The optimal is to recognize that all situations warrant readiness for evil, which doesn’t have to mean actually seeing evil everywhere one goes.
I carry a knife at all times, because I was jumped by a drunk guy while homeless. He threw me down and kicked my head repeatedly until others pulled him off me. He did it because I asked him if he could spare a dollar.
But the other night, I was sitting at a traffic light. Three people walked by, two men and a woman. They were all giving me hostile stares.
I rolled down my window and said “Do you guys have a problem with me?” and they just said “No you’re just so cute”. The guys were gay I guess.
Realized I broke the rule of being ready, but not tense.
Idk if that’s the right qualifier. It should be “rural”. Because when people aren’t stupid, and they live in the city, they’re gonna get shuffled into classes pretty early with all the other not stupid people. But in small towns, small classes, you’re gonna see everyone. I’ve witnessed teachers saying this to kids over and over, and it’s because we didn’t have a choice. There was no fancy classroom either of us were escaping to.