GIRLS CHASE MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION
• Unlimited access to GirlsChase.com
Street
smarts are something that are invaluable to know, but that you won't
know if you haven't grown up in areas that expose you to dangerous or
dicey situations. You won't learn street smarts in the halls of a
private high school or the sidewalks of an affluent middle class
suburb. Instead, you learn them in the run-down, poor, impoverished
areas where people keep an eye out for anyone who doesn't belong, just
like you do in your
neighborhood - only, instead of steering clear of people who don't fit
the norm, like you may well, they come over to take a sniff or maybe a
little bite.
Each of us has a different level of "protect" and "get" interests in other people. For example, if you see a big, scary-looking man, you probably feel nothing but "protect" instincts - there's nothing you can get from him, but he is a real threat to you... so you protect yourself, and stay away. If you're a single guy walking down the street and you see a beautiful woman, your "get" instincts kick in hard - you probably go want to meet her. Likely, you have some "protect" filter still up - if she looks completely cold or uninterested, you won't approach, because you probably won't get much from her, and you might not be able to protect yourself from rejection and losing face socially.
In less safe places, the people you meet have lower "protect" mechanisms toward you (you're less of a threat than the people they usually encounter) and higher "get" mechanisms (you're an easier mark than the people they usually see)... which means you're a lot more likely to get approached by someone you don't want to meet, for something you don't want to have happen.
Street smarts are really about raising people's "protect" shields and lowering their "get" meters around you, the same as that cold, aloof beauty walking down the street does with men who might otherwise be inclined to approach her - if only she seemed a bit more inviting.
Comments
When a stranger threatens you or your children
Hi Chase,
This was a good article - I particularly am interested in this type of information. I want to ask you a question about how you would advise approaching a really rediculous but true event. I've been reading this website off and on for a few years and can't find the old article you wrote that comes to mind on this matter.
Had my 2 kids in a grocery store a few weeks ago and we were minding our own business just as all the other shoppers. Suddenly a middle aged white man walking past me in the opposite direction said as he passes to my side, "how many times am I going to have to watch out for your kids!? Be a dad!" And he made one other comment along the lines of "..he's looking at his cellphone..." as he walked off. My kids being 5 and 2 didn't even understand yet what was happening, but he was so passive aggressive I really was in shock. I initially said, "I'm sorry" between his comments, expecting that one of my kids might have actually done something wrong to him I didn't see. As he walked away I watched him, and as he continued to walk away and ramble for a few seconds, he never turned around to follow up on his angry front, or engage me in any manner. Later leaving the store he checked out on the register behind me with his apparent wife/gf who I didn't see earlier. I let it go for the moment but I felt angry enough at the time to do something I would regret later- because it involved my family members directly which of course triggers a protective attitude. He was just upset because my kids were apparently running/walking in his way which is pretty normal in most parts of the world(as you no doubt see since you are now in China) but against or social rules in the US.
Common sense
I have a question. I wish for you to teach common sense in regards to life. How do you wish to teach is up to you but I wish for you teach so teach. Not for me but for humanity as I am sufficient
"In something like every
"In something like every presidential election over the past 100 years, the candidate with the deepest voice has won the election."
Al Gore had a deeper voice than Bush and lost. Though he did win the popular vote.
Need Part 2 for this
This is brilliant work. I hope we are going to get a Street Smarts Part 2 article in the near future! ;)
Leave a Comment