4 ms·

I had the same reaction when I realized I could just buy a fucking flamethrower. Like, on the one hand, awesome! I can own a flamethrower. But on the other han

I had the same reaction when I realized I could just buy a fucking flamethrower. Like, on the one hand, awesome! I can own a flamethrower. But on the other hand, society just trusts me to have a flamethrower?

benjohnson 7y ago
It's a good thing to live in a high-trust environment. You don't need to spend as much time making fences.
salawat 7y ago
It's called a high-trust society. It is the gift granted to you by your forebearers. Use it wisely, and preserve it for those after you please.
- beenBoutIT 7y ago
  This type of society worked back in the pre-Regan days because we had institutions and unreasonably violent/crazy people would get carted off before they could get around to hurting others.
  - tashi 7y ago
    I don't think that's true. People who are mentally ill commit violent crimes at about the same rates as their neighbors. Also, crime rates are lower now than when Reagan took office. My theory is that what really changed our levels of trust was the invention of 24-hour news. People didn't used to have someone in their ear all day reminding them to be afraid. But tons of other things have changed too, so I may be off base.
  - darkpuma 7y ago
    It continues to work with respect to flamethrowers. Where is all the flamethrower crime? I've not heard of any.
  - masonic 7y ago
    Involuntary committal without due process was banned by the Supreme Court; that's why many were turned loose. Funding for CA mental health services was higher as Reagan left office than when he took office.
aaron695 7y ago
> I had the same reaction when I realized I could just buy a fucking flamethrower. Flamethrowers suck at killing people unlike guns. Not sure they are still used in war? Is your flamethrower a real one? Does it contain an agent that makes it stick to things like humans? Otherwise it's not really different to a long match that looks cool.

benjohnson 7y ago

It's a good thing to live in a high-trust environment. You don't need to spend as much time making fences.

salawat 7y ago

It's called a high-trust society. It is the gift granted to you by your forebearers. Use it wisely, and preserve it for those after you please.

beenBoutIT 7y ago
This type of society worked back in the pre-Regan days because we had institutions and unreasonably violent/crazy people would get carted off before they could get around to hurting others.
- tashi 7y ago
  I don't think that's true. People who are mentally ill commit violent crimes at about the same rates as their neighbors. Also, crime rates are lower now than when Reagan took office. My theory is that what really changed our levels of trust was the invention of 24-hour news. People didn't used to have someone in their ear all day reminding them to be afraid. But tons of other things have changed too, so I may be off base.
- darkpuma 7y ago
  It continues to work with respect to flamethrowers. Where is all the flamethrower crime? I've not heard of any.
- masonic 7y ago
  Involuntary committal without due process was banned by the Supreme Court; that's why many were turned loose. Funding for CA mental health services was higher as Reagan left office than when he took office.

aaron695 7y ago

> I had the same reaction when I realized I could just buy a fucking flamethrower. Flamethrowers suck at killing people unlike guns. Not sure they are still used in war? Is your flamethrower a real one? Does it contain an agent that makes it stick to things like humans? Otherwise it's not really different to a long match that looks cool.