text: are americans crazy? is it just me or are we going crazy? we seem to be growing more paranoid by the minute. it's good to be prepared but just look at the news! what to do if you are kidinapped, or attacked, or broken into, or mugged. all these "what if's?!" every night! are they making us more scared? do we react and retaliate faster because we are scared? i know i didn't start carrying a gun in my purse until i saw a deal on tv about car jackings and attacks on women. in the u.s. we see that stuff all the time. does it make you paranoid and more aggressive? what can we do to amend these behaviors? also, what about crime? are we panicked into thinking that we are in a state of crisis and thus commit crimes as a society in whole, more often, than others? what do you think? sure we are...we live a society where we don't know who we can trust, our government is putting us on high alert with having us on the offense, so we naturally are looking for retaliation of some type too often.  our trusted financial advisors are dealing us a raw deal, and people are stealing children from their yards, but if you think it's all new, it's not.. it's just more reported.. everything is heightened by the media...years ago the only thing you held in check for your personal safety was the item that happened in you immediate area, now we are relating (via satellite) to everyone all over the usa, and fear it's coming to our neighborhoods next.  but i try to not watch too much news on tv or cnn, because i live by "i'll do what i can to change what i can, and leave the rest to god"  that's doesn't mean that since i live in a very rural area i don't think about bad elements that i may come in contact with. or that i'll be carefree at night when my car is parked in a parking garage, i'm alert, but not frightened.  i prepare for what i can, within reason, and sleep peacefully at night.  ( from one that didn't buy duct tape and plastic sheeting materials )