When have you experienced an opportunity to act, but not done it (or maybe you did act)? If you have never experienced this sort of opportunity, try to envision a hypothetical situation where it might happen. In this situation why did you fail to act? Or, if it was a hypothetical situation, what might prevent you from acting?
Though I havn't experienced ny sort of situation in which breaking up a fight or helping someone would have been necessary, I honestly don't see myself acting in certain situations. If I was walking alone in the streets of New York at night and saw some people having a violent argument down a back alley, I probably would keep to myself. Not because I'm self centered, but because I want to keep myself safe.
Yes- there are some instances in which acting is a good idea: when you're in a group, know the people who are involved, or can be sure that the "assaulter" isn't dangerous. It is human nature to act in our best interest, we can't help that, and we don't want to but ourselves in harm's way for a stranger. In order to 'make up' for this behaviour we volunteer, give to charity, and start fundraisers to help people so that we can fulfill our needs to help others in a safe way.
Another reason that this effect could be possible is because of what we believe is the "social standard." If other people don't want to help, we may not think it our business to help either. Too often we'd rather blend into the crowd than stand out and do something good for someone.
It's too bad that this is how we think; however, we can't change human nature, but we have the ability to take risks ourselves to help people in need.
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