The Scourge Of Mid-Level Violence
We all like to think we’d handle the situation with a cool, calm head, but incidents like these make your blood boil fast.
The hardest part about giving personal safety advice is that nothing compares to dealing with a dangerous situation in the heat of the moment. Violence triggers powerful emotions, even for those whom violence is a profession. I emphasize avoidance over all other courses of action because, once you become involved in a violent encounter, not only is it tough to keep your feelings in check, you have very little control of the situation overall. It’s a bad place to be.
This came to mind after seeing this incident, which happened last month. The description of the incident is in the tweet, so I won’t explain it any further. Just watch and think about what you’re witnessing:
Like Ian Cheong asks, “Is this fair?” What’s your initial reaction to this? Think about it for a moment, then watch this next video. It captures how this whole encounter began:
Did you think the victim overreacted? I initially thought it possible he might’ve, but if you go from calmly telling a stranger “That’s my name on the tag” to getting physical, clearly, the situation wasn’t resolving itself. It would’ve never escalated into a physical altercation had Kanel Joseph simply backed off, but of course, there was a YouTube video he needed to film! Got to make that money since, apparently, having a real job isn’t an option for Joseph.
We only promote lawful behavior on this blog, but we’re also not afraid to call out insanity when we see it. This is why I’m not really going to critique the victim’s actions, because the situation is so absurd I can’t really judge the way he handled it. We all like to think we’d handle the situation with a cool, calm head, but again, incidents like these make your blood boil fast. You’re dealing with someone violating your person, your property, and your dignity at the same time. As I’ve explained before, being disrespected isn’t a concern when you’re actually fighting for your life. What happened in this video is something between a squabble and a self-defense encounter, but we’ll come back to that in a bit.
I looked up Kanel Joseph’s YouTube channel. It’s been active since 2015 and is filled with videos of him pranking strangers. The only remotely positive thing I can say about Joseph is that he seems to piss everyone off, White, Black, male, female, old, young. Other than that, the guy’s a social nuisance and it’s sad commentary on the state of our culture that he has over a million subscribers.
One of his most recent videos takes place at the airport in question and begins with Joseph explaining his side of the story. In the interest of fairness, I recommend you watch just to hear it from the horse’s mouth:
If you didn’t watch the video, I understand, because if you thought Joseph was going to apologize or admit he did wrong, you’d be disappointed. It’s clear he believes he was the one done wrong by someone he describes as an “angry White man,” a good indication of where his heart is at and the kinds of thoughts that go through his mind. At one point, he even jokes about how the victim was actually a serial killer the police were looking for and how he and his cameraman are heroes now, demonstrating a complete lack of seriousness over what he put an unwitting victim through. Joseph then tries putting himself over by pointing out he and his cameraman decided against pursuing charges against the victim, as if this is any display of decency or magnanimity on his part. In truth, he likely didn’t pursue charges because he would’ve then had to explain his own illegal conduct in a court of law.
Now that the incident has gained more exposure beyond his following, Joseph is catching heat and feeling even more sorry for himself:
Is he just young and immature? Or is Joseph a sociopath? Either way, it’s clear he doesn’t realize he’s not only playing with fire, but that pranks aren’t legally-protected behavior. It can easily fall under the broad category of “disorderly conduct,” meaning these YouTubers were fair game for arrest or at least citation for pretending to commit a crime. Nobody likes the fun police, but only someone with a sense of entitlement thinks the world ought to make it safe for them to prank strangers.
If you look at some of Joseph’s other videos, you see more instances where things could’ve escalated. Some of his encounters involved people who were both able and willing to land him in a hospital if he didn’t back off. The problem with Joseph and many other YouTube clowns is they have no clue what they’re allowed and not allowed to do according to the law, to say nothing of their total disrespect for others’ dignity and personal space. I’m surprised more lawsuits haven’t arisen from YouTuber antics. Mind you, shows like Candid Camera and MTV’s Boiling Points were professional productions, with legal bases covered and boundaries established ahead of time. Does Joseph even have an insurance policy to cover any potential injuries, losses, or legal ramifications that may arise? Should the victim in the airport video have a basis for pursuing damages, that could not only end Joseph’s YouTube career in a flash, it’ll likely destroy his livelihood for years to come.
There are those out there who attempted to equivocate, saying both the actions of Joseph and his victim were wrong in their own way. Once more, ask yourself: if Joseph doesn’t attempt to prank this man, would this have happened? Of course not. Some things really are black-and-white. It’s not incumbent upon a victim to de-escalate a situation the instigator himself refuses to de-escalate. If you disagree, check out his other videos to see just how far he pushes people. It’s easy to laugh at the expense of others, but rest assured, it won’t be funny once you’re on the receiving end.
Some of you might be wondering why I’m making such a big deal out of what seems, in the grand scheme of things, a minor incident. After all, isn’t this blog intended for discussing issues with profound implications for the future of our country? Well sure, but some things strike such a chord, you can’t help but say something about it. I think we’ve all dealt with a Kanel Joseph a time or two, someone who tries to have fun at our expense, and knows not when to stop. Believe me, it’s happened to all of us, you’ve just forgotten. We’ve all dealt with a malicious clown who thinks they’re doing nothing wrong, but is actually provoking you into a confrontation. The reaction is often the point and they want to see how far they can push before you snap, then claim they were just joking or use your reaction against you.
And this is why the Joseph incident is a bigger deal than it seems. This blog isn’t just about the profound, it’s also about prepping, not just for the upheavals to come, but for living your daily lives. Like I’ve said before, don’t worry about surviving a civil war or collapse if you can’t even manage your affairs today. Don’t worry too much about self-defense either, if you have trouble staying away from danger. But how do you avoid something like the Joseph incident? If someone decides they want to prank you, do you really have a say in the matter, or do you just have to go along for the ride?
That’s what makes these situations so tricky. Someone commenting on the incident on Twitter had a perfect description for it: “mid-level violence:”
As I alluded several paragraphs ago, not every situation is a verbal spat or a full-blown donnybrook. In fact, I’d wager a guess that the most common forms of violence is mid-level. As it’s not what we’d consider conventional violence, people have a tendency to get away with it and employ it in lieu of more overt acts of violence. If I’m sounding like a military historian right now, that’s because you can apply the same principles to war. Remember when I quoted Ommar Fabian as saying every war is a conflict, but not every conflict is a war? The same way both states and non-state actors employ unconventional warfare or engage in low-intensity conflict, social predators engage in behavior short of outright criminality for a variety of purposes, Since their actions can be only be illegal on a circumstantial basis, however, it’s very difficult to hold them accountable or justify violence as a response against their actions.
Last year, I spoke of the need to stay clear of social predators in the context of a clear-cut example of how they can trigger deadly, life-altering encounters:
- Understand what’s worth fighting and killing over versus what’s not: The Barry Washingtons of the world are social predators, but of a certain variety. For them, confrontation is the point, a way for them to fuel their egos and score social points, at least in their own minds. Someone like this isn’t worth risking your life over and there’s no justice to be had in prevailing in a confrontation with a person who just wants to feel better about themselves. It actually takes more guts and inner strength to be able to resist the urge to give them what they’re looking for, which is a fight. Be smart and don’t take the bait.
But again, how do you not take the bait when someone pretends to steal your belongings? This is what makes mid-level violence and what Kanel Joseph did so insidious. We’re talking about someone who’ll rope in cops, security guards, and people twice his size for social media clout. Do you really think he’s just going to back off when he gets push-back, even if that’s what a reasonable person would do? The unfortunate reality is, someone like Joseph doesn’t know when to stop or cannot stop, because to do so would to signal weakness. Either that, or he can’t get the video he wanted, thereby denying himself the clout he so desperately seeks.
How do you deal with this kind of predator? All I can offer is, if you ever find yourself in a situation like that, stay calm above all else. This is the most difficult thing to do, yet it’s the most important thing you can do. Often, a situation spirals out of control because emotions spiral out of control. Recognize what’s happening, accept it’s happening, be firm, and if an opportunity presents itself, walk away. This is the best possible outcome; if they continue to pursue and provoke you after you’ve made it clear you’re not interested in playing games, now they’re really crossing a line and engaging in borderline criminality.
That said, if someone like Joseph is attempting to steal your belongings, use reasonable judgment. I can’t tell you to give up your belongings, not only because you have a right to claim your stuff, but because I myself would never willingly turn over my possessions unless my life depended on it. Even then, I wouldn’t make it that easy for the thief (or would I?). Trust what your eyes see and take the situation seriously, but also behave sensibly. Someone who’s serious about stealing your belongings isn’t gentle about it. Again, remain calm, steadfast, and outlast the perpetrator. Only two things throw a criminal off-kilter: either an overwhelming, violent response - which could get you into trouble - or an unsettling calm, as though you’re calling their bluff.
Finally, if someone like Kanel Joseph has a right to stick a camera in your face, you have a right to stick one in their face, also. Our word alone has never been good enough and we need evidence now more than ever before to accuse someone of wrongdoing. Nothing tops a video shot from your perspective, so be prepared to whip out your camera and start filming. It’s a lot less explaining you’ll need to do once the authorities get involved and can bolster your case for pursuing charges, civil or criminal, plus it’ll give your social predator the infamy they so desperately seek.
I can’t guarantee any of this advice would’ve helped the victim in the airport incident. I feel badly for him and hope he can exact some measure of justice. But if my advice can’t help him, maybe it can help you. As always, you need to stay ahead of the bad guy’s curve to survive these incidents intact. Victory belongs to those willing to lay it all on the line. Social predators are willing to sacrifice a lot to get what they want, so unfortunately, that means you have to be willing to fight just as hard. Just don’t forget the all-important rule: if you can walk away with your belongings, do it!
I’ll close by saying I kind of hope this story gets more exposure, because we all need to be more alert to the danger of mid-level violence. No, I’m not saying you’re going to be pranked by a YouTuber tomorrow, but you’re more likely to fall victim to a social predator exercising mid-level violence than you are to fall victim to high-level violence committed by a serious criminal. These are arguably the toughest scenarios to navigate because, as I’ve hopefully driven home by this point, defending yourself with violence might not be an option, but walking away may not be one, either. And you only have as many rights as the social predators do, unfortunately. Those are the rules of anarcho-tyranny.
How would you have handled this incident if you were faced with Kanel Joseph in the airport? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
UPDATE: Reader “Reckoning” had this to say in the comments:
Having only watched the first video, I don’t think the victim did anything wrong. His greatest mistake was walking away from the cop and allowing the would-be thief the chance to accuse him of whatever he wanted.
My thoughts are that you want to demonstrate that you tried to de-escalate the situation by attempting to leave, keeping your cool, trying to avoid touching the other person as much as possible, and attempting to call for help. To a certain extent, it’s a show.
Looking at the Oregon case you linked to, the shooter was recently convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years. Sadly he would have been better off taking a beating. Besides the racial aspect, the prosecutors made show of the fact the shooter brought a gun to a bar (not illegal) and smoked a cigarette right after the event (also not illegal). It does show that unfortunately you have to think about how things will be perceived and used against you, and this is not strictly about logic.
Reckoning raises a number of good points. The victim should’ve calmed himself down once police arrived onscene. This is likely the biggest reason he ended up in handcuffs, though it doesn’t change the fact he was still not the instigator of the incident. There were numerous opportunities to de-escalate the situation and prevent it from rising to the level it did, but again, Kanel Joseph had a video he wanted to film for YouTube.
Reckoning also makes a good point about how this is all a show. What did Shakespeare say? All the world’s a stage. A society which passes judgment strictly according to logic and the rule of law would, above all, make perfect sense. Sensibility doesn’t describe the world we live in today. The world runs on narratives and yours has to be the one people harbor the most sympathy for. Walking away, if you can, and staying calm are really the only ways of ensuring you’re able to craft a narrative the public can relate to.
I looked up the Oregon case I wrote about last year and discovered, unfortunately, that Reckoning is correct. I won’t bore you with the details, which you can read here.
All I have to say is that the verdict may be legally sound, but I’m not sure justice was served. It does serve, however, as a sobering lesson about how dangerous an interation with a social predator engaging in mid-level violence can be. Avoidance and maintaining poise in the face of danger is really all that can save you. Never assume the law has your back and never think you stand on higher ground against a social predator. You only have the same amount of rights as them and they’re willing to lose more - including their lives - to get what they think is theirs, be it someone’s luggage, respect, and so on.
10 years in prison. And for what? Over a wannabe-thug who lacked self-control? There’s no honor and certainly no victory, moral or otherwise, in that.
Max Remington writes about armed conflict and prepping. Follow him on Twitter at @AgentMax90.
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Nicholas Sandmann is someone who reacted perfectly. He could have reasonably shoved or grabbed the guy banging a drum inches from his face, but he knew what would happen to him. And even simply standing there and smiling STILL got him attached in the media.
There was a recent article on self-defence in Canada and I was struck by the closing comment by a defence lawyer. Basically, some police and prosecutors are offended by the idea of self-defence and will prosecute anything. At that point, beyond the impact of simply being charged, you are in a crapshoot.
https://nationalpost.com/news/no-charges-for-home-invasion-stabbing-death-in-latest-test-of-self-defence-law