Quote of the Day JayG: Trust the intentions of an attacker?

JayG comments on a story where a man finding five young men suddenly breaking into his house opens fire defending himself. Jay wonders if it might have just been "kids" breaking into some places looking for "easy beer money".  However  he points out that's rather moot:

When those unknown people come through the door, you have no idea if they're just kids out misbehaving or a pack of feral animals who really don't care if you wind up dead. 

I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I don't want to bet my life on the morals of someone kicking in my door...

Similar lines are:

•  "Give the mugger what he wants and he'll go away."
• "Don't antagonize the attacker you'll just make things worse."
• "You money's not worth risking your life over."

All these thoughts have the central problem that they presume the aggressor  the criminal, the man willing to break the most fundamental aspects of the social compact, is someone who will honor a verbal agreement.

Folks don't be surprised when the murderer or the rapist reveals he's also a liar.

Hell, it doesn't even have to be that "high" up. Take the simple mugger.  You think someone perfectly willing to walk up to another person and threaten grievous bodily harm in order to get their stuff is a person who you can trust to adhere to negotiated terms?

You may think your life isn't worth the money in your wallet. Yet to the mugger,  it is.  But don't worry you can totally trust him to keep his word if he says he won't hurt you if you just give him the money.

Doubly so if he forces you to a different location like say an alleyway or the back room of a shop.  Nothing suspicious there!