# Keeping yourself from committing horrible crimes **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 26, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042 "2013-03-26T20:58:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/21 "2013-03-27T01:46:03Z")
Because I’m not psychotic or evil, I have no desire to go around killing people. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/22 "2013-03-27T02:06:52Z")
Ethics, all of those crimes are unethical, and I am a quite ethical person; I believe quite strongly in being ethical. That is why I recently turned vegetarian. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/23 "2013-03-27T02:22:12Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#): > > Ethics, all of those crimes are unethical, and I am a quite ethical person; I believe quite strongly in being ethical. That is why I recently turned vegetarian. And here, I thought it was just because you really hate plants. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/24 "2013-03-27T02:31:36Z")
I believe that they are the worst of sins. I fear Hell. I fear jail. I fear revenge, my own guilt and shame. Also, it’s a lot of trouble and I have more important things to do. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/25 "2013-03-27T02:36:17Z")
I think of my 9-year old daughter, or my octogenarian mother. Oh yes, I think of my wife. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/26 "2013-03-27T02:54:40Z")
It’s a combination of reasons. There are crimes I simply have no interest in committing. I have no desire to kill random strangers so I wouldn’t do it even if I could. I have a moral code that tells me I shouldn’t do some things. And there’s simple self-interest. I’m aware of the consequences of committing a serious crime and I don’t think the crime is worth the risk. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/27 "2013-03-27T03:39:54Z")
I have no fear of, God, Hell or Prison(well a little). I think I could kill someone if I had to and have the ability and tools, but never would want to be in that situation. I know a guy who killed someone. I was there I watched the guy die. D has to live with that the rest of his life and he shot the right guy(gun toting, stolen car, store robbing, meth addict). I don’t want to live with that, that guy was a Son, Brother and Father. My reasons for not doing any of the OP is just about the same. Empathy and Conscience(sp?) oh and I try to be a human being **Capt** BTW the Grand Jury no billed D’s case and would have given him an award if they could have, I exaggerate but not much. After they processed him in and out a cop drove him back to his store and thanked him. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/28 "2013-03-27T04:45:06Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > God told me not to. > > Regards, > Shodan Shodan said not to. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/29 "2013-03-27T05:09:01Z")
Firstly, I just don’t _feel_ like doing any of those things. If I did, I suppose my conscience/sense of right vs. wrong wouldn’t allow it. I hope… ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/30 "2013-03-27T05:18:39Z")
Rick Springfield tells me not to. Always. :):)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/31 "2013-03-27T05:22:41Z")
> [@Ms.Pumpkin](#): > > Firstly, I just don’t _feel_ like doing any of those things. If I did, I suppose my conscience/sense of right vs. wrong wouldn’t allow it. I hope… I’m there. Murder and mayhem are so boring, so … old. The future is in passivity and obesity! ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/32 "2013-03-27T05:41:46Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’m there. Murder and mayhem are so boring, so … old. The future is in passivity and obesity! What do we want?! APATHY! When do we want it?! WE DON’T CARE! ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/33 "2013-03-27T05:50:21Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > So . . . > > What keeps you from walking into a classroom of first-graders and opening fire? > What prevents you from pointing a gun at a baby’s face and pulling the trigger? > What keeps you from raping a girl who is too drunk to give her consent? > What keeps you from ringing someone’s door bell, then shooting the guy who answers? > What prevents you from shooting your lover, stabbing him multiple times, then slitting his throat? …cause I’m not an insane sociopath. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/34 "2013-03-27T06:02:13Z")
I lack the desire to do any of those things. If I did desire to commit one of those acts, my conscience would stand in the way. If I had the desire and didn’t have the conscience (or could get past it), the fact that I don’t own a gun and know nothing about purchasing or owning them would at the very least create a temporary road block to committing any of the mentioned gun crimes. I don’t think I’d enjoy a rape so I’d have nothing to gain from that. The close up and personal aspect of stabbing people (not to mention the ickiness) would likely stop me from committing the knife assaults. If none of those things stood in my way, the fear of being caught and punished would stop me unless I had nothing to lose. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/35 "2013-03-27T07:37:50Z")
As any cop will tell you, it requires both opportunity and desire. I suppose Dopers don’t get enough opportunity. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/36 "2013-03-27T08:36:10Z")
Ill admit, sometimes I think about how easy it would be to do something crazy. I’m sure I have it in me too. But the better part of me knows better. Jail is certainly a huge deterrent but so is my conscience. I don’t want to hurt anybody. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/37 "2013-03-27T08:57:50Z")
The\* Imp Of The Perverse\* frequently suggests to me that I should do some outrageous thing - sometimes these things involve harm to other people, but I find myself horrified at the thought. I don’t need to be told that suffering is unpleasant - I don’t wish to have it inflicted on me, I don’t like watching or thinking about other people suffering, so it seems to make sense not to inflict suffering on others. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/38 "2013-03-27T09:01:28Z")
Like many others, I find the answer stunningly obvious: empathy. I feel bad when I see other people’s suffering, and extra bad when I’m the cause of it. That’s what makes us social animals. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/39 "2013-03-27T10:02:45Z")
Lack of any desire to do such things. As for other things I have had a strong desire to do, it’s been a combination of: (Primary) It won’t seem as bad tomorrow. Don’t throw away all your good tomorrows for a bad today. (Secondary) Lack of access to the person I wanted to throttle. But when I had access, the primary reason meant that I behaved in a way ranging from “suck and grunt” to “rip the asshole a row of new ones”. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042/40 "2013-03-27T12:52:23Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Lack of any desire to do such things. It just simply never enters my mind. I mean, I could use my imagination to come up with an infinite number of things that just simply never enter my mind to do normally, from the mundane to the exotic. Examples (yes, I know, these are entering my mind right now in order to write this, but are not things I would normally be motivated to do): Mundane - eat a guava, exotic - hang-glide off Manchu Pichu, real exotic - decapitate the pope. But these are not thoughts that pop up in my head as a matter of course. So, the notion that destructive violent acts are rolling around in the heads of average people, and that they have to work hard to suppress these motivations is frankly foreign to me. It’s particularly troubling to hear folks invoke God or ethics to explain that they don’t do things. It implies that they wake up thinking, “OK, today is the day I’m going to chop up a bunch of babies! What? Oh, dang. God says I shouldn’t do that. O-K, I suppose I’ll get ready for work instead.” Really? That’s how people think? 😕 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keeping-yourself-from-committing-horrible-crimes/654042.md?page=3)