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>“That’s a huge adrenaline rush,” he says. “I think that’s a major factor in why people are in this field.” This should be a huge red flag that should preclude
by slg 4y ago
>“That’s a huge adrenaline rush,” he says. “I think that’s a major factor in why people are in this field.”
This should be a huge red flag that should preclude someone from working in the industry.
As Dan says later in the article:
>“They’re more concerned with punishing and catching, and they see asset protection as a game,” adds Dan, who requested that Input give him an alias. “I don’t think it’s healthy to have those people in the industry. So, when I see that, I try to challenge that. The goal is to protect the business — not to ruin people’s lives.”
People who go into law enforcement or security should not be doing it because they get a kick out of catching and punishing people. Because if all they care about it that kick, they are more likely to abuse their power to get that kick regardless of whether the people on the other end deserve to be caught or punished.
- unreal37 4y agoIt might be a red flag. But that can't be some roadblock to entering the industry. People get into careers for all sorts of reasons. A paycheck. The thrill of succeeding at their job. The thrill of being the best in the business. You can't just exclude those people from that career and focus on people "the goals of the business". Personal goals are better drivers to excellence than business goals.
- slg 4y agoThe problem is when their personal goals conflict with both the business's and society's goals. Think of it like a manager who announces "I love bossing people around, that is why I'm in the industry." Sure, that is part of the job, a person in that role shouldn't have an issue with it, but someone who says that is the reason they are doing the job is directly telling you they are unfit for the job.
- pseudo0 4y agoThe business's goal is to minimize theft of their products. Society's goal is to prevent theft. It seems like those goals are in alignment with someone in loss prevention who enjoys the thrill of successfully catching shoplifters. I don't see this as any different from people who work red team in infosec and get a thrill from getting root on a box, or those who are blue team and the highlight of their week is catching an intrusion attempt. Some people just thrive in that sort of competitive environment.
- slg 4y ago>The business's goal is to minimize theft of their products. Society's goal is to prevent theft. It seems like those goals are in alignment with someone in loss prevention who enjoys the thrill of successfully catching shoplifters. "Minimizing theft" is not the same thing as "catching shoplifters". An ideal security job from the perspective of the business/society is boring. An ideal security job from the perspective of an adrenaline seeker is exciting. This conflicting incentives can lead to that security person creating excitement in situations where none should exist.
- autoexec 4y agoYeah, I'm certain there are folks who get off on the power trip and just love seeing people punished. Those are the kinds of people you want to keep an eye on or keep out of those positions. I don't have a problem with seeing it as a game and enjoying that part of the job though. Security work is just like that in general. You'll always have someone constantly probing your defenses and modifying their tactics and if you got rid of everyone who thought it was fun to deal with that you wouldn't have anyone left willing to do the job. I also think loss prevention in general has a potential to be really depressing. Sometimes you're just dealing with kids and thrill seekers, but other times you're having to deal with people who are genuinely desperate with limited ability to get the things they need for health and survival. There must be, at least to some degree, a tendency to dehumanize the people who are caught to protect the mental health and self-concept of the people working in that field. Nobody wants to be the bad guy and when you've repeatedly had people arrested for trying to get food or medication for themselves or their children it must make you question if you're doing the right thing. Defending stores from theft isn't wrong or immoral, but after repeatedly protecting Walmart, which has hundreds of billions of dollars, against impoverished and humiliated mothers who hate themselves and what they're doing, but are just trying to get diapers for their babies has to make you question that. It must make it harder to keep compassionate people around.
- josephcsible 4y agoYou shouldn't have a job because you enjoy doing exactly what the job needs you to do, and so may start overdoing it?
- feet 4y agoOverdoing it means you're doing your job badly, so yea that's exactly it
- josephcsible 4y agoI agree that overdoing it is bad. I disagree that people shouldn't have jobs they enjoy just because you think that might make them overdo it.
- feet 4y agoWhat's that saying about politicians and those who want power? Give power to the ones who don't want it because they'll be the best arbiter. They won't chase power for the sake of power Maybe we should do the same thing for cops/security. Those who are likely to commit abuses should never be given the chance
- foogazi 4y ago> regardless of whether the people on the other end deserve to be caught or punished Confused by the choice of words, those seem to be two different things If you act there are real world consequences for your actions Run a red light and the camera will catch you - it should not punish you - but it records the event
- slg 4y agoPeople can be innocent. A security person isn't an impartial judge of guilt.