Ever since a certain event, I’ve found myself a lot more conscious of the possible dangers around me. I never even thought about the possibility of some things happening - to me, of all people - before. Coming face-to-face with one of them changed that, a lot.

Perhaps my reaction is too extreme. I try to keep it at least just below that level, but the level is also one of my own making and can shift up a little when necessary.

Anyway - weapons. A few weeks ago, I would’ve never carried them with me outside, out of principle. I didn’t want to own tools whose sole purpose is to harm others with brute force. I thought using words and diplomacy was always a better option than resorting to violence.

The second part of that, I still wholeheartedly believe in. However, there is an important piece missing. Situations where using violence - or at least the threat of it - for defense against immediate danger do exist, as much as I dislike that. Violence is not an answer only when there is a question being asked.

Still, it’s very important that the amount of force used is as low as possible. The threat of injury can be enough to deter an attacker, and should be the first option to be explored. Unless the situation clearly requires something else, only non-lethal weapons should be used as a last resort. The goal is to have time to escape, not to harm the attacker.