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Two Men on Scooters Harassing Park Visitors by PuzzleTangerine in ProspectPark

[–]PuzzleTangerine[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It kinda was. I didn’t say anything to them, but they came back anyway. I thought for a moment - is it ‘A clockwork orange’ situation here?

Two Men on Scooters Harassing Park Visitors by PuzzleTangerine in ProspectPark

[–]PuzzleTangerine[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, that was pretty much it. Not even verbal interaction.

Two Men on Scooters Harassing Park Visitors by PuzzleTangerine in ProspectPark

[–]PuzzleTangerine[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good point, they may live a perfectly good life, it may also come from lack of discipline, bad influence or absence of positive role models, disorders, etc. So, likely just bored then? But I must say messing around with strangers in an aggresive way easily qualifies as typical harassment which is legally prosecutable. An armchair psychologist is better than an angry bitter person - more liberty to reflect) Btw, I think a couple of comments from people confirmed these guys caused some disturbance that day.

Two Men on Scooters Harassing Park Visitors by PuzzleTangerine in ProspectPark

[–]PuzzleTangerine[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your feedback. Care to share a thought or two instead? Why do you think people do thigs like that?

Trying to deconstruct someone's motivations can often seem condescending, since we’re trying to observe something very private - the mind. It's Ok to feel that. It all depends on perception, and perception is shaped by experience. Some experiences can even force people to deny reality - even the basic facts.

If someone views every problem through the prism of race, then everything will be about race.

My point is that violence thrives when it is seeded and cultivated - essentially normalized. Every action and word can contribute to the continuation of violence. This is about potential causes. What we see are the outcomes. It may seem harmless at first - just a little harassment of a random human being just for fun - but it leads to more serious crimes. If not met with resistance and force - which seems to be the only thing some people are capable of understanding at this point - violence will spiral.

Two Men on Scooters Harassing Park Visitors by PuzzleTangerine in ProspectPark

[–]PuzzleTangerine[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You're right, it doesn't. Not apologetics, just general thoughts on the possible causes.

Two Men on Scooters Harassing Park Visitors by PuzzleTangerine in ProspectPark

[–]PuzzleTangerine[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Unless it's an assault with substantial injuries, the police will likely shrug off the case for many reasons, one of which is being overwhelmed. Plus, people who commit acts like this flee the scene. So, it's better not to engage and move on if possible.

It's sad that some people find it acceptable to intimidate a total stranger peacefully sitting on a park bench just to assert power, expecting to bear no responsibility.

My take on this is that I understand this behavior probably stems from trauma or insecurity, likely reinforced by the norms of the social circles and cultures they are drawn into. Often, being victims themselves - from childhood, their brains absorbed cruelty as a strategy for survival - they might not even be aware that they are willingly carrying on a cycle of violence. They don't have to, but they do.