Youth Futures: Keeping a Low Profile
Thursday, August 4, 2011 
Guest post by J. Z. Colby
As riots, looting, civil unrest, and revolutions come to more and more parts of the world, it's good for young adults to have some ideas about how to deal with these things. This post is mainly for those people who are not involved in the violence, but even if you have reason to be involved, or can't avoid it, there may be some useful ideas here for other times.
Most forms of martial arts training include this idea, and a good example can be found in the movie Karate Kid. When a punch is coming your way, "be not there." In other words, the easiest way to avoid damage is to not be in the path of destruction.
In martial arts, this requires quick movement, and not all of us are that quick. But in many other situations, clear thinking can substituted for speed. For example, in a forest fire, a moment of thought about the direction of the wind can save your life. If you are fast, but don’t think, you may run in the wrong direction and find yourself surrounded by smoke and flames.
But the fact is that most dangers in our modern world come from other people in one way or another, and usually they are not, at least at first, directly interested in you. The idea of keeping a "low profile" therefore is all about sensing what is important to the dangerous people, and noticing where they are focusing their attention. Only then can you "be not there" in the sense of being somewhere or something they can’t "see."
This is especially challenging for extroverts, people people, because they naturally want to attract the attention of other people to help them solve problems. Babies and young children are also this way: it is their nature to cry to attract help.
But assuming we are not prepared and equipped to fight our way out of a dangerous situation, then we must get it clear in our heads that we are trying to NOT attract attention, NOT be seen. In a sense, we are trying to practice invisibility. We can’t literally be invisible, like some super-heroes can, but we can make ourselves uninteresting.
If the dangerous people are looking for an easy target to shoot at, then you need to be hidden, in the shadows, behind things, wearing dark clothing - you get the idea. But what if the dangerous people ARE looking for someone lurking in the shadows? Change of plan! Now you need to be out in the open, walking tall like you owned the place. See the difference?
Human beings are territorial. Understanding and accepting the territorial "rules" can save your life. In most cases, the boundaries are defined by something physical like a fence or wall. Or it could subtle, like just grass on the edge of the sidewalk or road. We don’t like strangers in our territories, or lingering near the boundaries. The one acceptable thing a stranger can do is pass by at normal speed, acting like you are going somewhere else. If you go too slow, you will look like you are "checking out" the boundary. If you go too fast, people think you are fleeing the scene of your latest crime.
Sound, Posture, Color, Accessories
Most of the time, being noisy draws attention, but if most people are making noise, being silent might stick out (if you can be seen). Just be sure to pick the right kind of noise. If everyone else is laughing and you scream - you get the idea.
Good, upright posture is a symbol for "respected citizen," while hunching and slinking means "guilty." If you feel like freaking out, remember that a certain kind of freaking out means "respected citizen in distress," and a slightly different kind means "mentally-ill weirdo."
Every society has color codes. Bright colors are usually acceptable for women, not for men. Authority figures wear black or dark blue with white, yellow, or orange lettering or trim. Remember that those authority figures don't like civilians pretending to be one of them, but there are so many kinds of private security people today that the lines have blurred. Dark colors are best for hiding, if that's what you need to do. Light colors, and especially warm colors, stick out in any natural environment. The natural world is black, brown, and dark green. Our human world is mostly shades of gray.
If you must carry a bag or purse, is it snatchable? A short strap over one shoulder is easy to snatch, a longer strap over the opposite shoulder is much better. But in any case, a bag means "valuables inside." Are your valuables really inside? Remember that in bad times, a sandwich may be just as interesting to a thief as gold. Be prepared to let go of it - it's not worth your life.
Openly carrying a weapon is NOT a low profile method. It is an implied dare to others, few people are prepared to use a weapon well, and it will probably attract the attention of authorities. An umbrella (in a rainy place) or a cane (that you appear to need) might be much more useful, and will avoid negative reactions.
If our world keeps slipping into tougher times, many people will be defiant, trying to hold onto "The American Dream," or whatever you want to call it. There may be times to stand up and do that, and other times when it is too dangerous. You must choose, and the situation may change from moment to moment. "Low Profile" is just one tool in your personal toolbox, among many others.
J. Z. Colby is the author of the Nebador series, young-adult science fiction stories filled with wit-sharpening 
and skill-honing challenges, mental, emotional, and spiritual, for 21st century youth: www.nebador.com
Born in the Mojave Desert, J. Z. Colby now lives and writes deep in a forest of the Pacific Northwest. He has studied many subjects, formally and informally, including psychology, philosophy, education, and performing arts, but remains a generalist. His primary profession as a mental health counselor, specializing with families and young adults, gives him many stories of personal growth, and the motivation to develop his team of young critiquers and readers. All his life, he has been drawn toward a broad understanding of human nature, especially those physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual situations in which our capacity to function seems to reach its limits. He finds fascinating those few individuals who can transcend the limits of our common human nature and the dictates of our cultures. In his spare time, he flies helicopters and airplanes.
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