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Bruce Schneier has written an article about Living in a Code Yellow World:
In 1989, handgun expert Jeff Cooper invented something called the Color Code to describe what he called the "combat mind-set." Here is his summary:
In White you are unprepared and unready to take lethal action. If you are attacked in White you will probably die unless your adversary is totally inept.
In Yellow you bring yourself to the understanding that your life may be in danger and that you may have to do something about it.
In Orange you have determined upon a specific adversary and are prepared to take action which may result in his death, but you are not in a lethal mode.
In Red you are in a lethal mode and will shoot if circumstances warrant.
Cooper talked about remaining in Code Yellow over time, but he didn't write about its psychological toll. It's significant. Our brains can't be on that alert level constantly. We need downtime. We need to relax. This is why we have friends around whom we can let our guard down and homes where we can close our doors to outsiders. We only want to visit Yellowland occasionally.
Since 9/11, the US has increasingly become Yellowland, a place where we assume danger is imminent. It's damaging to us individually and as a society.
He continues:
Those of us fortunate enough to live in a Code White society are much better served acting like we do. This is something we need to learn at all levels, from our personal interactions to our national policy. Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, many of our counterterrorism policies have helped convince people they're not safe, and that they need to be in a constant state of readiness. We need our leaders to lead us out of Yellowland, not to perpetuate it.
What are my fellow Soylentil's views on Bruce Schneier's assessment?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Friday September 25 2015, @10:45AM
Now you're talking a language I can relate to. All that "code yellow", straight out of DHS propaganda nonsense. Talk of needing protection makes me contemptuous of the whole thing. And, with all the talk and propaganda, people at large aren't even aware of the things that matter.
"Down time" is at home. Off of your own property, one should always be alert. Strange how conditioning works though. They're telling poeple to be alert, but not to do anything. Phhhtt. Again, I can't relate. I was taught to "do something, right or wrong". Call the cops? People call the cops over asinine bullshit - like two kids walking a mile or so from the park to their own home. Yeah, call the cops.
I simply don't understand the world in which I've found myself. Maybe I was abducted by aliens . . .
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 25 2015, @06:51PM
"Down time" is at home. Off of your own property, one should always be alert.
Yeah, right, especially if you rent. Or are homeless. Or are one of those "citizen of the world" types who think we should not have a property qualification to vote! Ha! al Harb much, do we?