Where is the line between paranoia and protection?

[Hokkmike]

I recently mentioned to an acquaintance at work that for the last several months I have had a "ready to go" .40 semi auto available within arm's reach of my bed. He is somewhat of a gun enthusiasts and I was trying to make conversation.

I am reminded of a TV commercial, maybe some of you remember, which depicts a scene of a machette wielding maniac running up the stairs in the middle of the night of a two story family home. The father, hearing the noise, stumbles to find his reading glasses. The predictable outcome is obvious. The family is doomed. Thinking about this ad and seeing how innocent, unprepared, and vunerable this man and his family were prompted me to re-examine my situation. If an intruder charges up my stairs he will be met with a little more than my clear vision.

Anyway, to continue, my friend where I work gave me a startled, "Don't you lock your doors?" response. He suggested that maybe I was a bit paranoid. That comment put me off a little. I try to maintain a reasonable approach to being in the correct defensive posture. While I try to be tactically "aware" I do not see "bad guys" lurking in every senario.

There are some fellow gun owners that strike me as maybe a little too fidgety and on the edge. Maybe that is because the environment that they live in is quite different from mine where most people do not lock their doors at night when they go to bed. (In the last several months I have started to lock my house and car up at night) I don't know why exactly, because the peaceful environment of my TINY borough has not changed.

Am I becoming paranoid? I don't think so. I believe that perhaps some people are. So, where is that fine line between protection and paranoia? Does it matter?

[NikeBauer21]

I work hard for my house, and for my vehicles, and for everything contained therein (including myself). So I will do what is necessary to prevent those things from being stolen or destroyed. Deciding to lock your car, and house does not make you paranoid, it makes you a little more prepared. Bad things happen in little towns all the time. All it takes is one time to potentially ruin your life...

Plus, keep in mind, locks are only the first line of prevention, the last, to use deadly force if need be. What you fill in the gap with, is up to personal preference. But IMO, there isn't really such a thing as being "too prepared" when it comes to your personal safety.

Some people choose to be victims, and some people choose to be survivors. But everyone has to decide which demographic they want to be.

Also keep in mind, most of us are not Bruce Lee, or Rambo, where we can kick the crap out of anyone that decides to enter our abode.

ETA: Although I believe putting claymores and punji-pits in your yard MAY be a bit paranoid.

[ByAnyMeans]

Really their is no one to make that determination but you. We can review the clinical definition of paranoia but I doubt it will do any good.

Understand also that your co-worker thinks you may be a bit paranoid becasue you keep a gun ready to go, others may think he is paranoid for having a gun at all, yet others may think someone with an alarm is paranoid. Really does not matter to me, just be comfortable with yourself and what you do to keep your family safe.

[LorDiego01]

Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you.

Open a newspaper. Read the news. Realize that they are out there, and mean you harm.

[CHEMICAL]

as has been said before...locks only keep out your friends and neighbors when you're not home, they won't stop an intruder...they'll just find another way in.

stay prepared and stay safe.

[Devrbd]

I'm drawing the line right about here...

[Metz]

Your gun is your very last line of defence. If you sleep on the second floor then the cheapest door alarm will give you enough head start to drag your ass out of the bed and get your gun from the drop door fingerpring wall safe in the bedroom. Together (alarm and the safe) will cost you less than used beretta 92. It's not like this will prove you are not paranoid (we all are to the certain degree), but at least it will be safer.

[IronSight]

Your gun is your very last line of defence. If you sleep on the second floor then the cheapest door alarm will give you enough head start to drag your ass out of the bed and get your gun from the drop door fingerpring wall safe in the bedroom. Together (alarm and the safe) will cost you less than used beretta 92. It's not like this will prove you are not paranoid (we all are to the certain degree), but at least it will be safer.

And it would be safer how exactly? Either way the gun's not going to just go off by itself. Increasing your needed reaction time just seems like a bad idea.

As for the question posed in the thread title: Protection is having a gun, paranoia is believing that a gun changes a regular person into a blood-thirsty maniac.

[t1m0thy]

I'm drawing the line right about here...

That is someone who has seen one too many zombie movies.

[jtsgsxr6]

That is someone who has seen one too many zombie movies.

or you haven't seen enough of them. I kid I kid


















or do I