Theat Management - Some Sheep Deserve To Be Eaten
The title came from Gabriel Suarez, a noted firearms instructor, though I would like to claim it as something I came up with. I will often write about wolves and sheep. These two animals are a part of an essay by David Grossman, the author of the book "On Killing." Grossman says there are wolves, sheep and sheepdogs in society. Suarez said that if one is going to be a sheepdog and protect the sheep, then realize that there is a very real possibility that the sheep you saved will vilify you as something evil. I think Suarez is absolutely right, which is why I dropped any notion of sheepdogs from my own view of the world. I can be a mean wolf and destroy any evil wolves who attack me, but it is my choice as a wolf whether I am going to protect any flock of sheep. Some of them do deserve to get eaten. Rather than being responsible for themselves, they bleat for someone to help them when they are faced with a threat. Why should you get involved? Remember, you get to choose your moral code, so you decide whether someone else's threat is now yours.
Sheep have no experience with violent, unforgiving encounters. They will be shocked when you destroy the threat. In their universe, there are no threats and everyone is peaceful and happy. Now, they are amazed that they could be threatened (the "how is this happening?" reaction) and then you, the mean ugly wolf, jump in and show the sheep that you are even more dangerous than the initial threat (because you made it go away - sometimes permanently) . Believe me, the sheep are just not going to thank you with a big kiss. Once you decide you will be a wolf and as you continue to gain the skills that will make you a dangerous wolf, it's very important to give this topic some consideration.
Maybe you've decided you must be a sheepdog - well, some of the things I write about, you will find quite unpleasant. How can I think the way I do? How can I ignore one who appears to need help and have any kind of conscience? Both good questions. My answer is that I just can. I am not about to wade into a situation just because I am supposed to have a moral obligation from some other source to do so. I may get right in and take care of the problem, but that's my decision to make at the time. One can always ask God for guidance in the half a second you have to make that decision, but since God is in South Dakota in the Black Hills having a beer, it might take a bit longer than you have right now to get an answer. And, He expects you to come up with the answer on your own.
I do know that I do not want to have any traits of the protective sheepdog - I want to have the instincts of a ruthless wolf. If I'm threatened, or in the rare case that a sheep is threatened and I decide to involve myself, I intend to win the fight. Sheepdogs want to honorably protect, I want to win. Wolves win - good ones and bad ones. I hope I'm one of the good ones. You choose which animal you want to be.
Sheep have no experience with violent, unforgiving encounters. They will be shocked when you destroy the threat. In their universe, there are no threats and everyone is peaceful and happy. Now, they are amazed that they could be threatened (the "how is this happening?" reaction) and then you, the mean ugly wolf, jump in and show the sheep that you are even more dangerous than the initial threat (because you made it go away - sometimes permanently) . Believe me, the sheep are just not going to thank you with a big kiss. Once you decide you will be a wolf and as you continue to gain the skills that will make you a dangerous wolf, it's very important to give this topic some consideration.
Maybe you've decided you must be a sheepdog - well, some of the things I write about, you will find quite unpleasant. How can I think the way I do? How can I ignore one who appears to need help and have any kind of conscience? Both good questions. My answer is that I just can. I am not about to wade into a situation just because I am supposed to have a moral obligation from some other source to do so. I may get right in and take care of the problem, but that's my decision to make at the time. One can always ask God for guidance in the half a second you have to make that decision, but since God is in South Dakota in the Black Hills having a beer, it might take a bit longer than you have right now to get an answer. And, He expects you to come up with the answer on your own.
I do know that I do not want to have any traits of the protective sheepdog - I want to have the instincts of a ruthless wolf. If I'm threatened, or in the rare case that a sheep is threatened and I decide to involve myself, I intend to win the fight. Sheepdogs want to honorably protect, I want to win. Wolves win - good ones and bad ones. I hope I'm one of the good ones. You choose which animal you want to be.
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