along the lines of “Self Defense Preparedness Without Being A Douche” I’d be happy to read it.

  3. Yet this is the same guy who says you should be willing to spend any amount of time and money on training for low-probability events, with no consideration for cost-benefit, because anything less is compromise. And it’s very, very important never to compromise. But thinking about a low-probability event is a waste. He won’t do it, and doesn’t recommend it.

    What’s the difference? Well, if I were a cynical man, I’d say it’s because Caleb Giddings gets paid for training people, but he doesn’t get paid when they daydream. What’s that you say? I am a cynical man?

    Well… there you go then.

  4. From a “preparedness” perspective it would make sense to move away from places that crackheads frequent.

    • Dan, I’m not exactly sure how I would have done it differently, but the quote above was not representative of the post as a whole. Based on the impression I got from that quote, the article was totally not what I expected when I clicked through and read it.

      However, the fault is not entirely yours. Misplaced modifiers are a bitch. The quote as written and taken out of context reads like “a person like that” refers to the aforementioned crackhead, and makes the author sound like an insensitive douche who doesn’t care about the plight of the poor crackhead. Maybe he doesn’t, but that wasn’t the point of the post. That sentence would be much clearer and more contextual if it said, “I just can’t imagine what kind of life a person [who thinks] like that lives.”

      I’m fairly certain that Libertarian, Jason, and Iblis all posted from the out of context point of view.

      {Edit} …and this was clearly not meant to be a Reply to Iblis specifically, but to the thread as a whole. Oops.

      • No, I read the whole thing – and I agree!

        What I don’t agree with is the hypocrisy: that when it comes to mental energy, there are limits to how much you should spend to enhance your safety, but when it comes to time and money, there are none.

  5. Wow, what’s up with all the anger? I prefer this quote:

    “Carry a gun. Get training. Be prepared. Be situationally aware. Have a plan. Mentally prepare yourself. But also, and most importantly, live your life with some joy in it. If I spent time thinking about the things that could go wrong in a day, I wouldn’t have any day left to think about all the awesome stuff that happens.”

    • I read the link, it was interesting. I’ve cruised Gabe’s site a couple three times and personally find it a bit much for my taste but what I took from that article is Gabe is generally in line with what Caleb stated but delivered in a rather unvarnished way.

      What I take away from both of them is to be absolutely prepared for defense but don’t let it consume you to the point that you don’t enjoy life. I agree.

  8. Wait, there are people who wake up every day and mentally prepare themselves for the chance that they’re going to kill someone that day?

    Looks like it’s time to move out of the ghetto/seek therapy.

  9. Some people wear body armor, camo clothes, open carry and have a backup piece walking around in their house all day. And others don’t. Both types of people are perfect capable of defending themselves, but one group doesn’t have much of a life.

    If your in a situation where you need to act like you’re on patrol in Afghanistan each day you need to seek help.

  10. I enjoy Caleb’s site as well as this one, and think he’s a good guy. But I wonder how many people thought Caleb was in favor of that mindset, and either didnt read the linked article, or missed the first few lines:

    “I read the dumbest thing ever the other day on the internet:

    I get up in the morning and the first thing I think is “Could this be the day I have to fight for my life?”

    Look, I’m all for training and self-defense, and I understand that the above statement was likely a bit of hyperbole, but I can’t recall ever in my civilian life thinking “is this the day I have to fight for my life” anywhere near the start of the day.
    ”
    At least, that’s how I read his article.

  11. Crackheads wouldn’t be dangerous if the US government hadn’t first created a black market for crack.

  12. Ok I misunderstood “turn of the 20th”,but I’ve never heard of anyone calling Rothbard a leftist. He associated with leftists, but wasn’t one of them.

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