So I saw on the news today some guy went postal in his office. Didn't kill anyone, but he was throwing crap all over the place, destroying computer screens and crap. Now as funny as that is to watch, it took two minutes for somebody to finally step in while the room of seven people just stood by and watched...

Im curious. What is it in people's heads that tell them, "Stay back, dont do it.". If it were me, I would of had my office charge in and tackle the guy... cept I would scream "GET HIM!' and the guys would probably just watch me go to the dude... anyways.

What do you think is up with people? Is it fear of getting hurt, or maybe they are grown up in a way that says "STay away from all chaos."?

Safety reasons im sure. If a guys is throwing a tantrum and destroying the place something is obviously wrong, and its not the smartest idea to try to interfere unless your sure he isnt capable of causing any harm.

The dude was skinny as hell. His arms were sticks like mine.

I wouldn't touch him. He would find some way of retribution. Talking is best when he doesn't physically impose himself onto someone.

And were the spectators supposed to be certain he wasn't packing a weapon? If someone is exhibiting unusually violent and destructive behavior, it's best not to make such assumptions.

People don't like to get involved. :shrug:

Entertainment. Think about it, you get entertained from all sorts of things like making things explode in games, watching boxing, etc. Seeing it real life, although you know that there's an obious different you still get entertainment or are "dumbed" so you care less, just like people who try get others to start fights. Plus safety is a major component.

My guess is he was just doing what everyone else was thinking. Seriously, many companies just treat their employees like [censored] and they expect them to take it with a smile. Why should they care anyways? It's not like it's their equipment. If it were me I would have gone out to my car and got the guy a crowbar. If someone wants to take out their frustration on some insured corporate property who am I to stand in his way?

Ummm... because that [censored] is hella fun to watch?

So long as a f'lah is breaking stuff, he's not breaking heads. Stuff can be replaced. Heads of brave souls who try to intervene to preserve stuff are much harder to replace.

Discretion is the better part of valor when it comes to defense of property. Defense of life and limb, which was not at stake here, is a different situation.

The theory behind it is called diffusion of responsibility. The explanation is that noone is actually going to enjoy confronting this guy, so when there is seven people standing around, each one of them is hoping the other person will do it. There was a test done where someone faked a seizure in a room with someone, and the results were that if it was one or 2 people, they called for help where as a larger group stood there doing nothing but feeling awkward.

The existence of ambulance chasing attorneys who will find any excuse to sue anyone.

Well there is some strange people on this planet :shrug:

Not too long ago, two girls got into a fight in the Seattle sub way system. One of the girls was on top of the other, basically bashing her face into the ground repeatedly and kicking her in the side of the face. Two or three security guards were standing literally 1 foot away from the fight, and they did nothing. Absolutely nothing. This is not really related, like Dogsbody pointed out, in the case of the OP life and limb weren't on the line. However, with this deal in Seattle, life and limb were clearly on the line. And I call those security guards Cowards, I don't care what's in your contract. :stare: There's video's on youtube of this whole ordeal, but it's way way way too graphic to post on here.

Perhaps the work place is under such supervision that one employee finally had to snap and it was a long time coming.. Everyone else was probably silently cheering him on ( or just silently laughing at him). I've seen situations like that with the result of the person/persons walking off of the job. It can be a form of entertainment to a job that is normally day in-day out, especially if the person has particular issues with the job.

Gordstaman certainly has the psychological aspect down - he did a great job of describing the psychological theory.

Diffusion of responsibility is likely what happened, as well as the fact that the person in question was obviously in a state of anger and rage and all he was doing was destroying property - most individuals wouldn't want to get in the middle of that unless he started threatening actual people and at that point people generally take action (whether for the safety of themselves or otherwise).

I know right. What if his boss was harassing him? Or if he just had a fourth kid on a low income. What if he got fired? What if he just got divorced? What if he has mental problems we aren't aware of? What if it is a combination of these? Yea... there can be some weird people on this planet.

A madman has he strength of ten, and someone gone beserk isnt far behind. I wouldnt risk getting beat to a pulp to save a few monitors at work, but saving someone else from the same treatment is a different story.

'course, it's easy to say what you would do until you're actually stuck into that situation.

I would assume it is the same as with everything else. You are always meant to cooperate and not put your life on the line.

I would also add that the staff are not employed to tackle intruders.

Let him blow off steam.
Why would i intervene?The guy was having a nervous breakdown it does him good to blow off steam on objects.

I did this many times.(in my own house mind you)

Stress,poverty,being trapped can do that to you.

So don't judge.

maybe his geck crashed while making a raider sadist dungeon!!!! UGHGH!!!! :brokencomputer:

Indeed. I wouldn't judge the man based on this story alone. And even if he was just a raging lunatic I still definatly wouldn't interfere. I'm not going to risk my health for insured company property. Now if people were in danger I hope I would try to stop him, but you never know how you react to such a situation untill it happens.

Office culture, I'm sure most people watching wished they could do the same thing.

Also if this is the video I'm thinking of, then you should probably know that it isn't real and was scripted as part of an advetisemant for something-or-other. Is it the one where the guy throws his CRT monitor through the photocopier?

So many factors already listed. Peoples' self-preservation comes before taking on possibly armed raving lunatics, the possibility that deep inside they desire to do just what the person who finally snapped and bit back is doing, but for obvious reasons do not take arms against their corporate opressors. Gods know I've long had fantasies about torching down every single corporation who treated me like a slave without even paying my wages, lying and conniving to get me to do all the excremental jobs with a smile.

But expecting office personnel to tackle a rampaging intruder? Don't make laugh. The short while I spent in the life of security work (which was a very brief time, which I'd rather forget, really), I was adviced to call the cops in more major cases, whereas the job for security was to be visible and escort intoxicated or otherwise irritable induviduals out of the premises. No mention of going John McClane on their arses. You can't expect office staff to consist of ex-marines or hapkido masters who are just all too eager to take down any intruder on corporate premises.



Ditto.